(A)Now in the seventh year Jehoiada sent orders and brought the captains of hundreds of (B)the Carites and of the [a]guards, and brought them to himself at the house of the Lord. Then he made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the house of the Lord, and showed them the king’s son. And he commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you shall do: (C)a third of you, who come in on the Sabbath and keep watch over the king’s house (a third also shall be at the gate Sur, and a third at the gate behind the [b]guards), [c]shall keep watch over the house [d]for defense. And two parts of you, all who go out on the Sabbath, shall also keep watch over the house of the Lord for the king. Then you shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within the ranks shall be put to death. And (D)you are to be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”

So the captains of hundreds (E)acted in accordance with everything that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the Sabbath, along with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 Then (F)the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the Lord. 11 The [e]guards stood, each with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king. 12 Then he brought the king’s son out, and (G)put the crown on him and gave him (H)the testimony; and they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “(I)Long live the king!”

13 (J)When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and of the people, she came to the people at the house of the Lord. 14 And she looked, and behold, the king was standing (K)by the pillar according to the custom, with the captains and the [f]trumpeters beside the king; and (L)all the people of the land were joyful and were blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah (M)tore her clothes and cried out, “(N)Conspiracy! Conspiracy!” 15 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and whoever follows her, put to death with the sword!” For the priest said, “She is not to be put to death at the house of the Lord.” 16 So they [g]seized her, and when [h]they brought her to the horses’ entrance of the king’s house, she was (O)put to death there.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 11:4 Lit runners
  2. 2 Kings 11:6 Lit runners
  3. 2 Kings 11:6 Lit and shall
  4. 2 Kings 11:6 Or possibly in shifts
  5. 2 Kings 11:11 Lit runners
  6. 2 Kings 11:14 Lit trumpets
  7. 2 Kings 11:16 Lit laid hands on her
  8. 2 Kings 11:16 Lit she entered

But during the seventh year of her reign,[a] Jehoiada went out and called together the rulers of hundreds, the captains, and the guards, and assembled them together inside the Lord’s Temple. He made a covenant with them, making them take an oath in the Lord’s Temple, and then he revealed the king’s son to them. He ordered them:

“Here’s what we’ll do: A third of you will enter here on this coming[b] Sabbath dressed[c] as guardians of the watch for the king’s palace, with a third of you at the Sur gate, and a third at the gate behind the guards. Keep watch over the palace[d] and defend it. Two[e] of you who enter here on this coming[f] Sabbath are to stand watch at the Lord’s Temple, guarding the king and surrounding him with weapons in hand. Whoever comes within range is to be killed. Stay with the king wherever he goes, coming or going.”

So the captains of hundreds did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one of them assembled his men who were to enter on the Sabbath, along with those who were to leave on the Sabbath, and approached Jehoiada the priest.

10 The priest issued King David’s personal spears and shields that had been stored in the Lord’s Temple to the captains of hundreds. 11 So the guards stood assembled, every soldier with weapons in hand, surrounding the king from the right side corner of the Temple to the left side corner, including around the altar and the Temple.

12 Then he brought out the king’s son, put the royal crown on him, presented him with the Testimony,[g] and installed him as king. They anointed him, applauded, and said, “May the king live!”

13 When Athaliah heard all of the commotion coming from those who were guarding the people, she approached the people who were in the Lord’s Temple. 14 She looked around—and there was the king, standing near a column, as was the royal custom! He was accompanied by the commanding officers, along with trumpeters who stood beside the king. All the people of the land sounded trumpets in their excitement.

But Athaliah tore her clothes and bellowed, “It’s a plot! A conspiracy!”

Athaliah is Executed(A)

15 Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains in charge of[h] the army, “Take her out the back way[i] and execute anybody who follows her,” since the priest had also issued this order: “Let’s not put her to death in the Lord’s Temple.” 16 So they arrested Athaliah, took her out through the same entrance used by the horses for entering the king’s palace, and executed her.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 11:4 The Heb. lacks of her reign
  2. 2 Kings 11:5 The Heb. lacks this coming
  3. 2 Kings 11:5 The Heb. lacks dressed
  4. 2 Kings 11:6 Or Temple; Lit. house
  5. 2 Kings 11:7 Lit. Two hands
  6. 2 Kings 11:7 The Heb. lacks this coming
  7. 2 Kings 11:12 I.e. the tablets that were stored in the ark; cf. Ex 25:16, 31:18
  8. 2 Kings 11:15 Lit. captains of hundred over
  9. 2 Kings 11:15 Lit. out by the ranks; i.e. using a utility entrance (cf. vs. 16)