1
And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.
2
But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons [who were] slain; and they hid him, [even] him and his nurse, in the bed-chamber, from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
3
And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah reigned over the land.
4
And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and took 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 showed them the king's son.
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's house;
6
And a third part [shall be] at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.
7
And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.
8
And ye shall compass the king around, 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 hundreds did according to all [things] that Jehoiada the priest commanded: 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.