SECOND KINGS 11-20 & SECOND CHRONICLES 22 - 32 181 Queen Athaliah and King Joash of Judah 1When Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, had seen Athaliah is Omri’s daughter that her son was dead, she set about to destroy (2Kings 8:26), of the house all the royal family. 2But Jehosheba, King Jo- of Ahab (8:18), wife of King ram’s daughter, Ahaziah’s sister, took Joash son Jehoram of Judah (8:18). of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the Hearing of the death of her king’s children who were being killed; she put husband’s son, Ahaziah, king him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus she hid of Judah (2Kings 9:27-28), him from Athaliah, so that he was not killed; and the slaughter of all her 3he remained with her six years, hidden in the family in Israel at the hands house of YHWH, while Athaliah reigned over of Jehu (2Kings 10:1-7), the land. she attempted to have all the 4But in the seventh year Jehoiada summoned members of the royal family the captains of the Carites and of the guards killed. Had she succeeded this and had them come to him in the house of would have brought an end to YHWH. He made a covenant with them and put the Davidic dynasty. However, them under oath in the house of YHWH; then he the one-year old Joash (King showed them the king’s son. 5He commanded Ahaziah’s son; see 12:2) was them, “This is what you are to do: one-third of spirited away. you, those who go off duty on the sabbath and Queen mothers traditionally guard the king’s house 6(another third being had an important role in the at the gate Sur and a third at the gate behind court. Athaliah is the only the guards), shall guard the palace; 7and your queen mother to rule in Judah’s two divisions that come on duty in force on the history. She did so for six years sabbath and guard the house of YHWH 8shall (c. 841-835). surround the king, each with weapons in hand; We can assume that she es- and whoever approaches the ranks is to be poused the values of her father, killed. Be with the king in his comings and go- brother and nephews in Israel. ings.” It is not, therefore, surprising 9 The captains did according to all that the that it was a Yahwist priest priest Jehoiada commanded; each brought his who had Joash proclaimed men who were to go off duty on the sabbath, king when he was seven years with those who were to come on duty on the old (see 11:22). sabbath, and came to the priest Jehoiada. 10The priest delivered to the captains the spears and The ‘jewels’(verse 12) must shields that had been King David’s, which were have been part of the royal in the house of YHWH; 11the guards stood, every insignia. man with his weapons in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the The Chronicler house, around the altar and the house, to guard the king on every side. 12Then he brought out The Chronicler copies this the king’s son, put the diadem and the jewels passage (2Chronicles 22:10 on him; they proclaimed him king, and anoint- - 23:11), making special men- ed him; they clapped their hands and shouted, tion of the role of Levites. “Long live the king!” 182 2Kings 11:13-20 Athaliah is surprised to see the seven-year 13When Athaliah heard the noise old prince, Joash, standing in the temple of the guard and of the people, she as king, with the approval of the leading went into the house of YHWH to the landowners (‘the people of the land’). She people; 14when she looked, there realises that she has been outwitted, cries was the king standing by the pil- ‘Treason’, but is immediately killed. She is lar, according to custom, with the the last of the Omrides and her death frees captains and the trumpeters beside Judah from their corrupting influence. the king, and all the people of the The priest takes advantage of the youth of the land rejoicing and blowing trum- pets. Athaliah tore her clothes and new king to insist on the conditions govern- 15 ing his rule. This is followed by a purging cried, “Treason! Treason!” Then of the city from everything associated with the priest Jehoiada commanded Baal. We recall the following: the captains who were set over the army, “Bring her out between You must demolish completely all the places where the nations whom you are the ranks, and kill with the sword about to dispossess served their gods, anyone who follows her.” For the on the mountain heights, on the hills, priest said, “Let her not be killed in and under every leafy tree. Break down the house of YHWH.” 16So they laid their altars, smash their pillars, burn hands on her; she went through the their sacred poles with fire, and hew horses’ entrance to the king’s house, down the idols of their gods, and thus and there she was put to death. blot out their name from their places. 17Jehoiada made a covenant be- – Deuteronomy 12:2-3 tween YHWH and the king and The young king is taken in procession to people, that they should be YHWH’s the throne room (see 1Kings 7:7). At last people; also between the king and the city is ‘quiet’(verse 20); that is to say, the people. 18Then all the people of years of chaos are put behind, and YHWH’s the land went to the house of Baal, governance is restored. and tore it down; his altars and his The Chronicler images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of The Chronicler copies this passage (see Baal, before the altars. The priest 2Chronicles 23:12-21), adding the following posted guards over the house of (verses 18-19): YHWH. 19He took the captains, the Jehoiada assigned the care of the Carites, the guards, and all the peo- house of YHWH to the levitical priests whom David had organized to be in ple of the land; then they brought charge of the house of YHWH, to of- the king down from the house of fer burnt offerings to YHWH, as it is YHWH, marching through the gate written in the law of Moses, with re- of the guards to the king’s house. joicing and with singing, according to He took his seat on the throne of the order of David. He stationed the the kings. gatekeepers at the gates of the house 20So all the people of the land re- of YHWH so that no one should enter joiced; and the city was quiet after who was in any way unclean. Athaliah had been killed with the He identifies Jehosheba (Jehoshabeath) as sword at the king’s house. the wife of the priest Jehoiada. 183 King Jehoash (Joash) of Judah 12:1Jehoash was seven years old when he Jehoash (Joash) began his reign ‘in began to reign. 2In the seventh year of the seventh year of Jehu’; that is, in Jehu, Jehoash began to reign; he reigned 835. He reigned till 796. He is the forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s son of Ahaziah (see 11:2) and Zibiah. name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. 3Jehoash He is given a positive verdict, though did what was right in the sight of YHWH it is acknowledged that pagan (non- all his days, because the priest Jehoiada Yahwist) cult continued in Judah instructed him. 4Nevertheless the high during his reign. places were not taken away; the people In his determination to repair the tem- continued to sacrifice and make offerings ple, Jehoash is witnessing publicly to on the high places. his commitment to YHWH. He is also 5 Jehoash said to the priests, “All the strengthening his hold on power by money offered as sacred donations that associating himself closely with the is brought into the house of YHWH, the God of the temple. money for which each person is as- sessed—the money from the assessment It appears that the priests were pock- of persons—and the money from the vol- eting the donations and not passing untary offerings brought into the house them on to the contractors to fix up of YHWH, 6let the priests receive from the temple. each of the donors; and let them repair The Chronicler the house wherever any need of repairs The Chronicler’s version (2Chronicles is discovered.” 7But by the twenty-third 24:1-11) omits verse 3, and adds: year of King Jehoash the priests had Jehoiada had Joash marry made no repairs on the house. 8There- two wives and he fathered fore King Jehoash summoned the priest sons and daughters. Jehoiada with the other priests and said He mentions Levites along with to them, “Why are you not repairing the priests. In place of verses 7-8, the house? Now therefore do not accept any Chronicler writes (referring to Exodus more money from your donors but hand 30:12-16; 38:25-28): it over for the repair of the house.” 9So the priests agreed that they would nei- So the king summoned Jehoia- ther accept more money from the people da the chief, and said to him, “Why have you not required nor repair the house. 10Then the priest the Levites to bring in from Jehoiada took a chest, made a hole in its Judah and Jerusalem the tax lid, and set it beside the altar on the right levied by Moses, the servant side as one entered the house of YHWH; of YHWH, on the congrega- the priests who guarded the threshold tion of Israel for the tent of put in it all the money that was brought the covenant?” For the chil- into the house of YHWH.