1 Quando Atalia, mãe do rei Acazias de Judá, soube que seu filho tinha morrido, matou os filhos dele.2 Houve contudo um - Joás - que devia ter com um ano de idade , que escapou, porque sua tia Jeoseba (irmã do rei Acazias, filha do rei Jeorão, que era o pai de ambos) o salvou. Ela escondeu o menino, mais a sua ama, numa câmara do templo .3 Aí viveram durante seis anos, enquanto Atalia foi rainha.4 No sétimo ano do reinado de Atalia, o sacerdote Jeoiada convocou os oficiais da guarda, e a guarda pessoal da rainha, para um encontro no próprio templo; fê-los jurarem segredo absoluto e mostrou-lhes o filho do rei. Depois deu-lhes instruções: Um terço dos que estiverem de serviço no sábado deverão fazer a guarda do palácio. Os outros dois terços ficarão de guarda ao templo; rodeiem o rei, com as armas na mão, e matem seja quem for que tente forçar a passagem até ele. Mantenham-se sempre ao lado do rei.9 Os oficiais seguiram estas indicações. Trouxeram a Jeoiada os homens que iam sair de serviço no sábado, e também os que iam entrar; armaram-nos com as lanças e os escudos do próprio templo, que tinham pertencido ao rei David.11 Os guardas, armados, puseram-se diante do santuário e rodearam o altar, que se encontrava perto do esconderijo de Joás.12 Jeoiada trouxe fora o príncipe, pôs-lhe uma coroa na cabeça, entregou-lhe uma cópia da aliança e ungiu-o rei. Toda a gente bateu as palmas e gritou. Viva o rei!13 Atalia, ao ouvir as aclamações, correu para o templo e viu o novo rei em pé junto à coluna, como era costume fazer aquando das coroações, e rodeado pela sua guarda pessoal e por muitos trombeteiros; toda a gente manifestava a sua alegria, ao mesmo tempo que se ouviam os toques das trombetas. Traição! Traição!, gritou ela; e rasgou o seu vestido.15 Tirem-na daqui, exclamou Jeoiada aos oficiais da guarda. Não a matem aqui no templo. Matem quem quer que seja que tente livrá-la.16 Levaram-na então para as cavalariças do palácio e ali a mataram.17 Jeoiada proclamou um compromisso entre o Senhor, o rei e o povo, em como seriam o povo do Senhor. Fez também um contrato entre o rei e o povo. Toda a gente se dirigiu ao templo de Baal e derrubou-o, destruindo os altares e as imagens e matando Matã, o sacerdote de Baal, diante do próprio altar. Jeoiada pôs guardas no templo do Senhor.19 Então ele, os oficiais, o corpo da guarda e todo o povo levaram o rei desde o templo, pelo caminho do quartel da guarda, até ao palácio. Aí sentaram-no no trono real.20 Dessa forma toda a gente ficou feliz e a cidade se pacificou, após a morte de Atalia.21 Joás tinha sete anos quando foi feito rei.

1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons who were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bed-chamber, from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah reigned over the land.4 And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and took the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and showed them the king's son.5 And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house;6 And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.7 And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.8 And ye shall compass the king around, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain. And be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.9 And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.10 And to the captains over hundreds the priest gave king David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD.11 And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, around the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.12 And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.13 And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD.14 And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets. And Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, treason.15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said to them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by which the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain.17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people.18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and broke it down; his altars and his images they broke wholly in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the the house of the LORD.19 And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.21 Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.