2 Kings 11:4-16

Good News Translation

⁴ But in the seventh year Jehoiada the priest sent for the officers in charge of the royal bodyguard and of the palace guards, and told them to come to the Temple, where he made them agree under oath to what he planned to do. He showed them King Ahaziah's son Joash ⁵ and gave them the following orders: “When you come on duty on the Sabbath, one third of you are to guard the palace; ⁶ another third are to stand guard at the Sur Gate, and the other third are to stand guard at the gate behind the other guards.^{[a] 7} The two groups that go off duty on the Sabbath are to stand guard at the Temple to protect the king. ⁸ You are to guard King Joash with drawn swords and stay with him wherever he goes. Anyone who comes near you is to be killed.”

⁹ The officers obeyed Jehoiada's instructions and brought their men to him—those going off duty on the Sabbath and those going on duty. ¹⁰ He gave the officers the spears^[b] and shields that had belonged to King David and had been kept in the Temple, ¹¹ and he stationed the men with drawn swords all around the front of the Temple, to protect the king. ¹² Then Jehoiada led Joash out, placed the crown on his head, and gave him a copy of the laws governing kingship. Then Joash was anointed and proclaimed king. The people clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!”

¹³ Queen Athaliah heard the noise being made by the guards and the people, so she hurried to the Temple, where the crowd had gathered. ^14 (A)There she saw the new king standing by the column at the entrance of the Temple, as was the custom. He was surrounded by the officers and the trumpeters, and the people were all shouting joyfully and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes in distress and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”

¹⁵ Jehoiada did not want Athaliah killed in the Temple area, so he ordered the army officers: “Take her out between the rows of guards, and kill anyone who tries to rescue her.” ¹⁶ They seized her, took her to the palace, and there at the Horse Gate they killed her.