17 Then Yehoyada led the making of an agreement between Yahweh and the king and the people, for the people to serve Yahweh, and also between the king and between the people. 18 Then people from all over the country went to the temple of Baal and broke down the altars. They smashed his images to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of the Baal in front of the altars. Meanwhile, Yehoyada the priest placed guards over Yahweh’s temple. 19 Then he organised the officers over the royal guard and the palace guards to bring the king down from the temple of Yahweh, and along with all the people, they entered the palace via the gate usually used by the king’s bodyguards, and he sat on the throne. 20 All the people celebrated and the city was quiet because Atalyah had been put to death with the sword at the palace.

21 Yoash was only seven when he became king of Yehudah.