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2 Kings

Continues the story of the divided kingdoms, their decline, and eventual exile.

Chapter 11

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1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

When Athaliah, Ahaziah's mom, saw her son was dead, she got up and wiped out all the royal family.

2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

But Jehosheba, King Joram's daughter and Ahaziah's sister, saved Joash, Ahaziah's son. She hid him and his caretaker in a hidden room to protect them from Athaliah, keeping them safe from harm.

3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.

He stayed hidden with her in God's temple for six years. Meanwhile, Athaliah ruled the land.

4 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched 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 shewed them the king’s son.

Jehoiada, in the seventh year, called the leaders of hundreds, captains, and guards, to the Lord's house. He made a promise with them and had them swear an oath. Then, he 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;

He told them, "You must do this: One-third of you who come in on the Sabbath will guard the king's palace."

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.

A third will be at Sur's gate, another third at the back gate with the guard. This way, you can protect the house, ensuring it doesn't get destroyed.

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.

And half of those who leave for the Sabbath will guard the house of God, watching over the king.

8 And ye shall compass the king round about, 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.

Surround the king with all of you, each person holding their weapon. Anyone who gets too close should be killed. Stay with the king wherever he goes.

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.

The leaders followed everything that Jehoiada the priest instructed. They brought all the men who were to arrive on Saturday, along with those leaving on Saturday, to Jehoiada the priest.

10 And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David’s spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD.

The priest gave Captain David's protective gear and weapons, which were stored in God's temple, to the leaders in charge of one hundred people.

11 And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.

The guard stood, each man holding his weapon, surrounding the king. They were positioned from the right side of the temple to the left side, including the altar and temple area.

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.

He presented the prince, placed the crown on him, and gave him the important message. They then made him the king, anointed him, and everyone clapped while saying, "May 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.

When Athaliah heard the guards and people's noise, she went to them at the LORD's temple.

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.

And when she looked, she saw the king standing near a pillar, as usual, with the leaders and trumpet players by him. Everyone in the land was happy and blew their trumpets. But Athaliah tore her clothes and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"

15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto 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.

Jehoiada, the priest, told the leaders and soldiers to take the woman out beyond the boundaries and to kill anyone who followed her with a sword. He did this to prevent her from being killed inside the Lord's temple.

16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king’s house: and there was she slain.

They touched her, and she followed the path where the horses entered the king's home. There, she was killed.

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.

Jehoiada created an agreement for the Lord, the king, and the people to be committed to each other, with the king and the people pledging their loyalty to the Lord.

18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.

Everyone on the land entered Baal's house, broke it into pieces along with its altars and statues. They killed Mattan, the high priest of Baal, in front of the altars. Then, the new priest assigned leaders for the Lord's house.

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.

He gathered leaders of hundreds, captains, guards, and all the people. They removed the king from the Lord's house and entered through the guard's gate to the king's place. He then 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.

Everyone in the area was happy, and the city became peaceful. They killed Athaliah using a sword near the king's home.

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

At just seven years old, Jehoash started ruling as king.

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