1And in the seventh year Yehoyaḏa strengthened himself, and made a covenant with the commanders of hundreds: Azaryah son of Yeroḥam, and Yishma‛ĕl son of Yehoḥanan, and Azaryahu son of Oḇĕḏ, and Ma‛asĕyahu son of Aḏayahu, and Elishaphat son of Ziḵri.

2And they went about through Yehuḏah and gathered the Lĕwites from all the cities of Yehuḏah, and the chiefs of the fathers of Yisra’ĕl, and they came to Yerushalayim.

3And all the assembly made a covenant with the sovereign in the House of Elohim. And he said to them, “See, the son of the sovereign is to reign, as יהוה has said of the sons of Dawiḏ.

4“This is what you do: One-third of you entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Lĕwites, gatekeepers of the thresholds;

5and one-third are at the sovereign’s house, and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation, while all the people are in the courtyards of the House of יהוה.

6“And let no one come into the House of יהוה except the priests and those of the Lĕwites who serve – they go in, for they are set-apart. But all the people are to guard the Charge of יהוה.

7“And the Lĕwites shall surround the sovereign on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand. And whoever comes into the house, let him be put to death. And be with the sovereign when he comes in and when he goes out.”

8And the Lĕwites and all Yehuḏah did according to all that Yehoyaḏa the priest commanded. And each man took his men who were to come in on the Sabbath, with those going out on the Sabbath, for Yehoyaḏa the priest did not dismiss the divisions.

9And Yehoyaḏa the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had been Sovereign Dawiḏ’s, that were in the House of Elohim.

10And he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the House to the left side of the House, along by the altar and by the House, all around the sovereign.

11And they brought out the son of the sovereign and put on him the diadem and the Witness, and set him up to reign. Then Yehoyaḏa and his sons anointed him, and said, “Let the sovereign live!”

12And Athalyahu heard the noise of the people running and praising the sovereign, and she came to the people in the House of יהוה,

13and looked and saw the sovereign standing by his column at the entrance. And the chiefs and the trumpeters were beside the sovereign, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, also the singers with instruments of song, and those who led in praise. Then Athalyahu tore her garments and said, “Treason! Treason!”

14And Yehoyaḏa the priest brought out the commanders of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Take her outside the ranks, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest said, “Do not kill her in the House of יהוה.”

15So they laid hands on her, and she went by way of the entrance of the Horse Gate into the sovereign’s house, and they put her to death there.

16Yehoyaḏa then made a covenant – between himself and the people and the sovereign – to be the people of יהוה.

17And all the people went to the house of Ba‛al, and broke it down. They completely broke up its altars and images, and slew Mattan the priest of Ba‛al before the altars.

18And Yehoyaḏa put the offices of the House of יהוה into the hand of the priests, the Lĕwites, whom Dawiḏ had assigned in the House of יהוה, to offer the burnt offerings of יהוה, as it is written in the Torah of Mosheh, with rejoicing and with singing, by the hands of Dawiḏ.

19And he set the gatekeepers at the gates of the House of יהוה, so that no one who was in any way unclean should enter.

20And he took the commanders of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the sovereign down from the House of יהוה. And they went through the Upper Gate to the sovereign’s house, and set the sovereign on the throne of the reign.

21And all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city had rest, for they had slain Athalyahu with the sword.