2 Chronicles 23

Jehoiada Makes a Covenant with the Commanders

1In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself and took the commanders of hundreds into covenant with him: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri. 2They went around through Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the heads of the ancestral houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 3All the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada said to them, “Look, the king’s son will reign, as the LORD spoke concerning the sons of David.

The Temple Guard Is Organized

4“This is the thing that you will do: one third of you priests and Levites who come in on the Sabbath will be gatekeepers; 5one third will be at the king’s house, and one third at the Foundation Gate, while all the people will be in the courts of the house of the LORD. 6Let no one enter the house of the LORD except the priests and the Levites who minister. They may enter because they are holy, but all the people will keep the charge of the LORD. 7The Levites will surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever enters the house will be put to death. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

Joash Is Crowned

8The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each took his men, those coming in on the Sabbath with those going out on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions. 9Jehoiada the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears, large shields, and small shields that had belonged to King David, which were in the house of God. 10He stationed all the people, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, by the altar and the house, around the king. 11Then they brought out the king’s son, put the crown upon him and the testimony, and made him king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “Long live the king!”

Athaliah Is Put to Death

12Athaliah heard the sound of the people running and praising the king, and she came to the people in the house of the LORD. 13She looked, and look, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the commanders and trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with instruments of music leading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!” 14Jehoiada the priest brought out the commanders of hundreds appointed over the army and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and whoever follows her will be put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “You will not put her to death in the house of the LORD.” 15So they laid hands on her, and she went to the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king’s house, and they put her to death there.

Covenant Renewal and the Destruction of Baal Worship

16Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they should be the LORD’s people. 17Then all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They broke its altars and images in pieces and killed Mattan priest of Baal before the altars. 18Jehoiada appointed the oversight of the house of the LORD into the hand of the Levitical priests whom David had assigned over the house of the LORD, to offer burnt offerings to the LORD as written in the instruction of Moses, with rejoicing and song according to the order of David. 19He stationed the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD so that no one unclean in any matter might enter.

Joash Is Seated on the Throne

20He took the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land and brought the king down from the house of the LORD. They entered the king’s house through the Upper Gate and seated the king upon the throne of the kingdom. 21All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword.