Athaliah and Joash (2 Chronicles 22:10–12)
1 UST 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. BSB BSB: When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs.
2 UST 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. BSB BSB: But Jehosheba daughter of King Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah, and he was not killed.
3 UST For the next six years, the priests hid Joash in Yahweh’ s temple with Jehosheba. Meanwhile, Athaliah ruled Judah. BSB BSB: And Joash remained hidden with his nurse in the house of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
Joash Anointed King of Judah (2 Chronicles 23:1–11)
4 UST 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. BSB BSB: Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the guards, and had them brought into the house of the LORD. There he made a covenant with them and put them under oath. He showed them the king’s son
5 UST 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. BSB BSB: and commanded them, “This is what you are to do: A third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall guard the royal palace,
6 UST 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. BSB BSB: a third shall be at the gate of Sur, and a third at the gate behind the guards. You are to take turns guarding the temple—
7 UST 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. BSB BSB: the two divisions that would go off duty on the Sabbath are to guard the house of the LORD for the king.
8 UST 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.” BSB BSB: You must surround the king with weapons in hand, and anyone who approaches the ranks must be put to death. You must stay close to the king wherever he goes.”
9 UST 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. BSB BSB: So the commanders of hundreds did everything that Jehoiada the priest had ordered. Each of them took his men—those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest.
10 UST 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}. BSB BSB: Then the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and shields of King David from the house of the LORD.
11 UST 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. BSB BSB: And the guards stood with weapons in hand surrounding the king by the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.
12 UST 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!” BSB BSB: Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”
The Death of Athaliah (2 Chronicles 23:12–15)
13 UST Athaliah heard the noise that the guards and the other people were making. So she came to the temple where the people had gathered. BSB BSB: When Athaliah heard the noise from the guards and the people, she went out to the people in the house of the LORD.
14 UST 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!” BSB BSB: And she looked out and saw the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”
15 UST 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. BSB BSB: And Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD.”
16 UST 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. BSB BSB: So they seized Athaliah as she reached the horses’ entrance to the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.
Jehoiada Restores the Worship of the LORD (2 Chronicles 23:16–21)
17 UST 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. BSB BSB: Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.
18 UST 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. BSB BSB: So all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. And Jehoiada the priest posted guards for the house of the LORD.
19 UST 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. BSB BSB: He took with him the commanders of 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 entered the royal palace by way of the Gate of the Guards. Then Joash took his seat on the royal throne,
20 UST The Judeans were glad that the guards had killed Athaliah at the palace. The city of Jerusalem became peaceful after she died. BSB BSB: and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been put to the sword at the royal palace.
21 UST Joash was seven years old when he became the king of Judah. BSB BSB: Joash was seven years old when he became king.
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