2 Chronicles

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, into covenant with him.

1In the seventh year, Jehoiada the priest felt brave and ready. He made a promise with five army leaders who each led a hundred men. They were Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri.

Note"Made a covenant" means they made a strong promise to each other and agreed to stick together.

2And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

2These men traveled all around Judah. They gathered the Levites, the men who helped at God's house, from every town. They also gathered the leaders of the big family groups. Then everyone came to Jerusalem.

3And 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 said of the sons of David.

3The whole group made a promise with the king at God's house. Jehoiada said to them, "Look, here is the king's son. He will be king, just as the LORD promised about David's family.

4This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors;

4Here is what you must do. You priests and Levites who start work on the Sabbath will split into three groups. One group will guard the doors.

5And 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 of the LORD.

5One group will guard the king's palace. One group will guard the Foundation Gate. Everyone else will stand in the yards of the LORD's house.

6But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.

6No one may go inside the LORD's house except the priests and the Levites who serve there. They may go in because they are set apart for God. Everyone else must stay outside and do as the LORD said.

7And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever else cometh into the house, he shall be put to death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out.

7The Levites must stand in a circle all around the king. Each man must hold his weapon. Anyone else who comes into the house must be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes."

8So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go out on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.

8The Levites and all the men of Judah did just what Jehoiada told them. Each leader took his own men. He took the ones starting work on the Sabbath and the ones finishing. Jehoiada did not send any of the work groups home.

9Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David’s, which were in the house of God.

9Then Jehoiada gave the army leaders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David. These had been kept in God's house.

10And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about.

10He placed all the men in a circle around the king. Each man held his weapon. They stood near the altar and the temple, from one side to the other.

11Then they brought out the king’s son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.

11Then they brought out the king's son. They put the crown on his head. They gave him the book of God's law. They made him king. Jehoiada and his sons poured oil on him to show he was chosen. Then they shouted, "Long live the king!"

NoteThe KJV says "God save the king." That is an old way of shouting "Long live the king!"

12Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:

12Athaliah heard the people running and cheering for the king. So she went out to them at the LORD's house.

13And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.

13She looked and saw the young king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpet players stood beside him. All the people were happy and blowing trumpets. Singers with instruments were leading the songs. Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, "Treason! Treason!"

Note"Treason" means turning against your own ruler. Athaliah was saying the people were rebels.

14Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD.

14Jehoiada the priest called out the army leaders. He said, "Take her out between the rows of men. Kill anyone who follows her." The priest had said she must not be killed inside the LORD's house.

NoteThe KJV word "ranges" means the rows of soldiers standing in lines.

15So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king’s house, they slew her there.

15So they grabbed her. She was taken to the Horse Gate near the palace. They put her to death there.

16And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD’s people.

16Then Jehoiada made a promise with the king and all the people. They promised to be the LORD's people.

17Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

17So all the people went to the temple of Baal, a false god. They tore it down. They smashed the altars and the statues to pieces. They killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.

18Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in 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 with singing, as it was ordained by David.

18Jehoiada put the priests and Levites back in charge of the LORD's house. King David had picked them for this work long ago. They were to burn the gifts to the LORD, just as Moses wrote in God's law. They did it with joy and singing, the way David had planned.

19And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in.

19He put guards at the gates of the LORD's house. Nothing unclean was allowed to come inside.

20And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the LORD: and they came through the high gate into the king’s house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.

20Then he gathered the army leaders, the important men, and the rulers. All the people of the land came too. They brought the king down from the LORD's house. They went through the Upper Gate into the palace. They sat the king on his royal throne.

21And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

21All the people of the land were glad. The city was calm and quiet, because Athaliah had been put to death.