Athaliah, so that he was not 3 slain. And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years and Athaliah reigned over the land.

4

from Athaliah, so that she slew 12 him not. And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds, of the Carites and of the 'guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the 5 king's son. And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of - you, that come in on the sabbath,

shall be keepers of the watch of 6 the king's house; and a third part shall be at the gate Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, and be a 7 barrier. And the two companies of you, even all that go forth on the sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about 8 the king. And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that cometh within the ranks, let him be slain: and be ye with the king when he goeth out, and when he cometh in. 9 And the captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath, with those that were to go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

1 Or, executioners

2 Heb. runners.

23 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, 2 into covenant with him. And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, and 3 they came to Jerusalem. 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 spoken con4 cerning the sons of David. This is the thing that ye shall do: 1a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be 5 porters of the 2doors; 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 6 of the LORD. But let none come

into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall come in, for they are holy but all the people shall keep the watch of 7 the LORD. And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in

1 See I Chr. xxiv. 4. 2 Heb. thresholds.

IO And the priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David's, which were in the II house of the LORD. And the

guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, by the 12 king round about. Then he

brought out the king's son, and 2put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, 3God save the 13 king. And when Athaliah heard

the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the house of the 14 LORD and she looked, and,

behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the manner was, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, 15 treason. And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds that were set over

1 Heb. shoulder.

2 Or, put upon him the crown and the testimony

3 Heb. Let the king live.

4 Or, on the platform

his hand; and whosoever cometh into the house, let him be slain : and be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth 8 out.

So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath, with those that were to go out on the sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest dismissed 9 not the courses. And Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, which were IO in the house of God. And 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 the house, II by the king round about. Then they brought out the king's son, and 'put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony, and made him king: and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him; and they said, "God save the king. 12 And when Athaliah heard the

noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the 13 LORD: and she looked, and, be

hold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets; the singers also played on instruments of music, and led the singing of praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Trea

Heb. shoulder.

? Or, put upon him the crown and the testimony

3 Heb. Let the king live.

4 Or, of the people, of the guard, and of those who praised the king

21

was quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword.

Jehoash was seven years old 12 when he began to reign. In the seventh year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Zibiah of 2 Beer-sheba. And Jehoash did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the hallowed things that is brought into the house of the LORD, 'in current money, 2the money of the persons for whom each man is rated, and all the money that it cometh into any man's heart to bring into the 5 house of the LORD, let the priests take it to them, every man from his acquaintance: and they shall repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be 6 found. But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. 7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore take no more money from your acquaintance, but deliver it for the 8 breaches of the house. And the priests consented that they

1 Or, even the money of every one that passeth the numbering See Ex. xxx. 13.

2 Heb. each man the money of the souls of his estimation. See Lev. xxvii. 2.

Joash was seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Zibiah 2 of Beer-sheba. And Joash did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Je3 hoiada the priest. And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he 4 begat sons and daughters. And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to restore the 5 house of the LORD. And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the 6 Levites hastened it not. And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the tax of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the 7 tent of the testimony? For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon the Baalim. 8 So the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the 9 LORD. And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in for the LORD the tax that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the IO wilderness. And all the princes

1 Or, for Israel

should take no more money from the people, neither repair the 9 breaches of the house. But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept the 'door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the IO LORD. And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's 'scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags and told the money that was found in the II house of the LORD. And they gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the LORD: and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders, that wrought upon the house of the 12 LORD, and to the masons and the hewers of stone, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD, and for all that was laid 13 out for the house to repair it. But there were not made for the house of the LORD cups of silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the 14 LORD: for they gave that to them that did the work, and repaired therewith the house of the LORD. 15 Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to give to them that did the work: for they

1 Heb. threshold.

2 Or, secretary

5

3 Heb. bound up and &c. 4 Heb. brought it forth. 5 Heb. went forth.

and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an II end. And it was so, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's 'office "by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's 'scribe and the chief priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered 12 money in abundance. And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to repair the house of the LORD. 13 So the workmen wrought, and 'the work was perfected by them, and they set up the house of God

5in its state, and strengthened it. 14 And when they had made an end,

they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.