1
And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziahsaw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed[a]royal.
2
But Jehosheba,[b] the daughter of kingJoram,sister of Ahaziah,tookJoash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king'ssons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber*fromAthaliah, so that he was not slain.
3
And he was with her hid in the house of the LORDsixyears. And Athaliah did reign over the land.
4
And the seventhyearJehoiadasent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king'sson.
5
And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king'shouse;
6
And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gatebehind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.
7
And twoparts[c] of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORDabout the king.
8
And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.
9
And the captains over the hundredsdid according to all things that Jehoiada the priestcommanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.