The kingdom
Ahaziah's Mother Athaliah Destroys the Royal Line and Joash is Saved
When Athaliah, Ahaziah's mother, learned that her son was dead, she destroyed the entire royal line. But Jehosheba rescued the little Joash and hid him in the house of the Lord for six years while Athaliah reigned. In the seventh year, the priest Jehoiada organized a revolt: he gathered the officers and bodyguards, crowned and anointed Joash as king in the temple, and had Athaliah killed at the Horse Gate when she cried out "Treason!"
2 Kings 11,1-16
1When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she rose up and destroyed the whole royal family.
וַֽעֲתַלְיָה֙ אֵ֣ם אֲחַזְיָ֔הוּ *וראתה **רָאֲתָ֖ה כִּ֣י מֵ֣ת בְּנָ֑הּ וַתָּ֙קָם֙ וַתְּאַבֵּ֔ד אֵ֖ת כָּל־זֶ֥רַע הַמַּמְלָכָֽה׃
2But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were being put to death. She hid him and his nurse in a bedroom, out of Athaliah's sight, and so he was not killed.
וַתִּקַּ֣ח יְהוֹשֶׁ֣בַע בַּת־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ־י֠וֹרָם אֲח֨וֹת אֲחַזְיָ֜הוּ אֶת־יוֹאָ֣שׁ בֶּן־אֲחַזְיָ֗ה וַתִּגְנֹ֤ב אֹתוֹ֙ מִתּ֤וֹךְ בְּנֵֽי־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ *הממותתים **הַמּ֣וּמָתִ֔ים אֹת֥וֹ וְאֶת־מֵינִקְתּ֖וֹ בַּחֲדַ֣ר הַמִּטּ֑וֹת וַיַּסְתִּ֧רוּ אֹת֛וֹ מִפְּנֵ֥י עֲתַלְיָ֖הוּ וְלֹ֥א הוּמָֽת׃
3He remained hidden with her in the house of the LORD for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
וַיְהִ֤י אִתָּהּ֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה מִתְחַבֵּ֖א שֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֑ים וַעֲתַלְיָ֖ה מֹלֶ֥כֶת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ פ
4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, of the royal guard and of the palace guards, and brought them to himself in the house of the LORD. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath there in the house of the LORD, and then he showed them the king's son.
וּבַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַ֠שְּׁבִיעִית שָׁלַ֨ח יְהוֹיָדָ֜ע וַיִּקַּ֣ח ׀ אֶת־שָׂרֵ֣י *המאיות **הַמֵּא֗וֹת לַכָּרִי֙ וְלָ֣רָצִ֔ים וַיָּבֵ֥א אֹתָ֛ם אֵלָ֖יו בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּכְרֹת֩ לָהֶ֨ם בְּרִ֜ית וַיַּשְׁבַּ֤ע אֹתָם֙ בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וַיַּ֥רְא אֹתָ֖ם אֶת־בֶּן־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
5He gave them these orders: "This is what you are to do. A third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath are to keep watch over the royal palace;
וַיְצַוֵּ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּעֲשׂ֑וּן הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֤ית מִכֶּם֙ בָּאֵ֣י הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת וְשֹׁ֣מְרֵ֔י מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
6a third are to be at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guards. You are to stand guard over the house, taking your turns.
וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית֙ בְּשַׁ֣עַר ס֔וּר וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁ֥ית בַּשַּׁ֖עַר אַחַ֣ר הָרָצִ֑ים וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֛ם אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַבַּ֖יִת מַסָּֽח׃
7The two remaining divisions of you, all who go off duty on the Sabbath, are to keep watch over the house of the LORD for the king.
וּשְׁתֵּ֤י הַיָּדוֹת֙ בָּכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל יֹצְאֵ֣י הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת וְשָֽׁמְר֛וּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת בֵּית־יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
8Surround the king on every side, each man with his weapon in his hand. Whoever breaks through the ranks is to be put to death. Stay with the king wherever he goes."
וְהִקַּפְתֶּ֨ם עַל־הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ סָבִ֗יב אִ֚ישׁ וְכֵלָ֣יו בְּיָד֔וֹ וְהַבָּ֥א אֶל־הַשְּׂדֵר֖וֹת יוּמָ֑ת וִהְי֥וּ אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בְּצֵאת֥וֹ וּבְבֹאֽוֹ׃
9The commanders of hundreds did everything Jehoiada the priest had ordered. Each took his men, both those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty, and they came to Jehoiada the priest.
וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֞וּ שָׂרֵ֣י *המאיות **הַמֵּא֗וֹת כְּכֹ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה֮ יְהוֹיָדָ֣ע הַכֹּהֵן֒ וַיִּקְחוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אֲנָשָׁ֔יו בָּאֵ֣י הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת עִ֖ם יֹצְאֵ֣י הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־יְהוֹיָדָ֥ע הַכֹּהֵֽן׃
10Then the priest handed out to the commanders the spears and the shields that had belonged to King David and were kept in the house of the LORD.
וַיִּתֵּ֨ן הַכֹּהֵ֜ן לְשָׂרֵ֣י *המאיות **הַמֵּא֗וֹת אֶֽת־הַחֲנִית֙ וְאֶת־הַשְּׁלָטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃
11The guards took up their positions, each man with his weapon in his hand, surrounding the king from the south side of the temple to the north side, by the altar and the temple.
וַיַּעַמְד֨וּ הָרָצִ֜ים אִ֣ישׁ ׀ וְכֵלָ֣יו בְּיָד֗וֹ מִכֶּ֨תֶף הַבַּ֤יִת הַיְמָנִית֙ עַד־כֶּ֤תֶף הַבַּ֙יִת֙ הַשְּׂמָאלִ֔ית לַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ וְלַבָּ֑יִת עַל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ סָבִֽיב׃
12Jehoiada brought out the king's son, placed the crown on him and gave him the covenant scroll. They proclaimed him king and anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, "Long live the king!"
וַיּוֹצִ֣א אֶת־בֶּן־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וַיִּתֵּ֤ן עָלָיו֙ אֶת־הַנֵּ֙זֶר֙ וְאֶת־הָ֣עֵד֔וּת וַיַּמְלִ֥כוּ אֹת֖וֹ וַיִּמְשָׁחֻ֑הוּ וַיַּכּוּ־כָ֔ף וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ יְחִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ס
13When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and the people, she went to the people at the house of the LORD.
וַתִּשְׁמַ֣ע עֲתַלְיָ֔ה אֶת־ק֥וֹל הָֽרָצִ֖ין הָעָ֑ם וַתָּבֹ֥א אֶל־הָעָ֖ם בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃
14There she saw the king standing by the pillar, as the custom was, with the officers and the trumpeters beside him, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, "Treason! Treason!"
וַתֵּ֡רֶא וְהִנֵּ֣ה הַמֶּלֶךְ֩ עֹמֵ֨ד עַֽל־הָעַמּ֜וּד כַּמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט וְהַשָּׂרִ֤ים וְהַחֲצֹֽצְרוֹת֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכָל־עַ֤ם הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שָׂמֵ֔חַ וְתֹקֵ֖עַ בַּחֲצֹֽצְר֑וֹת וַתִּקְרַ֤ע עֲתַלְיָה֙ אֶת־בְּגָדֶ֔יהָ וַתִּקְרָ֖א קֶ֥שֶׁר קָֽשֶׁר׃ ס
15Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds who were in charge of the troops, "Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD."
וַיְצַו֩ יְהוֹיָדָ֨ע הַכֹּהֵ֜ן אֶת־שָׂרֵ֥י *המיאות **הַמֵּא֣וֹת ׀ פְּקֻדֵ֣י הַחַ֗יִל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ הוֹצִ֤יאוּ אֹתָהּ֙ אֶל־מִבֵּ֣ית לַשְּׂדֵרֹ֔ת וְהַבָּ֥א אַחֲרֶ֖יהָ הָמֵ֣ת בֶּחָ֑רֶב כִּ֚י אָמַ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אַל־תּוּמַ֖ת בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃
16So they seized her, and she was taken by the way the horses enter the palace, and there she was put to death.
וַיָּשִׂ֤מוּ לָהּ֙ יָדַ֔יִם וַתָּב֛וֹא דֶּֽרֶךְ־מְב֥וֹא הַסּוּסִ֖ים בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַתּוּמַ֖ת שָֽׁם׃ ס