1When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son had died, she arose and destroyed all the seed of the kingdom.2Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were about to be put to death; she hid him and his nurse in the chamber of the beds, and they hid him from the face of Athaliah, and he was not put to death.3He was with her in the house of the LORD, hidden, six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and took the commanders of the hundreds, the Carites and the guards, and brought them to himself into the house of the LORD; he made a covenant with them and made them swear an oath in the house of the LORD, and he showed them the king's son.5He commanded them, saying, This is the thing that you shall do: the third of you who come on the Sabbath shall keep the charge of the king's house.6And the third shall be at the Sur Gate, and the third at the gate behind the guards; and you shall keep the charge of the house as a defense.7And the two divisions of you, all who go out on the Sabbath, shall keep the charge of the house of the LORD for the king.8You shall surround the king, each man with his weapon in his hand; and anyone who comes into the ranks shall be put to death; and be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.9The commanders of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; each took his men who came on the Sabbath with those who went out on the Sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest.10The priest gave to the commanders of the hundreds the spears and the shields that belonged to King David, which were in the house of the LORD.11The guards stood, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, around the altar and the house, surrounding the king.12Then he brought out the king's son and put the crown and the testimony upon him, and they made him king and anointed him; they clapped their hands and said, "Let the king live."13When Athaliah heard the voice of the guards and of the people, she came to the people at the house of the LORD.14She looked, and behold, the king was standing by the pillar according to the custom, with the commanders and the trumpeters beside the king; and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets; Athaliah tore her garments and cried out, Conspiracy, conspiracy.15Jehoiada the priest commanded the commanders of the hundreds who were set over the army, Bring her out between the ranks, and put to death with the sword anyone who follows her; for the priest had said, Do not let her be put to death in the house of the LORD.16They laid hands on her, and she came by way of the entrance of the horses to the king's house, and she was put to death there.17Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be a people for the LORD, and between the king and the people.18All the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; they broke in pieces its altars and its images thoroughly, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars; the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.19He took the commanders of the hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD and came by way of the gate of the guards to the king's house; he sat on the throne of the kings.20All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet; they put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king's house.21Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.