(1) "Now WHEN Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. (2) But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons that were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bed-chamber; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain; (3) and he was with her hid in the house of Jehovah six years. And Athaliah reigned over the land.
(4) "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 Jehovah; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of Jehovah, and showed them the king's son. (5) 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 the king's house; (6) 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 barrier. (7) And the two companies of you, even all that go forth on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of Jehovah about the king. (8) 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. (10) And the priest delivered to the captain's hand over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David's, which were in the house of Jehovah. (11) 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 king round about. (12) Then he brought out the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, Long live the king.
(13) "And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the house of Jehovah: (14) 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 trumpets. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason! treason! (15) And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth between the ranks; and him that followeth her slay with the sword. For the priest said, Let her not be slain in the house of Jehovah. (16) So they made way for her; and she went by the way of the horses' entry to the king's house; and there was she slain."
Golden Text.—"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice." Prov. 29:2.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) Who was the mother of King Ahaziah? On learning of the king's death, what did Athaliah do? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) How was the king's infant son preserved from death? Verse 2. Note 2. (3) How long was the young prince kept in seclusion? Who reigned during this time? Verse 3. Note 3. (4) At the end of this period, what did Jehoiada, the high priest, do? Verse 4. Note 4. (5) What command was given to these officers? Verse 5. (6) What further disposition was made of the guard? Verse 6. (7) Where were the guard stationed that ordinarily would have been relieved at that hour? Verse 7. (8) What special orders were given to the last-mentioned part at the guard? Verse 8. (9) How were the priests' orders regarded by the officers? Verse 9. (10) What additional equipment was given to the guard? Verse 10. Note 4. (11) What precaution was shown by the members of the guard? Verse 11. (12) Then what ceremony took place? With what spirit was the young king received by the soldiers? Verse 12. Note 7. (13) When the queen heard the shouting, what did she do? Verse 13. (14) When she beheld the new king and his guard, and heard the rejoicing, what did she do? What did she cry? Verse 14. (15) What command was then given to the officers? Why was she permitted to go out? Verse 15. Note 8. (16) When the queen had passed out of the temple, what was done to her? Verse 16. Note 2.
NOTES.
1. Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, king and queen of Israel. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, had permitted his son Joram to marry her, altho she was a worshiper of Baal. When Jehoshaphat died, his son Joram reigned but a short time when he died and was succeeded by his son Ahaziah. Now Ahaziah was visiting the king of Israel (whose name was Joram, or Jehoram) at Samaria, at the time when Jehu was commissioned of the Lord to destroy all the seed of Ahab and Jezebel in Israel. Finding the two kings together, Jehu slew them both. Meeting the brothers of King Ahaziah, who were also going to Samaria, to visit their royal relatives, Jehu also slew them. When Athaliah heard that her son, King Ahaziah, and all his brothers were dead, she resolved to kill all her son's children, and usurp the throne herself. Being a woman of strong will, and great influence over men, like her mother Jezebel, she succeeded in grasping the throne, and supposed that all the legal heirs had been slain.
2. Jehosheba, being the sister of King Ahaziah, was therefore an aunt of the young child whom she saved. But she was the wife of Jehoiada, the high priest, and lived in the priests' apartments in the temple. She was loyal to the God of Israel, and had no sympathy with her mother's wicked course.
3. Athaliah had evidently wielded a controlling influence during the short reigns of her husband and her son, and now she was the absolute recognized ruler, a position that no woman had before held in Judah. And she ruled with an iron hand, inasmuch that, at length, the people became highly incensed against her.
4. The Carites were executioners (A. R. V., margin). They were evidently a special addition to the guard on this occasion.
5. In all military posts the guards are changed every day, and on this occasion a new disposition was made of the soldiers. This was done on the Sabbath, no doubt, because, for some reason, it could be more successfully carried out on that day. The new guard coming in that day were stationed in certain special positions, and the old guard that were relieved from the ordinary watch, instead of being sent to quarters as usual, were detailed to guard the young prince in the house of the Lord. Joash is here called king because he was king by right, and was about to be duly proclaimed as sovereign ruler.
6. It appears that all the soldiers were given more, or different, arms than they usually carried on guard. As with all armies in places where no trouble is expected, soldiers are not always fully equipped, so it seems to have been in Jerusalem at this time.
7. "He brought," etc.—That is, Jehoiada, the high priest, brought out the child Joash, now seven years old, that he might be proclaimed king instead of Athaliah, his grandmother.
8. Athaliah was permitted to walk out of the temple enclosure before being slain, and it was ordered that all who would manifest any disposition to uphold her should also be slain. She came to an ignominious end, much as her Baal-worshiping mother, Jezebel, had by the hand of Jehu.
9. The kingdom of Judah was afflicted with the curse of Baal-worship through the folly of being yoked together with unbelievers. Jehoshaphat was in the main a good king, and a pious man, but in an evil hour he had thought to strengthen his kingdom by an alliance with Ahab, king of Israel. To this end he permitted his son to marry the
