2 Kings 11:4-8

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

Jehoiada Anoints the Child Joash

⁴ But in the seventh year Jehoi′ada sent and brought the captains of the Carites and of the guards, and had them come to him in the house of the Lord; and he made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the Lord, and he showed them the king’s son. ⁵ And he commanded them, “This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you, those who come off duty on the sabbath and guard the king’s house ⁶ (another third being at the gate Sur and a third at the gate behind the guards), shall guard the palace; ⁷ and the two divisions of you, which come on duty in force on the sabbath and guard the house of the Lord,^{[a] 8} shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; and whoever approaches the ranks is to be slain. Be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”