Chapter 7.
HOW ATHALIAH REIGNED OVER JERUSALEM FOR FIVE [SIX] YEARS
WHEN JEHOIADA THE HIGH PRIEST SLEW HER AND MADE JEHOASH, THE SON OF AHAZIAH,
KING.FJAJ 9.34
1. Now when Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, heard of the death of her
brother Joram, and of her son Ahaziah, and of the royal family, she endeavored
that none of the house of David might be left alive, but that the whole
family might be exterminated, that no king might arise out of it afterward;
and, as she thought, she had actually done it; but one of Ahaziah's sons
was preserved, who escaped death after the manner following: Ahaziah had
a sister by the same father, whose name was Jehosheba, and she was married
to the high priest Jehoiada
She went into the king's palace, and found
Jehoash, for that was the little child's name, who was not above a year
old, among those that were slain, but concealed with his nurse; so she
took him with her into a secret bed-chamber, and shut him up there, and
she and her husband Jehoiada brought him up privately in the temple six
years, during which time Athaliah reigned over Jerusalem and the two tribes.FJAJ 9.35
2. Now, on the Seventh year, Jehoiada communicated the matter to certain
of the captains of hundreds, five in number, and persuaded them to be assisting
to what attempts he was making against Athaliah, and to join with him in
asserting the kingdom to the child
He also received such oaths from them
as are proper to secure those that assist one another from the fear of
discovery; and he was then of good hope that they should depose Athaliah.
Now those men whom Jehoiada the priest had taken to be his partners went
into all the country, and gathered together the priests and the Levites,
and the heads of the tribes out of it, and came and brought them to Jerusalem
to the high priest
So he demanded the security of an oath of them, to
keep private whatsoever he should discover to them, which required both
their silence and their assistance
So when they had taken the oath, and
had thereby made it safe for him to speak, he produced the child that he
had brought up of the family of David, and said to them, "This is
your king, of that house which you know God hath foretold should reign
over you for all time to come
I exhort you therefore that one-third part
of you guard him in the temple, and that a fourth part keep watch at all
the gates of the temple, and that the next part of you keep guard at the
gate which opens and leads to the king's palace, and let the rest of the
multitude be unarmed in the temple, and let no armed person go into the
temple, but the priest only." He also gave them this order besides,
"That a part of the priests and the Levites should be about the king
himself, and be a guard to him, with their drawn swords, and to kill that
man immediately, whoever he be, that should be so bold as to enter armed
into the temple; and bid them be afraid of nobody, but persevere in guarding
the king." So these men obeyed what the high priest advised them to,
and declared the reality of their resolution by their actions
Jehoiada
also opened that armory which David had made in the temple, and distributed
to the captains of hundreds, as also to the priests and Levites, all the
spears and quivers, and what kind of weapons soever it contained, and set
them armed in a circle round about the temple, so as to touch one another's
hands, and by that means excluding those from entering that ought not to
enter
So they brought the child into the midst of them, and put on him
the royal crown, and Jehoiada anointed him with the oil, and made him king;
and the multitude rejoiced, and made a noise, and cried, "God save
the king!�FJAJ 9.36
3. When Athaliah unexpectedly heard the tumult and the acclamations,
she was greatly disturbed in her mind, and suddenly issued out of the royal
palace with her own army; and when she was come to the temple, the
priests
received her; but as for those that stood round about the temple, as they
were ordered by the high priest to do, they hindered the armed inert that
followed her from going in
But when Athaliah saw the child standing upon
a pillar, with the royal crown upon his head, she rent her clothes, and
cried out vehemently, and commanded [her guards] to kill him that had laid
snares for her, and endeavored to deprive her of the government
But Jehoiada
called for the captains of hundreds, and commanded them to bring Athaliah
to the valley of Cedron, and slay her there, for he would not have the
temple defiled with the punishments of this pernicious woman; and he gave
order, that if any one came near to help her, he should be slain also;
wherefore those that had the charge of her slaughter took hold of her,
and led her to the gate of the king's mules, arid slew her there.FJAJ 9.37
4. Now as soon as what concerned Athaliah was by this stratagem, after
this manner, despatched, Jehoiada called together the people and the armed
men into the temple, and made them take an oath that they would be obedient
to the king, and take care of his safety, and of the safety of his government;
after which he obliged the king to give security [upon oath] that he would
worship God, and not transgress the laws of Moses
They then ran to the
house of Baal, which Athaliah and her husband Jehoram had built, to the
dishonor of the God of their fathers, and to the honor of Ahab, and demolished
it, and slew Mattan, that had his priesthood
But Jehoiada intrusted the
care and custody of the temple to the priests and Levites, according to
the appointment of king David, and enjoined them to bring their regular
burnt-offerings twice a day, and to offer incense according to the law.
He also ordained some of the Levites, with the porters, to be a guard to
the temple, that no one that was defiled might come there.FJAJ 9.38
5. And when Jehoiada had set these things in order, he, with the captains
of hundreds, and the rulers, and all the people, took Jehoash out of the
temple into the king's palace; and when he had set him upon the king's
throne, the people shouted for joy, and betook themselves to feasting,
and kept a festival for many days; but the city was quiet upon the death
of Athaliah
Now Jehoash was seven years old when he took the kingdom.
His mother's name was Zibiah, of the city Beersheba
And all the time that
Jehoiada lived Jehoash was careful that the laws should be kept, and very
zealous in the worship of God; and when he was of age, he married two wives,
who were given to him by the high priest, by whom were born to him both
sons and daughters
And thus much shall suffice to have related concerning
king Jehoash, how he escaped the treachery of Athaliah, and how he received
the kingdom.FJAJ 9.39