The Revolt against Athaliah
(2 Kings 11.4-16)1 After waiting six years Jehoiada the priest decided that it was time to take action. He made a pact with five army officers: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri. 2 They traveled to all the cities of Judah and brought back with them to Jerusalem the Levites and all the heads of the clans.
3 They all gathered in the Temple, and there they made a covenant with Joash, the king's son. Jehoiada said to them, “Here is the son of the late king. He is now to be king, as the Lord promised that King David's descendants would be. 4 This is what we will do. When the priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, one third of them will guard the Temple gates, 5 another third will guard the royal palace, and the rest will be stationed at the Foundation Gate. All the people will assemble in the Temple courtyard. 6 No one is to enter the Temple buildings except the priests and the Levites who are on duty. They may enter, because they are consecrated, but the rest of the people must obey the Lord's instructions and stay outside. 7 The Levites are to stand guard around the king, with their swords drawn, and are to stay with the king wherever he goes. Anyone who tries to enter the Temple is to be killed.”
8 The Levites and the people of Judah carried out Jehoiada's instructions. The men were not dismissed when they went off duty on the Sabbath, so the commanders had available both those coming on duty and those going off. 9 Jehoiada gave the officers the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and had been kept in the Temple. 10 He stationed the men with drawn swords all around the front of the Temple, to protect the king. 11 Then Jehoiada led Joash out, placed the crown on his head, and gave him a copy of the laws governing kingship. And so he was made king. Jehoiada the priest and his sons anointed Joash, and everyone shouted, “Long live the king!”
12 Athaliah heard the people cheering for the king, so she hurried to the Temple, where the crowd had gathered. 13 There she saw the new king at the Temple entrance, standing by the column reserved for kings and surrounded by the army officers and the trumpeters. All the people were shouting joyfully and blowing trumpets, and the Temple musicians with their instruments were leading the celebration. She tore her clothes in distress and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”
14 Jehoiada did not want Athaliah killed in the Temple area, so he called out the army officers and said, “Take her out between the rows of guards, and kill anyone who tries to rescue her.”
15 They seized her, took her to the palace, and there at the Horse Gate they killed her.
Jehoiada's Reforms
(2 Kings 11.17-20)16 The priest Jehoiada had King Joash and the people join him in making a covenant that they would be the Lord's people. 17 Then they all went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols there and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. 18 Jehoiada put the priests and Levites in charge of the work of the Temple. They were to carry out the duties assigned to them by King David and to burn the sacrifices offered to the Lord in accordance with the Law of Moses. They were also in charge of the music and the celebrations. 19 Jehoiada also put guards on duty at the Temple gates to keep out anyone who was ritually unclean.
20 The army officers, the leading citizens, the officials, and all the rest of the people joined Jehoiada in a procession that brought the king from the Temple to the palace. They entered by the main gate, and the king took his place on the throne. 21 All the people were filled with happiness, and the city was quiet, now that Athaliah had been killed.
Jehojāda svaida Joāšu par ķēniņu
(2Ķēn 11:4–12)1 Septītajā gadā Jehojāda sadūšojās un savāca virsniekus pār simtiem: Azarju, Jerohāma dēlu, Ismaēlu, Jehohānāna dēlu, Azarju, Obēda dēlu, Maasejāhu, Adājāhu dēlu, un Elīšāfatu, Zihrī dēlu, – un slēdza ar tiem derību. 2 Visapkārt Jūdā, no visām Jūdas pilsētām viņi pulcināja levītus, Israēla tēvu namu galvenos, un tie nāca uz Jeruzālemi. 3 Visa sapulce Dieva namā noslēdza derību ar ķēniņu, un Jehojāda tiem sacīja: “Redzi, ķēniņa dēls, lai viņš valda, kā Kungs ir teicis par Dāvida dēliem! 4 Jums ir jārīkojas šādi – sabatā viena trešdaļa no jums kopā ar priesteriem un levītiem lai iet pie vārtiem, 5 otra trešdaļa pie ķēniņa nama, bet trešā trešdaļa – pie Pamatu vārtiem. Pārējie ļaudis lai ir Kunga nama pagalmā, 6 bet neiet Kunga namā – tur lai iet tikai priesteri un levīti, kam jākalpo, jo tie ir svētīti. Visi ļaudis lai dara, kā Kungs teicis! 7 Levīti lai stājas visapkārt ķēniņam katrs ar savu ieroci – kas ielaužas namā, tam jāmirst! Esiet pie ķēniņa, vai viņš nāk vai iet!” 8 Levīti un visi Jūdas ļaudis darīja, kā priesteris Jehojāda bija pavēlējis. Ikviens bija ar saviem vīriem – gan tie, kas sabatā brīvi, gan tie, kam sabatā jāiet sardzē, – jo priesteris Jehojāda neatlaida nevienu vienību. 9 Priesteris Jehojāda virsniekiem pār simtiem deva šķēpus, mazos vairogus un vairogus – visu, ko ķēniņš Dāvids bija noglabājis Dieva namā. 10 Viņš nostādīja visus ļaudis ap altāri un namu, katru ar savu ieroci, no nama dienvidu puses līdz nama ziemeļu pusei visapkārt ķēniņam. 11 Tad tie izveda ārā ķēniņa dēlu, uzlika viņam kroni un liecības zīmi, iecēla par ķēniņu, un Jehojāda ar saviem dēliem viņu svaidīja un teica: “Lai dzīvo ķēniņš!”
Ataljas nāve
(2Ķēn 11:13–20)12 Kad Atalja dzirdēja, ka ļaudis skrien, slavēdami ķēniņu, viņa devās uz Kunga namu pie ļaudīm. 13 Un viņa skatījās, un redzi – ķēniņš stāv pie ieejas uz paaugstinājuma! Ķēniņam blakus virsnieki un taurētāji! Visi ļaudis priecājas un pūš taures, dziedātāji ar mūzikas instrumentiem pavada slavas dziesmas! Tad Atalja saplēsa savas drānas un kliedza: “Nodevība, nodevība!”
14 Priesteris Jehojāda izgāja pie virsniekiem pār simtiem, pie karaspēka pavēlniekiem, un sacīja: “Vediet viņu ārā cauri rindām, un, ja kāds tai seko, tad nonāvējiet to ar zobenu!” Jo priesteris bija teicis: “Nenonāvējiet viņu Kunga namā!” 15 Viņi to satvēra, pa Zirgu vārtiem aizveda uz ķēniņa namu un tur nonāvēja.
16 Jehojāda noslēdza derību starp sevi, tautu un ķēniņu – ka tie ir Kunga tauta. 17 Tad visi ļaudis iegāja Baala namā, nogāza altārus un sadauzīja gabalos tēlus. Baala priesteri Matānu tie nokāva altāra priekšā. 18 Jehojāda iecēla sargus Kunga namam. Tos pārvaldīja priesteri levīti, kurus Dāvids bija nošķīris kalpošanai Kunga namā, lai tie pienes upurus Kungam, kā rakstīts Mozus bauslībā, – ar prieku un dziesmām, kā darīja Dāvids. 19 Viņš nolika sargu Kunga nama vārtos, lai tur neieiet nekas nešķīsts! 20 Viņš ņēma virsniekus pār simtiem, dižciltīgos, tautas pārvaldniekus un visus ļaudis, un kopā ar ķēniņu tie izgāja no Kunga nama un pa Augstajiem vārtiem devās uz ķēniņa namu. Tur tie sēdināja ķēniņu valsts tronī. 21 Tad visi ļaudis līksmoja, un pilsēta norima. Atalja tika nonāvēta ar zobenu.
