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.
1No sétimo ano Joiada encorajou-se e fez um acordo com os líderes dos batalhões de cem23.1 Hebraico: chefes de cem.: Azarias, filho de Jeroão; Ismael, filho de Joanã; Azarias, filho de Obede; Maaseias, filho de Adaías; e Elisafate, filho de Zicri. 2Eles percorreram todo o Judá e reuniram de todas as cidades os levitas e os chefes das famílias israelitas. Quando chegaram a Jerusalém, 3toda a assembleia fez um acordo com o rei no templo de Deus.
Joiada lhes disse: “Reinará o filho do rei, conforme o Senhor prometeu acerca dos descendentes de Davi. 4Vocês vão fazer o seguinte: Um terço de vocês, sacerdotes e levitas que entrarão de serviço no sábado, deverá ficar vigiando nas portas do templo, 5um terço no palácio real e um terço na porta do Alicerce; e todo o povo estará nos pátios do templo do Senhor. 6Ninguém deverá entrar no templo do Senhor, exceto os sacerdotes e os levitas de serviço; estes podem entrar porque foram consagrados, mas o povo deverá observar o que o Senhor lhes determinou. 7Os levitas deverão posicionar-se em torno do rei, todos de armas na mão. Matem todo aquele que entrar no templo. Acompanhem o rei aonde quer que ele for”.
8Os levitas e todos os homens de Judá fizeram como o sacerdote Joiada havia ordenado. Cada um levou seus soldados, tanto os que estavam entrando de serviço no sábado como os que estavam saindo, pois o sacerdote Joiada não havia dispensado nenhuma das divisões. 9Então ele deu aos líderes dos batalhões de cem as lanças e os escudos grandes e pequenos que haviam pertencido ao rei Davi e que estavam no templo de Deus. 10Posicionou todos os homens, cada um de arma na mão, em volta do rei, perto do altar e no templo, desde o lado sul até o lado norte do templo.
11Joiada e seus filhos trouxeram o filho do rei e o coroaram; entregaram-lhe uma cópia da aliança e o proclamaram rei, ungindo-o e gritando: “Viva o rei!”
12Quando Atalia ouviu o barulho do povo correndo e aclamando o rei, foi ao templo do Senhor, onde estava o povo. 13Lá ela viu o rei à entrada, em pé, junto à coluna. Os oficiais e os tocadores de cornetas estavam ao lado do rei, e todo o povo se alegrava ao som das cornetas; os músicos, com seus instrumentos musicais, dirigiam os louvores. Então Atalia rasgou suas vestes e gritou: “Traição! Traição!”
14O sacerdote Joiada ordenou aos líderes dos batalhões de cem que estavam no comando das tropas: “Levem-na para fora por entre as fileiras23.14 Ou fora do recinto e matem à espada todo aquele que a seguir”. Pois o sacerdote dissera: “Não a matem no templo do Senhor”. 15Então eles a prenderam e a levaram à porta dos Cavalos, no terreno do palácio, e lá a mataram.
16E Joiada fez um acordo pelo qual ele, o povo e o rei23.16 Ou uma aliança entre [o Senhor] e o povo e o rei de que eles (veja 2Rs 11.17) seriam o povo do Senhor. 17Então todo o povo foi ao templo de Baal e o derrubou. Despedaçaram os altares e os ídolos e mataram Matã, sacerdote de Baal, em frente aos altares.
18Joiada confiou a supervisão do templo do Senhor aos sacerdotes levitas, aos quais Davi tinha atribuído tarefas no templo, para apresentarem os holocaustos ao Senhor, conforme está escrito na Lei de Moisés, com júbilo e cânticos, segundo as instruções de Davi. 19Também pôs guardas nas portas do templo do Senhor para que não entrasse ninguém que de alguma forma estivesse impuro.
20Levou consigo os líderes dos batalhões de cem, os nobres, os governantes do povo e todo o povo e, juntos, conduziram o rei do templo do Senhor ao palácio, passando pela porta superior, e instalaram o rei no trono; 21e todo o povo se alegrou. A cidade acalmou-se depois que Atalia foi morta à espada.
