2 ChroniclesChapter 23
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1Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada took courage. He made a covenant with the commanders of hundreds. They were Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri. 2They went all through Judah. They gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the heads of the families of Israel. Then they came to Jerusalem. 3The whole group made a covenant with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada said, "Look, here is the king's son! He must rule, just as the LORD promised about David's children. 4This is what you must do. You priests and Levites who come on duty on the Sabbath, one third of you will guard the doors. 5One third will be at the royal palace. One third will be at the Foundation Gate. All the others will be in the courtyards of the house of the LORD. 6No one may go into the house of the LORD except the priests and the Levites who serve. They may go in because they are set apart as holy. But all the people must obey the LORD's command. 7The Levites must stand around the king with their weapons in their hands. Anyone who comes into the temple must be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes." 8The Levites and all Judah did everything Jehoiada the priest had told them. Each one took his men. Some were coming on duty on the Sabbath, and some were going off duty. This was because Jehoiada the priest had not let any of the groups go home. 9Then Jehoiada the priest gave spears and large and small shields to the commanders of hundreds. These had belonged to King David and were kept in the house of God. 10He placed all the men around the king with weapons in hand. They stood near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple. 11Then Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king's son. They put the crown on him and gave him the Testimony. They declared him king. They anointed him and shouted, "Long live the king!" 12Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering for the king. So she went out to them at the house of the LORD. 13She looked and saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpet players were beside the king. All the people of the land were filled with joy and blowing trumpets. The singers with musical instruments were leading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, "Treason! Treason!" 14Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of hundreds who led the army. He said, "Bring her out between the rows of soldiers. Kill with the sword anyone who follows her." He said this because the priest had said, "She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD." 15So they grabbed Athaliah as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate by the palace. There they put her to death. 16Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, the king, and the people. They promised that they would be the LORD's people. 17Then all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. 18Jehoiada also put the Levitical priests in charge of the house of the LORD. David had appointed them over the house of the LORD. They were to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, as written in the Law of Moses. They were to do it with joy and singing, as David had ordered. 19He placed gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD. That way, no one who was unclean in any way could come in. 20He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land. They brought the king down from the house of the LORD. They went into the royal palace through the Upper Gate. They seated King Joash on the royal throne. 21All the people of the land were filled with joy. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been killed with the sword.