1 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose up and destroyed all the royal descendants.
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 who were being murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed.
3 He was with her, hidden in the house of the Lord for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
4 But in the seventh year Jehoiada sent word and took the captains of hundreds from the Carites and the guards and brought them to him in the house of the Lord. He made a covenant with them, put them under oath in the house of the Lord, and then showed them the king’s son.
5 He commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you shall do: One-third of your unit, those who come on duty on the Sabbath, will guard the king’s house.
6 One-third will be at the gate of Sur, and one-third will be at the gate behind the guards. You will take turns guarding the house.