1When Joash was seven years old, Jehoiada showed how strong he was. He made a covenant with the commanders of groups of 100 men. The commanders were Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. 2They went all through Judah. They gathered together the Levites and the leaders of Israelite families from all the towns. They came to Jerusalem. 3The whole community made a covenant with the new king at God’s temple.
Jehoiada said to them, “Ahaziah’s son will rule over Judah. That’s what the Lord promised concerning the family line of David. 4Here’s what I want you to do. A third of you priests and Levites who are going on duty on the Sabbath day must guard the doors. 5A third of you must guard the royal palace. And a third of you must guard the Foundation Gate. All the other men must guard the courtyards of the Lord’s temple. 6Don’t let anyone enter the temple except the priests and Levites who are on duty. They can enter because they are set apart to the Lord. But all the other men must obey the Lord’s command not to enter. 7The Levites must station themselves around the new king. Each man must have his weapon in his hand. Anyone else who enters the temple must be put to death. Stay close to the king no matter where he goes.”
8The Levites did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. So did all the men of Judah. Each commander got his men. Some of the men were going on duty on the Sabbath day. Others were going off duty. Jehoiada didn’t let any of the groups go. 9Then he gave weapons to the commanders of the groups. He gave them spears, large shields and small shields. The weapons had belonged to King David. They had been in God’s temple. 10Jehoiada stationed all the men around the new king. Each man had his weapon in his hand. They were standing near the altar and the temple. They stood from the south side of the temple to its north side.
11Jehoiada and his sons brought Ahaziah’s son out. They put the crown on him. They gave him a copy of the covenant. And they announced that he was king. They anointed him. Then they shouted, “May the king live a long time!”
12Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the new king. So she went to them at the Lord’s temple. 13She looked, and there was the king! He was standing next to his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpet players were standing beside the king. All the people of the land were filled with joy. They were blowing trumpets. Musicians with their musical instruments were leading the songs of praise. Then Athaliah tore her royal robes. She shouted, “Treason! It’s treason!”
14Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of the groups of 100 men. They were in charge of the troops. He said to them, “Bring her away from the temple between the line of guards. Use your swords to kill anyone who follows her.” The priest had said, “Don’t put her to death at the Lord’s temple.” 15So they grabbed her as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds. There they put her to death.
16Then Jehoiada made a covenant. He promised that he, the people and the king would be the Lord’s people. 17All the people went to Baal’s temple. They tore it down. They smashed the altars and the statues of gods. They killed Mattan in front of the altars. He was the priest of Baal.
18Then Jehoiada put the priests, who were Levites, in charge of the Lord’s temple. David had given them their duties in the temple. He had appointed them to sacrifice burnt offerings to the Lord. He wanted them to do it in keeping with what was written in the Law of Moses. David wanted them to sing and be full of joy. 19Jehoiada stationed guards at the gates of the Lord’s temple. No one who was “unclean” in any way could enter.
20Jehoiada took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land. He brought the new king down from the Lord’s temple. They went into the palace through the Upper Gate. Then they seated the king on the royal throne. 21All the people of the land were filled with joy. And the city was calm. That’s because Athaliah had been killed by a sword.
Wɔsɔre Tia Atalia
1Atalia dii adeɛ mfeɛ nson no, ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada yɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛyɛ biribi. Ɔsii ne bo ne asahene baanum, a wɔn ne Yeroham babarima Asaria, Yehohanan babarima Ismael, Obed babarima Asaria, Adaia babarima Maaseia ne Sikri babarima Elisafat yɛɛ apam. 2Saa mmarima yi faa esum ase, kyinii Yuda nyinaa, frɛfrɛɛ Lewifoɔ ne mmusua ntuanofoɔ a wɔwɔ Yuda nkuro so sɛ, wɔmmra Yerusalem. 3Wɔn nyinaa hyiaa wɔ Onyankopɔn Asɔredan mu ne ɔhenberanteɛ Yoas yɛɛ apam.
Yehoiada ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Ɛberɛ aduru sɛ ɔhene babarima di adeɛ. Awurade ahyɛ bɔ sɛ, Dawid aseni na ɔbɛyɛ yɛn ɔhene. 4Deɛ ɛsɛ sɛ moyɛ nie: Sɛ asɔfoɔ ne Lewifoɔ ba adwuma Homeda a, wɔn mu nkyɛmu mmiɛnsa mu baako na wɔbɛyɛ apono ano ahwɛfoɔ. 5Nkyɛmu mmiɛnsa mu baako nso bɛkɔ ahemfie, na nkyɛmu mmiɛnsa mu baako a aka no akɔ Fapem Ɛpono no ano. Afei, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn a aka no nyinaa tenatena Awurade Asɔredan adihɔ ahodoɔ hɔ. 6Monkae sɛ, asɔfoɔ ne Lewifoɔ a wɔwɔ wɔn nnwuma so nko ara na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔhyɛne Awurade Asɔredan no mu, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn na wɔayi wɔn asi hɔ sɛ wɔyɛ kronkron. Ɛsɛ sɛ nnipa a aka no di Awurade mmara so, na wɔtenatena afikyire. 7Mo Lewifoɔ na mobɛbɔ ɔhene ho ban, na mobɛkurakura mo akodeɛ. Sɛ obiara a ɔnni ho kwan wura Asɔredan no mu a, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔkum no. Ɛberɛ biara, mommɛn ɔhene no pɛɛ.”
8Enti, Lewifoɔ no ne nnipa no yɛɛ biribiara a ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada hyɛɛ sɛ wɔnyɛ no pɛpɛɛpɛ. Asahene no hwɛɛ wɔn a wɔkɔ adwuma saa Homeda no ne wɔn a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔgye wɔn ahome da no so. Ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada amma obiara ankɔ fie. 9Na Yehoiada de mpea ne akokyɛm a na ɛyɛ Ɔhene Dawid dea na wɔkoraa wɔ Onyankopɔn Asɔredan mu no maa asahene no. 10Ɔde awɛmfoɔ no twaa ɔhene no ho hyiaeɛ a wɔayɛ wɔn akodeɛ krado. Wɔgyinagyinaa saa so wɔ Asɔredan no anafoɔ fam, twaa hɔ kɔɔ atifi fam, twaa afɔrebukyia no ho nyinaa hyiaeɛ.
11Afei, Yehoiada ne ne mmammarima yii ɔhene babarima Yoas baeɛ, na wɔde ahenkyɛ no hyɛɛ no. Wɔmaa Yoas Onyankopɔn mmara nwoma no bi daa no adi sɛ ɔhene. Wɔsraa no ngo, maa obiara teaam sɛ, “Ɔhene nkwa so!”
Atalia Owuo
12Ɛberɛ a Atalia tee gyegyeegye a ɔmanfoɔ reyɛ, na wɔretutu mmirika, na wɔrekamfo ɔhene no, ɔyɛɛ ntɛm kɔɔ Awurade asɔredan mu hɔ, kɔhwɛɛ asɛm korɔ a asi. 13Na ɔhunuu sɛ ɔhene foforɔ no gyina nʼafa baabi wɔ afadum no ho wɔ Asɔredan no kwan ano a ɛkyerɛ ne tumi. Na mpanimfoɔ ne totorobɛntohyɛnfoɔ atwa ne ho ahyia, ama nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so nyinaa regye wɔn ani, rehyɛn ntotorobɛnto. Nnwontofoɔ a wɔnam nnwontodeɛ so bɔɔ nnwom de dii ɔmanfoɔ no anim ahokeka so. Ɛberɛ a Atalia hunuu yei no, ɔde ahometeɛ sunsuanee ne ntadeɛ mu teateaam sɛ, “Amammɔeɛsɛm! Amammɔeɛsɛm!”
14Na ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada hyɛɛ asafohene a wɔhwɛ akodɔm no so no sɛ, “Montwe no mfiri Asɔredan mu ha, na obiara a ɔbɛyɛ sɛ ɔregye no no, monkum no. Nanso, monnkum no wɔ Awurade Asɔredan mu ha.” 15Enti, wɔtwee no de no kɔɔ ɛkwan a apɔnkɔ fa so ba ahemfie hɔ so, kumm no hɔ.
Yehoida Ɔsom Nhyehyɛeɛ Foforɔ
16Na Yehoiada ne ɔhene no ne ɔmanfoɔ no yɛɛ apam sɛ, wɔbɛyɛ Awurade nkurɔfoɔ. 17Na nnipa no nyinaa kɔɔ Baal asɔredan no mu, kɔbubu guiɛ. Wɔsɛee afɔrebukyia no, dwerɛɛ ohoni no, kumm Baal ɔsɔfoɔ Matan wɔ afɔrebukyia no anim.
18Yehoiada nam ahyɛdeɛ a Dawid ka too hɔ so, de Lewifoɔ asɔfoɔ sisii Awurade Asɔredan no dwumadie ahodoɔ no ano. Ɔhyɛɛ nso sɛ, wɔmmɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ mma Awurade, sɛdeɛ Mose mmara kyerɛ no, na wɔnto nnwom nsɛpɛ wɔn ho, sɛdeɛ Dawid ahyɛ no. 19Ɔde apono ano ahwɛfoɔ no sisii Awurade Asɔredan apono ano, sɛdeɛ wɔremma wɔn a wɔn ho nte no nkɔ mu.
20Afei, asahene, atitire, ntuanofoɔ ne ɔmanfoɔ nyinaa dii ɔhene no akyi, de no pue firii Awurade Asɔredan mu hɔ. Wɔfaa atifi fam ɛpono no ano, wuraa ahemfie hɔ, de ɔhene no kɔtenaa adehyeɛ ahennwa no so. 21Enti, nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so nyinaa dii ahurisie, na asomdwoeɛ baa ɔman no mu, ɛfiri sɛ, na wɔakum Atalia.
