2 Chronicles 23:12-21

Jehoiada Sets Joash on the Throne of Judah

¹²When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she went into the house of the Lord to the people. ¹³She looked, and behold, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters were beside the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets, the singers with their musical instruments leading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!” ¹⁴And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and whoever follows her is to be put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “You shall not put her to death in the house of the Lord.” ¹⁵So they seized her, and when she arrived at the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king’s house, they put her to death there.

Reforms Carried Out

¹⁶Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they would be the Lord’s people. ¹⁷And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. ¹⁸Moreover, Jehoiada placed the offices of the house of the Lord under the authority of the Levitical priests, whom David had assigned over 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 singing according to the order of David. ¹⁹He stationed the gatekeepers of the house of the Lord, so that no one would enter who was in any way unclean. ²⁰He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and went through the upper gate to the king’s house. And they seated the king upon the royal throne. ²¹So all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was at rest. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.