1In the seventh year, Jehoiada took courage and made a covenant with the captains of hundreds: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.
2They went throughout Judah, gathering the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the heads of Israelite families, and they came to Jerusalem.
3The entire assembly made a covenant with the king in God's temple. Jehoiada said to them, "Look, the king's son must reign, just as Yahweh promised about David's descendants.
4This is what you must do: One-third of you — the priests and Levites who come on duty on the Sabbath — will guard the doorways.
5Another third will be at the king’s house, and the final third will be at the Foundation Gate. All the people will be in the courtyards of Yahweh’s house.
6But no one should enter Yahweh’s house except the priests and the Levites who are serving. They may enter because they are holy, but all the other people must follow Yahweh’s instructions.
7The Levites are to surround the king, each man with his weapons ready. Anyone who tries to enter the house must be killed. Stay with the king as he comes in and as he goes out.”
8So the Levites and everyone in Judah followed all the commands of Jehoiada the priest. Each one brought his men, those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty on the Sabbath, because Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the outgoing group.
9Jehoiada the priest gave the spears, shields, and bucklers that had belonged to King David and were kept in God's house to the captains of the units of one hundred men.
10He lined up all the people, each with his weapon in hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side, by the altar and the temple, surrounding the king.
11Then they brought out the king's son, placed the crown on him, gave him the royal decree, and made him king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they all shouted, “Long live the king!”
12When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people in Yahweh’s temple.
13She looked and saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, with the captains and trumpeters beside him. All the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets. The singers were playing musical instruments and leading the songs of praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”
14Jehoiada the priest brought out the army captains who were in charge, and told them, “Lead her out between the ranks of soldiers; if anyone follows her, kill him with a sword.” The priest had said, “Don’t kill her inside Yahweh’s temple.”
15So they cleared a path for her. She went to the entrance of the Horse Gate leading to the king’s palace, and they killed her there.
16Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, all the people, and the king, promising that they would be Yahweh’s people.
17All the people went to the temple of Baal, tore it down, smashed its altars and idols to pieces, and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.
18Jehoiada appointed officials for Yahweh's temple, under the direction of the Levite priests whom King David had assigned to Yahweh’s temple, to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh, as written in the Law of Moses, with joy and singing, just as David had commanded.
19He placed guards at the gates of Yahweh’s temple to ensure that no one who was unclean in any way could enter.
20He gathered the captains of the units of one hundred men, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and escorted the king down from Yahweh’s temple. They went through the Upper Gate to the king’s palace and seated the king on the royal throne.
21So all the people of the land celebrated, and the city became peaceful. They had killed Athaliah with a sword.