English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family.
1
Athaliah was the mother of Ahaziah. When she saw that her son was dead, she took over. She began by massacring the entire royal family.
2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were being put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not put to death.
2
But Jehosheba, daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Ahaziah's son Joash and kidnapped him from among the king's sons slated for slaughter. She hid him and his nurse in a private room away from Athaliah. He didn't get killed.
3 And he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the LORD, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
3
He was there with her, hidden away for six years in The Temple of God. Athaliah, oblivious to his existence, ruled the country.
4 But in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of the Carites and of the guards, and had them come to him in the house of the LORD. And he made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the LORD, and he showed them the king's son.
4
In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the captains of the bodyguards and the Palace Security Force. They met him in The Temple of God. He made a covenant with them, swore them to secrecy, and only then showed them the young prince.
5 And he commanded them, "This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you, those who come off duty on the Sabbath and guard the king's house
5
Then he commanded them, "These are your instructions: Those of you who come on duty on the Sabbath and guard the palace, and those of you who go off duty on the Sabbath and guard The Temple of God, are to join forces at the time of the changing of the guard and form a ring around the young king, weapons at the ready. Kill anyone who tries to break through your ranks. Your job is to stay with the king at all times and places, coming and going."
6 (another third being at the gate Sur and a third at the gate behind the guards) shall guard the palace.
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7 And the two divisions of you, which come on duty in force on the Sabbath and guard the house of the LORD on behalf of the king,
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8 shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever approaches the ranks is to be put to death. Be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in."
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9 The captains did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.
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The captains obeyed the orders of Jehoiada the priest. Each took his men, those who came on duty on the Sabbath and those who went off duty on the Sabbath, and presented them to Jehoiada the priest.
10 And the priest gave to the captains the spears and shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of the LORD.
10
The priest armed the officers with spears and shields originally belonging to King David, stored in The Temple of God.
11 And the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house on behalf of the king.
11
Well-armed, the guards took up their assigned positions for protecting the king, from one end of The Temple to the other, surrounding both Altar and Temple.
12 Then he brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony. And they proclaimed him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, "Long live the king!"
12
Then the priest brought the prince into view, crowned him, handed him the scroll of God's covenant, and made him king. As they anointed him, everyone applauded and shouted, "Long live the king!"
13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she went into the house of the LORD to the people.
13
Athaliah heard the shouting of guards and people and came to the crowd gathered at The Temple of God.
14 And when she looked, there was the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom, and the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. And Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, "Treason! Treason!"
14
Astonished, she saw the king standing beside the throne, flanked by the captains and heralds, with everybody beside themselves with joy, trumpets blaring. Athaliah ripped her robes in dismay and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"
15 Then Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains 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 said, "Let her not be put to death in the house of the LORD."
15
Jehoiada the priest ordered the military officers, "Drag her outside and kill anyone who tries to follow her!" (The priest had said, "Don't kill her inside The Temple of God.")
16 So they laid hands on her; and she went through the horses' entrance to the king's house, and there she was put to death.
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So they dragged her out to the palace's horse corral; there they killed her.
17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people, that they should be the LORD's people, and also between the king and the people.
17
Jehoiada now made a covenant between God and the king and the people: They were God's people. Another covenant was made between the king and the people.
18 Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest posted watchmen over the house of the LORD.
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The people poured into the temple of Baal and tore it down, smashing altar and images to smithereens. They killed Mattan the priest in front of the altar.
19 And he took the captains, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD, marching through the gate of the guards to the king's house. And he took his seat on the throne of the kings.
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He arranged for the officers of the bodyguard and the palace security, along with the people themselves, to escort the king down from The Temple of God through the Gate of the Guards and into the palace. There he sat on the royal throne.
20 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword at the king's house.
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Everybody celebrated the event. And the city was safe and undisturbed - they had killed Athaliah with the royal sword.
21 Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.
21
Joash was seven years old when he became king.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.