2 Kings 11:13-21 ▼

13 When Athaliah heard the sound of the guards and of the people, she went into the house of the LORD to the people.

14 When she looked, behold, there stood the [young] king [on the platform] by the pillar, as was customary [on such occasions], and the captains and the trumpeters were beside the king; and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing the trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!”

15 Then Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds appointed over the army and said to them, “Take her out between the ranks, and whoever follows her put to death with the sword.” For the priest had said, “Let her not be put to death in the house (temple) of the LORD.”

16 So they seized her, and she went through the horses’ entrance to the king’s house (palace), and she was put to death there.

17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD, the king, and the people, that they would be the LORD’S people—also between the king and the people [to be his subjects].

18 Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They utterly smashed his altar and his images to pieces, and they put Mattan the priest of Baal to death in front of the altars. And [Jehoiada] the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.

19 Then he took the captains of hundreds, the Carites (royal bodyguards), the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought the [young] king down from the house of the LORD, and came by way of the guards’ gate to the king’s house. And [little] Joash sat on the throne of the kings.

20 So all the people of the land rejoiced and the city [of Jerusalem] was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house.

21 Jehoash (Joash) was seven years old when he became king.