23In the seventh year of Athaliah's reign, Jehoiada the priest decided to act. He summoned his courage and made a pact with five army commanders: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri.H7637H8141H3077H2388H3947H8269H3967H5838H1121H3395H3458H1121H3076H5838H1121H5744H4641H1121H5718H478H1121H2147H12852These men traveled secretly throughout Judah and summoned the Levites and clan leaders in all the towns to come to Jerusalem.H5437H3063H6908H3881H5892H3063H7218H1H3478H935H33893They all gathered at the Temple of God, where they made a solemn pact with Joash, the young king. Jehoiada said to them, "Here is the king's son! The time has come for him to reign! The LORD has promised that a descendant of David will be our king.H6951H3772H1285H4428H1004H430H559H4428H1121H4427H3068H1696H1121H17324This is what you must do. When you priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, a third of you will serve as gatekeepers.H1697H6213H7992H935H7676H3548H3881H7778H55925Another third will go over to the royal palace, and the final third will be at the Foundation Gate. Everyone else should stay in the courtyards of the LORD's Temple.H7992H4428H1004H7992H8179H3247H5971H2691H1004H30686Remember, only the priests and Levites on duty may enter the Temple of the LORD, for they are set apart as holy. The rest of the people must obey the LORD's instructions and stay outside.H935H1004H3068H3548H8334H3881H935H6944H5971H8104H4931H30687You Levites, form a bodyguard around the king and keep your weapons in hand. Kill anyone who tries to enter the Temple. Stay with the king wherever he goes."H3881H5362H4428H5439H376H3627H3027H935H1004H4191H4428H935H33188So the Levites and all the people of Judah did everything as Jehoiada the priest ordered. The commanders took charge of the men reporting for duty that Sabbath, as well as those who were going off duty. Jehoiada the priest did not let anyone go home after their shift ended.H3881H3063H6213H3077H3548H6680H3947H376H582H935H7676H3318H7676H3077H3548H6358H42569Then Jehoiada supplied the commanders with the spears and the large and small shields that had once belonged to King David and were stored in the Temple of God.H3077H3548H5414H8269H3967H2595H4043H7982H4428H1732H1004H43010He stationed all the people around the king, with their weapons ready. They formed a line from the south side of the Temple around to the north side and all around the altar.H5975H5971H376H7973H3027H3233H3802H1004H8042H3802H1004H4196H1004H4428H543911Then Jehoiada and his sons brought out Joash, the king's son, placed the crown on his head, and presented him with a copy of God's laws. They anointed him and proclaimed him king, and everyone shouted, "Long live the king!"H3318H4428H1121H5414H5145H5715H4427H3077H1121H4886H559H2421H4428
The Death of Athaliah
12When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and the shouts of praise to the king, she hurried to the LORD's Temple to see what was happening.H6271H8085H6963H5971H7323H1984H4428H935H5971H1004H306813When she arrived, she saw the newly crowned king standing in his place of authority by the pillar at the Temple entrance. The commanders and trumpeters were surrounding him, and people from all over the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Singers with musical instruments were leading the people in a great celebration. When Athaliah saw all this, she tore her clothes in despair and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"H7200H4428H5975H5982H3996H8269H2689H4428H5971H776H8056H8628H2689H7891H3627H7892H3045H1984H6271H7167H899H559H7195H719514Then Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders who were in charge of the troops, "Take her to the soldiers in front of the Temple, and kill anyone who tries to rescue her." For the priest had said, "She must not be killed in the Temple of the LORD."H3077H3548H3318H8269H3967H6485H2428H559H3318H1004H7713H935H310H4191H2719H3548H559H4191H1004H306815So they seized her and led her out to the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and they killed her there.H7760H3027H935H3996H5483H8179H4428H1004H4191
Jehoiada’s Religious Reforms
16Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and the king and the people that they would be the LORD's people.H3077H3772H1285H5971H4428H3068H597117And all the people went over to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They demolished the altars and smashed the idols, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.H5971H935H1004H1168H5422H7665H4196H6754H7665H2026H4977H3548H1168H6440H419618Jehoiada now put the priests and Levites in charge of the Temple of the LORD, following all the directions given by David. He also commanded them to present burnt offerings to the LORD, as prescribed by the Law of Moses, and to sing and rejoice as David had instructed.H3077H7760H6486H1004H3068H3027H3548H3881H1732H2505H1004H3068H5927H5930H3068H3789H8451H4872H8057H7892H3027H173219He also stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the LORD's Temple to keep out those who for any reason were ceremonially unclean.H5975H7778H8179H1004H3068H2931H1697H93520Then the commanders, nobles, rulers, and all the people of the land escorted the king from the Temple of the LORD. They went through the upper gate and into the palace, and they seated the king on the royal throne.H3947H8269H3967H117H4910H5971H5971H776H3381H4428H1004H3068H935H8432H5945H8179H4428H1004H3427H4428H3678H446721So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was peaceful because Athaliah had been killed.H5971H776H8055H5892H8252H4191H6271H2719
Unknown
. They anointed him and proclaimed him king, and everyone shouted, "Long live the king!"H3318
