UST 2 KI Chapter 11

◄ 2 KI 11 ► ║ ═ ©

11 Someone told King Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah that Jehu had killed her son. She ordered soldiers to kill all the members of Ahaziah’s family who might become the next king. 2 But Jehosheba, who was King Jehoram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s half-sister, rescued Ahaziah’s very young son Joash. She hid him and his nursemaid in a room in the palace where people kept bedding supplies. So the soldiers whom Athaliah had sent did not kill him when they killed the rest of Ahaziah’s sons. 3 For the next six years, the priests hid Joash in Yahweh’s temple with Jehosheba. Meanwhile, Athaliah ruled Judah.

4 But after those six years, Jehoiada the high priest sent messengers to get the officers who commanded the royal bodyguards and the palace guards. He told them to come to him at the temple. He had them make a solemn agreement with him that they would do what he told them to do. They swore an oath by Yahweh in his temple that they would do this. Then he showed them Joash, the son of King Ahaziah. 5 He gave them these instructions. “Many of you guards will come on duty on the Sabbath day. When you do, divide yourselves into three groups. One group must guard the palace building. 6 Another group must guard the Sur Gate. The other group must guard the gate where the palace guards usually stand. This will keep anyone from leaving the palace area. 7 Many others of you guards will be going off duty on the Sabbath day. Instead of leaving, you must guard the temple in two groups to protect young King Joash. 8 You must arm yourselves with your weapons and stand all around the king to protect him. Kill anyone who approaches your ranks to try to harm the king. If he goes anywhere, go with him.”

9 The officers who commanded the guards did exactly what Jehoiada told them to do. Each one brought to Jehoiada the guards whom he commanded. This included the guards who were just finishing their work and those who were about to start their work on the Sabbath day. 10 Some spears and shields that had belonged to King David were in the temple. Jehoiada distributed them to the commanders of the guards to give to their men. 11 The guards took those weapons and formed a line all across the front of the temple. They stood between the temple building and the altar in its courtyard. In that way they provided complete protection for the king. 12 Then Jehoiada the high priest brought Joash out of the temple. He put a crown on his head and gave him a scroll that recorded Yahweh’s laws. Then he poured olive oil on Joash’s head and proclaimed that he was now the king. The people clapped their hands and shouted, “May King Joash rule for a long time!”

13 Athaliah heard the noise that the guards and the other people were making. So she came to the temple where the people had gathered. 14 She saw Joash, the new king, standing next to one of the big pillars on the temple porch. That was where new kings customarily stood. She saw that the commanders of the palace guards and musicians playing trumpets were standing next to him. She heard a crowd of ordinary Israelites shouting joyfully. Some of them were blowing trumpets. She tore her clothes to show her distress and shouted, “You are traitors! You have betrayed me!” 15 Jehoiada told the officers who commanded the guards, whom he had put in charge of the armed men that day, “Have the guards take her away from the temple. Kill anyone who tries to rescue her!” He said that because he did not want his men to kill her near Yahweh’s temple. 16 The guards formed two lines so that she could walk safely between them back to the palace. She walked through the entrance that horses used to get into the palace courtyard. The guards killed her there.

17 Then Jehoiada had King Joash and the people make a solemn agreement with Yahweh that they would always be loyal to him as their God. He also had the people make a solemn agreement with Joash that they would be loyal to him as their king. 18 Then the large crowd of Israelites who had gathered went to the temple of Baal. They destroyed the main altar and smashed the statues of Baal into pieces. They also killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, right in front of the other altars in the temple. Jehoiada then stationed guards at the temple of Yahweh. 19 Then Jehoiada, the officers who commanded the guards, the royal bodyguards, and the palace guards brought the king from the temple to the palace. All the people who had gathered there followed them. Joash entered the palace at the gate where the palace guards usually stood. He sat down on the same throne where the previous kings of Judah had sat. 20 The Judeans were glad that the guards had killed Athaliah at the palace. The city of Jerusalem became peaceful after she died.

21 Joash was seven years old when he became the king of Judah.

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UST 2 KI Chapter 11

UST 2 KI Chapter 11