231 Now in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took captains of hundreds : Azariah the son of Jeroham , Ishmael the son of Johanan , Azariah the son of Obed , Maaseiah the son of Adaiah , and Elishaphat the son of Zichri , and they entered into a covenant with him. 2 They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah , and the heads of the fathers' households of Israel , and they came to Jerusalem . 3 Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God . And Jehoiada said to them, "Behold , the king's son shall reign , as the Lord has spoken concerning the sons of David . 4 "This is the thing which you shall do : one third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the sabbath , shall be gatekeepers 5 and one third shall be at the king's house , and a third at the Gate of the Foundation ; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord . 6 "But let no one enter the house of the Lord except e the priests and the ministering Levites ; they may enter , for they are holy . And let all the people keep the charge of the Lord . 7 "The Levites will surround e the king , each man with his weapons in his hand ; and whoever enters the house , let him be killed . Thus be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out." 8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded . And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath , with those who were to go out on the sabbath , for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of the divisions . 9 Then Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had been King David's , which were in the house of God . 10 He stationed all the people , each man with his weapon in his hand , from the right side of the house to the left side of the house , by the altar and by the house , around the king . 11 Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony and made him king . And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said , " Long live the king !"
12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king , she came into the house of the Lord to the people . 13 She looked , and behold , the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance , and the captains and the trumpeters were beside the king . And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets , the singers with their musical instruments leading the praise . Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said , "Treason ! Treason !" 14 Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army and said to them, "Bring her out between e e the ranks ; and whoever follows e her, put to death with the sword ." For the priest said , "Let her not be put to death in the house of the Lord . 15 So they seized e her, and when she arrived at the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king's house , they put her to death there . 16 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king , that they would be the Lord'S people . 17 And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down , and they broke in pieces his altars and his images , and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars . 18 Moreover, Jehoiada placed the offices of the house of the Lord under the authority of the Levitical priests , whom David had assigned over the house of the Lord , to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord , as it is written in the law of Moses - with rejoicing and singing according to the order of David . 19 He stationed the gatekeepers of the house of the Lord , so that no one would enter who was in any way unclean 20 He took the captains of hundreds , the nobles , the rulers of the people and all the people of the land , and brought the king down from the house of the Lord , and came through the upper gate to the king's house . And they placed the king upon the royal throne . 21 So all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet . For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword
