2 Chronicles Chapter 23

Revolt Against Athaliah

¹ In the seventh year, Jehoiada summoned the courage to make a pact with the commanders of hundreds: Azariah Ben-Joram/Jeroham, Ishmael Ben-Johanan, Azariah Ben-Obed, Maaseiah Ben-Adaiah, and Elishaphat Ben-Zichri. ² They gathered to Jerusalem the Levites from the towns in Judah and the heads of families. ³ When the assembly made a pact with the king in God’s Temple, Jehoiada told them,

“The king’s son will reign like Yahveh has said regarding David’s descendants. ⁴ A third of you, priests and Levites that come in on the Sabbath, will be gatekeepers. ⁵ A third will be at the king’s palace, and a third at the Foundation Gate. The people will be in the courts of the^Y Temple. ⁶ Don’t let anybody go into the^Y Temple except the priests and servicing Levites. They can go in because they’re holy. Have the people keep the charge of Yahveh. ⁷ The Levites will surround the king with weapons in hand. Kill whoever comes into the Temple. Be with the king when he comes in and goes out.” 

⁸ The Levites and Judah did what he said. Each one brought his men that were to come in on the Sabbath with the ones that were to go out on the Sabbath, because Jehoiada didn’t dismiss any of the divisions. ⁹ Jehoiada gave the commanders of hundreds King David’s spears and large and small shields that were in the Temple. ¹⁰ He stationed the men around the king from the south side of the Temple to the north, near the altar. ¹¹ Then they brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, gave him the Testimony, and declared him king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “Long live the king!”                                                                                                         2 Ch 23:1-11

The Death of Athaliah

¹² When Athaliah heard people running and praising the king, she came into the^Y Temple. ¹³ She saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the commanders and trumpeters beside him. The common people were celebrating and blowing trumpets. The singers with their musical instruments were leading the praise. She tore her clothes, “Treason! Treason!” ¹⁴ Jehoiada brought out the commanders over the army and told them, “Bring her out between the ranks and put to death with a sword anybody that tries to rescue her.” The priests said, “Don’t do it in the^Y Temple.” ¹⁵ They seized her, and when she got to the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king’s palace, they put her to death.       2 Ch 23:12-15

Jehoiadah’s Reforms

¹⁶ Jehoiada made a covenant with the people and the king that they’d be Yahveh’s people. ¹⁷ The people tore down Baal’s temple, broke his altars and images into pieces, and killed Mattan his priest by the altars. ¹⁸ He placed the officers of the^Y Temple under the Levitical priests that David had assigned over the^Y Temple, as written in the Law of Moses—with celebration and singing according to David’s order. ¹⁹ He stationed gatekeepers for the^Y Temple so nobody ceremonially unclean could go in. ²⁰ He took the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, rulers of the people, and common people, and brought the king down from the^Y Temple through the upper gate to the king’s palace and placed him on the throne. ²¹ So the people celebrated, and the city grew quiet because they’d put Athaliah to death with a sword. 2 Ch 23:16-21