1 And Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, seeing that her son was dead, arose and destroyed all the royal seed.
2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash, the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
3 And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years, and Athaliah was queen over the land.
4 But the seventh year Jehoiada sent and took rulers over hundreds, captains and people of the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the Lord and made a covenant with them, causing them to swear an oath in the house of the Lord, and he 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 shall enter in on the sabbath shall be the keepers of the watch of the king’s house;
6 and a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; {Heb. turning aside}; and a third part at the gate behind the guard; so ye shall have the watch of the house of Mesah. {Heb. broken down}
7 And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king.