1 Vendo Atalia, mãe de Acazias, que seu filho era morto, levantou-se e destruiu toda a descendência real.

2 Mas Jeoseba, filha do rei Jorão, irmã de Acazias, tomou a Joás, filho de Acazias, e do meio dos filhos do rei que foram mortos furtou-o com sua ama, e pô-los na câmara; esconderam-no de Atalia, de maneira que não foi morto.

3 Esteve com ela escondido seis anos na casa de Jeová; e Atalia reinou sobre a terra.

4 No sétimo ano enviou Joiada e mandou vir os centuriões dos caritas e da guarda, e fê-los entrar à sua presença na casa de Jeová; fez com eles aliança e, ajuramentando-os na casa de Jeová, mostrou-lhes o filho do rei.

5 Ordenou-lhes, dizendo: Esta é a coisa que haveis de fazer: uma terça parte de vós, os que entrais no sábado, fará a guarda da casa do rei;

6 outra terça parte ficará à porta de Sur; e a outra terça parte à porta detrás do quartel da guarda. Assim fareis a guarda da casa, e servireis de barreira.

7 As duas companhias, a saber, todos os que saem no sábado, farão a guarda da casa de Jeová junto ao rei.

8 Rodeareis o rei, cada um com as suas armas na mão; e aquele que entrar dentro das fileiras, seja morto. Estai com o rei quando sair e quando entrar.

9 Fizeram os centuriões conforme tudo o que ordenara o sacerdote Joiada. Tomando cada um os seus homens, os que haviam de entrar no sábado juntamente com os que haviam de sair no sábado, vieram ter com o sacerdote Joiada.

10 O sacerdote entregou aos centuriões as lanças e os escudos que haviam sido do rei Davi, os quais estavam na casa de Jeová.

11 Os da guarda puseram-se à roda do rei, cada um com as armas na mão, desde o lado direito até o lado esquerdo da casa, ao longo do altar e da casa.

12 Então Joiada lhes apresentou o filho do rei, pôs-lhe a coroa e deu-lhe o testemunho. Eles o constituíram rei e o ungiram; bateram as mãos e disseram: Viva o rei.

13 Ouvindo Atalia o clamor da guarda e do povo, entrou ao povo na casa de Jeová;

14 olhou, e eis que o rei estava junto à coluna, como era o costume, e os capitães e as trombetas perto do rei; todo o povo da terra estava alegre e tocava as trombetas. Atalia rasgou os seus vestidos, e gritou: Traição, traição.

15 Joiada, o sacerdote, ordenou aos centuriões que comandavam as tropas e disse-lhes: Levai-a para fora das fileiras; aquele que a seguir, matai-o à espada, porque o sacerdote disse: Não seja ela morta na casa de Jeová.

16 Abriram caminho para ela; ela foi pelo caminho da entrada dos cavalos à casa do rei; e ali foi morta.

17 Joiada fez aliança entre Jeová e o rei e o povo, para serem eles o povo de Jeová; também fez aliança entre o rei e o povo.

18 Todo o povo da terra foi à casa de Baal, e a derrubaram; fizeram em pedaços os altares e as imagens de Baal, e mataram a Matã, sacerdote de Baal, diante dos altares. O sacerdote pôs oficiais sobre a casa de Jeová.

19 Tomou os centuriões, os caritas, os da guarda e todo o povo da terra; conduziram da casa de Jeová o rei e foram à casa do rei pelo caminho da porta dos da guarda. O rei sentou-se sobre o trono dos reis.

20 E todo o povo da terra se alegrou, e a cidade ficou em paz; e mataram a Atalia à espada na casa do rei.

21 Tinha Jeoás sete anos quando começou a reinar.

1 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. 3 He was with her hidden in Yahweh’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

4 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into Yahweh’s house; and he made a covenant with them, and made a covenant with them in Yahweh’s house, and showed them the king’s son. 5 He commanded them, saying, "This is what you must do: a third of you, who come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king’s house; 6 a third of you shall be at the gate Sur; and a third of you at the gate behind the guard. So you shall keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier. 7 The two companies of you, even all who go out on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of Yahweh’s house around the king. 8 You shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he who comes within the ranks, let him be slain. Be with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in."

9 The captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and they each took his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 The priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David’s, which were in Yahweh’s house. 11 The guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, around the king. 12 Then he brought out the king’s son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant; and they made him king and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, "Long live the king!"

13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into Yahweh’s house; 14 and she looked, and behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the tradition was, with the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, "Treason! Treason!"

15 Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, "Bring her out between the ranks. Kill anyone who follows her with the sword." For the priest said, "Don’t let her be slain in Yahweh’s house." 16 So they seized her; and she went by the way of the horses’ entry to the king’s house, and she was slain there.

17 Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and the people, that they should be Yahweh’s people; also between the king and the people. 18 All the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and broke it down. They broke his altars and his images in pieces thoroughly, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. The priest appointed officers over Yahweh’s house. 19 He took the captains over hundreds, and the Carites, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from Yahweh’s house, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. He sat on the throne of the kings. 20 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. They had slain Athaliah with the sword at the king’s house.

21 Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.