Chapter 23

And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened⁹⁸ himself, and took⁴ the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

And they went about⁴ in Judah, and gathered⁴ the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came⁴ to Jerusalem.

And all the congregation made⁴ a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said⁴ unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign,⁴ as the LORD hath said¹⁴ of the sons of David.

This [is] the thing that ye shall do;⁴ A third part of you entering⁶ on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, [shall be] porters of the doors;

And a third part [shall be] at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people [shall be] in the courts of the house of the LORD.

But let none come⁴ into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister¹⁸ of the Levites; they shall go in,⁴ for they [are] holy: but all the people shall keep⁴ the watch of the LORD.

And the Levites shall compass⁵² the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever [else] cometh⁶ into the house, he shall be put to death:⁹³ but be ye with the king when he cometh in,² and when he goeth out.²

So the Levites and all Judah did⁴ according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded,¹⁴ and took⁴ every man his men that were to come in⁶ on the sabbath, with them that were to go⁶ [out] on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed¹ not the courses.

Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered⁴ to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that [had been] king David's, which [were] in the house of God.

And he set⁵⁵ all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about.

Then they brought out⁵⁵ the king's son, and put⁴ upon him the crown, and [gave him] the testimony, and made him king.⁵⁵ And Jehoiada and his sons anointed⁴ him, and said,⁴ God save⁴ the king.

Now when Athaliah heard⁴ the noise of the people running⁵ and praising¹⁸ the king, she came⁴ to the people into the house of the LORD:

And she looked,⁴ and, behold, the king stood⁶ at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded⁶ with trumpets, also the singers³⁵ with instruments of musick, and such as taught⁵⁶ to sing praise.¹⁵ Then Athaliah rent⁴ her clothes, and said,⁴ Treason, Treason.

Then Jehoiada the priest brought out⁵⁵ the captains of hundreds that were set over⁷ the host, and said⁴ unto them, Have her forth⁵⁴ of the ranges: and whoso followeth^{6 310} her, let him be slain⁹³ with the sword. For the priest said,¹ Slay⁵⁵ her not in the house of the LORD.

So they laid⁴ hands on her; and when she was come⁴ to the entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew⁵⁵ her there.

And Jehoiada made⁴ a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD'S people.

Then all the people went⁴ to the house of Baal, and brake it down,⁴ and brake his altars and his images in pieces,¹⁴ and slew¹ Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Also Jehoiada appointed⁴ the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed¹ in the house of the LORD, to offer⁵³ the burnt offerings of the LORD, as [it is] written⁷ in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, [as it was ordained] by David.

And he set⁵⁵ the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none [which was] unclean in any thing should enter in.⁴

And he took⁴ the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors⁶ of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down⁵⁵ the king from the house of the LORD: and they came⁴ through the high gate into the king's house, and set⁵⁵ the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

And all the people of the land rejoiced:⁴ and the city was quiet,¹ after that they had slain⁵² Athaliah with the sword.