1 Quando Atalia, mãe de Acazias, viu que seu filho era morto, levantou-se e destruiu toda a descendência real. 2 Mas Jeoseba, filha do rei Jorão e irmã de Acazias, raptou Joás, filho de Acazias, do meio dos filhos do rei que seriam mortos e o pôs, juntamente com a sua babá, numa câmara interior; e, assim, o esconderam de Atalia, e ele não foi morto. 3 Joás esteve com ela, escondido na Casa do Senhor, durante seis anos; e Atalia reinava no país.

4 No sétimo ano, Joiada mandou chamar os capitães dos cários e da guarda e reuniu-se com eles na Casa do Senhor. Fez uma aliança com eles, pedindo que jurassem na Casa do Senhor. Então lhes mostrou o filho do rei 5 e lhes deu ordem, dizendo:

— Isto é o que vocês devem fazer: uma terça parte de vocês, que entram de serviço no sábado, fará a guarda do palácio real; 6 outra terça parte estará ao portão Sur; e a outra terça parte, ao portão detrás da guarda; assim, vocês farão a guarda e a defesa deste palácio. 7 Os dois grupos que saem de serviço no sábado, estes todos farão a guarda da Casa do Senhor, junto ao rei. 8 Vocês devem rodear o rei, cada um de armas na mão. E, se alguém quiser entrar nas fileiras, que seja morto. Vocês devem acompanhar o rei aonde quer que ele for.

9 Os capitães de cem fizeram tudo o que o sacerdote Joiada lhes havia ordenado. Cada um reuniu os seus soldados, tanto os que entravam de serviço no sábado como os que saíam de serviço no sábado, e os levou ao sacerdote Joiada. 10 O sacerdote entregou aos capitães de cem as lanças e os escudos que haviam sido do rei Davi e que estavam na Casa do Senhor. 11 Os guardas se puseram, cada um de armas na mão, desde o lado direito da casa real até o seu lado esquerdo, e até o altar, e até o templo, para rodear o rei. 12 Então Joiada trouxe para fora Joás, o filho do rei, pôs a coroa na cabeça dele e lhe entregou o Livro do Testemunho. Eles o constituíram rei, o ungiram, bateram palmas e gritaram:

— Viva o rei!

13 Quando Atalia ouviu o barulho dos guardas e do povo, veio para onde o povo estava, na Casa do Senhor. 14 Olhou, e eis que o rei estava junto à coluna, segundo o costume. Os capitães e os tocadores de trombetas estavam ao lado do rei, e todo o povo da terra se alegrava e tocava trombetas. Então Atalia rasgou as suas roupas e gritou:

— Traição! Traição!

15 Porém o sacerdote Joiada deu ordem aos capitães que comandavam as tropas, dizendo:

— Façam-na sair por entre as fileiras e, se alguém a seguir, matem-no à espada.

Porque o sacerdote tinha dito: "Não a matem na Casa do Senhor."

16 Então eles a prenderam; e ela, pelo caminho da entrada dos cavalos, foi para o palácio real, onde a mataram.

17 Joiada fez uma aliança entre o Senhor, o rei e o povo, para serem eles o povo do Senhor. Fez também uma aliança entre o rei e o povo. 18 Então todo o povo da terra entrou no templo de Baal e o derrubaram, despedaçando os altares e as imagens de Baal. Matã, o sacerdote de Baal, foi morto diante dos altares.

O sacerdote Joiada pôs guardas sobre a Casa do Senhor. 19 Reuniu os capitães dos cários, os da guarda e todo o povo da terra, e todos estes conduziram o rei desde a Casa do Senhor até o palácio real, passando pelo portão da guarda. E Joás sentou-se no trono dos reis. 20 Todo o povo da terra se alegrou, e a cidade ficou tranquila, depois que mataram Atalia à espada, junto ao palácio real. 21 Joás tinha sete anos de idade quando o fizeram rei.

1 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.

2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram "and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.

3 He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

4 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the LORD. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the LORD. Then he showed them the king's son.

5 He commanded them, saying, "This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath —a third of you guarding the royal palace,

6 a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple —

7 and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king.

8 Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks "is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes."

9 The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men —those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty —and came to Jehoiada the priest.

10 Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the LORD.

11 The guards, each with weapon in hand, stationed themselves around the king —near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.

12 Jehoiada brought out the king's son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, "Long live the king!"

13 When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the LORD.

14 She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her robes and called out, "Treason! Treason!"

15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: "Bring her out between the ranks "and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "She must not be put to death in the temple of the LORD."

16 So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.

17 Jehoiada then made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people that they would be the LORD's people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.

18 All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the LORD.

19 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the LORD and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne.

20 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.

21 Joash "was seven years old when he began to reign. [^5]