2 Chronicles, 23

1. And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

1. After waiting six years Jehoiada the priest decided to take action. He sent for the commanders of hundreds: Azariah son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah and Elishaphat son of Zichri, and made a pact with them.

2. And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

2. They went through Judah, gathering the Levites from all the towns of Judah, and the heads of the Israelite families. They came to Jerusalem,

3. And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David.

3. and this whole assembly made a pact with the king in the house of God. Jehoiada told them, "Here is the son of the king, let him rule as king as Yahweh has promised regarding the descendants of David!

4. This [is] the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, [shall be] porters of the doors;

4. This is what you must do: one third of you, priests, Levites and keepers of the gate, must come in for the sabbath,

5. And a third part [shall be] at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people [shall be] in the courts of the house of the LORD.

5. one third must be at the royal palace, one third at the Gate of Foundation, and all the people will be in the court of Yahweh's House.

6. But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they [are] holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.

6. No one is to enter Yahweh's House except the priests and the Levites on duty, since they are consecrated and may enter. The people must all obey Yahweh's instructions and stay outside.

7. And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever [else] cometh into the house, he shall be put to death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out.

7. The Levites must surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; anyone who tries to enter the Temple is to be put to death. Stay with the king wherever he goes."

8. So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go [out] on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.

8. The Levites and all Judah carried out all the orders of Jehoiada the priest. Every commander summoned both those who went off duty on the Sabbath, and those coming on duty, because Jehoiada did not except anyone.

9. Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that [had been] king David's, which [were] in the house of God.

9. Then Jehoiada the priest provided the commanders of hundreds with King David's spears and large and small shields, which were in the house of God.

10. And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about.

10. He stationed the men from the west wing to the east wing, between the House and the altar, each with spear in hand, to protect the king.

11. Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and [gave him] the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.

11. Then they brought out the king's son, crowned him and put on him the ornaments, and they proclaimed him king. Jehoiada and his sons then anointed him and shouted, "Long live the king!"

12. Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:

12. Athaliah, on hearing the shouts of the people who were rushing to the king and acclaiming him, went to Yahweh's House where the people were.

13. And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.

13. When she saw the king standing there at the entrance beside the pillar, with the captains and trumpeters at his side, and all the people from the countryside rejoicing and sounding trumpets, and the cantors with their musical instruments leading the hymns, Athaliah tore her clothes in distress and shouted, "Treason, treason!"

14. Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD.

14. Then Jehoiada the priest called out the military officers and ordered them, "Take her outside the Temple, and kill anyone who follows her." And he also said, "You must not put her to death in Yahweh's House."

15. So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there.

15. They seized her, and when she had reached the palace at the entry to the Gate of the Horses, they put her to death there.

16. And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD'S people.

16. Jehoiada made a covenant between the king and all the people, by which they would be the people of Yahweh.

17. Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

17. All the people then went to the house of Baal and tore it down; they smashed his altars and his images and killed Mattan, priest of Baal, in front of the altars.

18. Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in 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 with singing, [as it was ordained] by David.

18. Jehoiada posted sentries to guard Yahweh's House under the authority of the levitical priests. David had appointed them in Yahweh's House to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh according to the Law of Moses, and to sing joyfully the songs of David.

19. And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none [which was] unclean in any thing should enter in.

19. He stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the Temple of Yahweh so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter.

20. And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the LORD: and they came through the high gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

20. Then taking the commanders of hundreds, the notables, the ranking officials, and all the people from the countryside, he brought the king in procession from the House to the palace. They entered the royal palace through the main gate and seated the king on the royal throne.

21. And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

21. All the people from the countryside were delighted, and the city was quiet. Athaliah was put to death.