and he reigned in Jerusalem one year; his mother’s name was Athaliah daughter of Omri. 3He too followed the practices of the house of Ahab, for his mother counseled him to do evil. 4He did what was displeasing to the LORD, like the house of Ahab, for they became his counselors after his father’s death, to his ruination. 5Moreover, he followed their counsel and marched with Jehoram son of King Ahab of Israel to battle against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, where the Arameans wounded Joram. 6He returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds inflicted on him at Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Aram. King Aza- riah son of Jehoram of Judah went down to Jezreel to visit Jehoram son of Ahab while he was ill. 7The LORD caused the downfall of Ahaziah because he visited Joram. During his visit he went out with Jehoram to Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 8In the course of bringing the house of Ahab to judgment, Jehu came upon the officers of Judah and the nephews of Ahaziah, ministers of Ahaziah, and killed them. 9He sent in search of Ahaziah, who was caught hiding in Samaria, was brought to Jehu, and put to death. He was given a burial, because it was said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat who worshiped the LORD wholeheartedly.” So the house of Ahaziah could not muster the strength to rule.

10When Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, learned that her son was dead, she promptly did away with all who were of the royal stock of the house of Judah. 11But Jehoshabeath, daughter of the king, spirited away Ahaziah’s son Joash from among the princes who were being slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Jehoshabeath, daughter of King Jehoram, wife of the priest Jehoiada—she was the sister of Ahaziah—kept him hidden from Athaliah so that he was not put to death. 12He stayed with them for six years, hidden in the House of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

23 aIn the seventh year, Jehoiada took courage and brought the chiefs of the hundreds, Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri, into a compact with him. 2They went through Judah and assem- bled the Levites from all the towns of Judah, and the chiefs of the clans of Israel. They came to Jerusalem 3and the entire assembly made a cove- nant with the king in the House of God. Heb said to them, “The son of the king shall be king according to the promise the LORD made concern- ing the sons of David. 4This is what you must do: One third of you, priests and Levites, who are on duty for the week, shall be gatekeepers at the thresholds; 5another third shall be stationed in the royal palace, and the other third at the Foundation Gate. All the people shall be in the courts of the House of the LORD. 6Let no one enter the House of the LORD except the priests and the ministering Levites. They may enter because they are sanctified, but all the people shall obey the proscription of the LORD. 7The Levites shall surround the king on every side, every man with his weapons at the ready; and whoever enters the House shall be killed. Stay close to the king in his comings and goings.” 8The Levites and all Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered: each took his men— those who were on duty that week and those who were off duty that week, for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed the divisions. 9Jehoiada the priest gave the chiefs of the hundreds King David’s spears and shields and quivers that were kept in the House of God. 10He stationed the entire force, each man with his weapons at the ready, from the south end of the House to the north end of the House, at the altar and the House, to guard the king on every side. 11Then they brought out the king’s son, and placed upon him the crown and the insignia. They proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and shouted, “Long live the king!”

12When Athaliah heard the shouting of the people and the guards and the acclamation of the king, she came out to the people, to the House of the LORD. 13She looked about and saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, the chiefs with their trumpets beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with musical instruments leading the hymns. Athaliah rent her garments and cried out, “Treason, treason!” 14Then the priest Jehoiada ordered out the army officers, the chiefs of hundreds, and said to them, “Take her out between the ranks, and if anyone follows her, put him to the sword.” For the priest thought, “Let her not be put to death in the House of the LORD.” 15They cleared a passage for her and she came to the entrance of the Horse Gate to the royal palace; there she was put to death.

16Then Jehoiada solemnized a covenant between himself and the people and the king that they should be the people of the LORD. 17All the people then went to the temple of Baal; they tore it down and smashed its altars and images to bits, and they slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. 18Jehoiada put the officers of the House of the LORD in the charge of Levite priests whom David had assigned over the House of the LORD to offer up burnt offerings, as is prescribed in the Teaching of Moses, accompanied by joyful song as ordained by David. 19He stationed the gatekeepers at the gates of the House of the LORD to prevent the entry of anyone unclean for any reason. 20He took the chiefs of hundreds, the nobles, and the rulers of the people and all the people of the land, and they escorted the king down from the House of the LORD into the royal palace by the upper gate, and seated the king on the royal throne. 21All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. As for Atha- liah, she had been put to the sword.

24 aJehoash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. 2All the days of the priest Jehoiada, Jehoash did what was pleasing to the LORD. 3Jehoiada took two wives for him, by whom he had sons and daughters.

4Afterward, Joash decided to renovate the House of the LORD. 5He assembled the priests and the Levites and charged them as follows: “Go out to the towns of Judah and collect money from all Israel for the annual repair of the House of your God. Do it quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly. 6The king summoned Jehoiada the chief and said to him, “Why have you not seen to it that the Levites brought the tax imposed by Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the congregation of Israel from Judah and Jerusalem to the Tent of the Pact?” 7For the children of the wicked Athaliah had violated the House of God and had even used the sacred things of the House of the LORD for the Baals. 8The king ordered that a chest be made and placed on the outside of the gate of the House of the LORD. 9A proclamation was issued in Judah and Jerusalem to bring the tax imposed on Israel in the wilderness by Moses, the servant of God. 10All the officers and all the people gladly brought it and threw it into the chest till it was full. 11Whenever the chest was brought to the royal officers by the Levites, and they saw that it contained much money, the royal scribe and the agent of the chief priest came and emptied out the chest and carried it back to its place. They did this day by day, and much money was collected. 12The king and Jehoiada delivered the money to those who oversaw the tasks connected with the work of the House of the LORD. They hired masons and carpenters to renovate the House of the LORD, as well as craftsmen in iron and bronze to repair the House of the LORD. 13The overseers did their work; under them the work went well and they restored the House of God to its original form and repaired it. 14When they had finished, they brought the money that was left over to the king and Jehoiada; it was made into utensils for the House of the LORD, service vessels: buckets and ladles, golden and silver vessels. Burnt offerings were offered up regularly in the House of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada. 15Jehoiada reached a ripe old age and died; he was one hundred and thirty years old at his death. 16They buried him in the City of David together with the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and on behalf of God and His House.

17But after the death of Jehoiada, the officers of Judah came, bowing low to the king; and the king listened to them. 18They forsook the House of the LORD God of their fathers to serve the sacred posts and idols; and there was wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem because of this guilt of theirs.