1 In the seventh year Y’hoyada took courage and formed a conspiracy with certain captains of hundred-man platoons — ‘Azaryah the son of Yerocham, Yishma‘el the son of Y’hochanan, ‘Azaryah the son of ‘Oved, Ma‘aseiyahu the son of ‘Adayahu and Elishafat the son of Zikhri.
2 They canvassed Y’hudah and gathered theL’vi’imfrom all the cities of Y’hudah, together with the clan heads of Isra’el, and came to Yerushalayim.
3 The whole assembly made an agreement with the king in the house of God. [Y’hoyada] addressed them: “Here! The king’s son will reign, asAdonaisaid in regard to the descendants of David!
4 Here is what you are to do: of youcohanimandL’vi’imwho come on duty onShabbat, a third are to guard the gates,
5 a third the royal palace and a third the Gate of the Foundation; while all the people are to remain in the courtyards of the house ofAdonai.
6 No one is to enter the house ofAdonaiexcept thecohanimand thoseL’vi’imwho are actually performing the service. These may enter, because they are holy; but all the people are to observeAdonai’s order.
7 TheL’vi’imare to surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand. Anyone who enters the house is to be killed. Stay with the king whenever he enters or leaves.”
8 TheL’vi’imand all Y’hudah did exactly as Y’hoyada thecohenordered. Each took his men, those coming on duty onShabbatand those going off duty onShabbat(for Y’hoyada thecohendid not dismiss the divisions).
9 Y’hoyada thecohenissued to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David’s and were kept in the house of God.
10 He then positioned all the people, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, alongside the altar, alongside [the exterior of] the house and around the king.
11 Then they brought out the king’s son, crowned him, gave him [a copy of] the testimony and thus made him king. Y’hoyada and his sons anointed him, and they shouted, “Long live the king!”
12 When ‘Atalyah heard the sound of the people running and praising the king, she entered the house ofAdonaiwhere the people were,
13 looked and saw the king standing there on his platform at the entrance, with the leaders and trumpeters next to the king. All the people of the land were celebrating and blowing the trumpets; while the singers with their musical instruments were leading songs of praise. At this, ‘Atalyah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!”
14 Y’hoyada thecohenbrought out the captains of hundreds who were in charge of the army and said to them, “Escort her out past the ranks [of guards]; but anyone who follows her, let him be put to the sword.” For thecohenhad said, “Do not put her to death in the house ofAdonai.”
15 So they took her by force and led her by the horses’ entry to the king’s palace, and there they put her to death.
16 Y’hoyada made a covenant between himself, all the people and the king, that they would beAdonai’s people.
17 Then all the people went to the house of Ba‘al and broke it down; they smashed his altars and images and killed Mattan the priest of Ba‘al in front of the altars.
18 Y’hoyada appointed officers for the house ofAdonaiunder the supervision of thecohanimandL’vi’im, whom David had assigned turns of duty in the house ofAdonai, to offer the burnt offerings ofAdonai, as written in theTorahof Moshe, with rejoicing and singing in keeping with David’s orders.
19 He stationed guards at the gates of the house ofAdonai, so that no one who was unclean in any respect could enter.
20 He took the captains of hundreds, the men of rank, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house ofAdonai, going through the Upper Gate to the royal palace, and seated the king on the royal throne.
21 All the people of the land celebrated, and at last the city was quiet. That is how they killed ‘Atalyah with the sword.