2 Chronicles 23

VIN(i) 1 In the seventh year, Jehoiada made himself strong, and made an agreement with the captains of hundreds, Azariah, the son of Jeroham, Ishmael, the son of Jehohanan, Azariah, the son of Obed, Maaseiah, the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat, the son of Zichri. 2 And they went through Judah, getting together the Levites and the heads of families in Israel from all the towns of Judah, and they came to Jerusalem. 3 And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the kings son shall reign, as the LORD hath spoken concerning the sons of David. 4 This is what you are to do: let a third of you, of the priests and Levites, who come in on the Sabbath, keep the doors; 5 and a third, being in the house of the king, and a third, at the foundation gate,—and all the people, being in the courts of the house of the LORD, 6 Nobody is to enter the LORD's temple except for the priests and Levites who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially holy, but all the rest of the people must observe the LORD's instructions. 7 The Levites should surround the king. Each man should have his weapon in his hand. Kill anyone who tries to come into the Temple. Stay with the king wherever he goes. 8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath. For Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions. 9 And Jehoiada the priest gave unto the captains of hundreds, the spears and the bucklers and the shields, which belonged to King David,—which were in the house of God. 10 The troops stood with their weapons drawn. They were stationed around the king, the altar and the Temple. They were located from the south side to the north side of the Temple. 11 And he brought out the king's son, and put on him the crown and the testimony, and Jodae the priest and his sons proclaimed him king, and anointed him, and said, Long live the king! 12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD: 13 She saw the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance. The captains and the trumpeters were beside the king. All the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets. The singers with their musical instruments lead the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said: "This is treason! Treason!" 14 And Jehoiada the priest brought out the commanders of the hundreds, those over the army, and said to them, Bring her out from inside the ranks, and he coming after her shall be put to death by the sword; for the priest said, Do not put her to death in the house of the LORD. 15 So they made way for her; and she went to the entrance of the horse gate to the kings house: and they slew her there. 16 And Jehoiada made a bond between him and all the people and the king, to be the LORD's people. 17 Then they all went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols. Then they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. 18 Also Jehoiada appointed the oversight of the house of the LORD to the hands of the priests, the Levites, whom David had assigned in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David. 19 Jehoiada appointed gatekeepers for the gates of the LORD's temple. That way no one who was unclean for any reason could enter. 20 He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the LORD's house. They came through the upper gate to the king's house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom. 21 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet: but Athalia was slain with the sword.