Chapter 23
1 In the seventh year , Jehoiada strengthened himself , and took the captains of hundreds — Azariah the son of Jeroham , Ishmael the son of Jehohanan , Azariah the son of Obed , Maaseiah the son of Adaiah , and Elishaphat the son of Zichri — into a covenant with him .
2 They went around in Judah and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah , and the heads of fathers’ households of Israel , and they came to Jerusalem .
3 All the assembly made a covenant with the king in God ’s house . Jehoiada said to them , " Behold , the king ’s son must reign , as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David .
4 This is the thing that you must do : a third part of you , who come in on the Sabbath , of the priests and of the Levites , shall be gatekeepers of the thresholds .
5 A third part shall be at the king ’s house ; and a third part at the gate of the foundation . All the people will be in the courts of Yahweh ’s house .
6 But let no one come into Yahweh ’s house except the priests and those who minister of the Levites . They shall come in , for they are holy , but all the people shall follow Yahweh ’s instructions .
7 The Levites shall surround the king , every man with his weapons in his hand . Whoever comes into the house , let him be slain . Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out ."
8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded . They each took his men , those who were to come in on the Sabbath , with those who were to go out on the Sabbath , for Jehoiada the priest didn’t dismiss the shift.
9 Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears , bucklers , and shields that had been king David ’s, which were in God ’s house .
10 He set all the people , every man with his weapon in his hand , from the right side of the house to the left side of the house , near the altar and the house , around the king .
11 Then they brought out the king ’s son , put the crown on him , gave him the covenant, and made him king . Jehoiada and his sons anointed him , and they said , " Long live the king !"
12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king , she came to the people into Yahweh ’s house .
13 Then she looked , and behold , the king stood by his pillar at the entrance , with the captains and the trumpeters by the king . All the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets . The singers also played musical instruments , and led the singing of praise . Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and said, " Treason ! treason !"
14 Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army , and said to them , " Bring her out between the ranks ; and whoever follows her , let him be slain with the sword ." For the priest said , "Don’t kill her in Yahweh ’s house ."
15 So they made way for her . She went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king ’s house ; and they killed her there .
16 Jehoiada made a covenant between himself , all the people , and the king , that they should be Yahweh ’s people .
17 All the people went to the house of Baal , broke it down , broke his altars and his images in pieces , and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars .
18 Jehoiada appointed the officers of Yahweh ’s house under the hand of the Levitical priests , whom David had distributed in Yahweh ’s house , to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh , as it is written in the law of Moses , with rejoicing and with singing , as David had ordered.
19 He set the gatekeepers at the gates of Yahweh ’s house , that no one who was unclean in anything should enter in .
20 He took the captains of hundreds , the nobles, the governors of the people , and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from Yahweh ’s house . They came through the upper gate to the king ’s house , and set the king on the throne of the kingdom .
21 So all the people of the land rejoiced , and the city was quiet . They had slain Athaliah with the sword .