2 Chronicles 23
1 In the seventh year, Jehoiada gathered strength and made a covenant with the commanders of hundreds: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.
2 They went throughout Judah, gathered the Levites from all the towns of Judah and the heads of Israel’s families, and came to Jerusalem.
3 The whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada said to them, “Here is the king’s son! He will reign, as the LORD said concerning the descendants of David.
4 This is what you are to do: one third of you priests and Levites who come on duty on the Sabbath are to guard the entrances.
5 One third will be at the king’s house, one third at the Foundation Gate, and all the people in the courtyards of the house of the LORD.
6 No one is to enter the house of the LORD except the priests and the serving Levites. They may enter because they are holy; all the people must keep the LORD’s charge.
7 The Levites are to surround the king, each man with his weapon in hand. Anyone who enters the house is to be put to death. Stay with the king when he goes in and when he comes out.”
8 The Levites and all Judah did everything that Jehoiada the priest had commanded. Each man took his men, those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty on the Sabbath, because Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed the divisions.
9 Jehoiada the priest gave the commanders of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields that had belonged to King David and were in the house of God.
10 He stationed all the people, each with his weapon in hand, from the right side of the house to the left, by the altar and the house, all around the king.
11 They brought out the king’s son, placed the crown and the testimony on him, and proclaimed him king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “Long live the king!”
12 Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, and she came to the people at the house of the LORD.
13 She looked, and there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, with the commanders and the trumpeters beside him. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, while the singers, with musical instruments, led the praise. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!”
14 Jehoiada the priest brought out the commanders of hundreds who were in charge of the army and said to them, “Take her out through the ranks, and anyone who follows her is to be put to death by the sword.” For the priest had said, “Do not kill her in the house of the LORD.”
15 They seized her, and she entered the Horse Gate at the king’s house; there they put her to death.
16 Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, all the people, and the king, that they would be the LORD’s people.
17 All the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They smashed its altars and images, and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.
18 Jehoiada placed the duties of the house of the LORD in the hands of the Levitical priests, whom David had assigned to the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings to the LORD as written in the Law of Moses, with joy and singing, according to David’s instructions.
19 He stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD so that no one who was unclean in any way could enter.
20 He took the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, those who governed the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the LORD. They entered the king’s house through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne.
21 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm. They put Athaliah to death by the sword.
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