1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.
2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
3 And he was with her hidden in the house of Jehovah six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.
4 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of Jehovah, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of Jehovah, and showed them the king's son.
5 And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that you shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the Sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house;
6 And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall you keep the watch of the house, that it is not broken down.
7 And two parts of all you that go forth on the Sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of Jehovah about the king.
8 And you shall surround the king on every side, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he who comes within range, let him be slain: and be with the king as he goes out and as he comes in.
9 And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the Sabbath, with those who should go out on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.
10 And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of Jehovah.
11 And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, on every side of the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.
12 And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.
13 And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of Jehovah.
14 And when she looked, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.
15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said to them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him who follows her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of Jehovah.
16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain.
17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between Jehovah and the king and the people, that they should be Jehovah 's people; between the king also and the people.
18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and broke it down; his altars and his images broke they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of Jehovah.
19 And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of Jehovah, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.
20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.
21 Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.