Friday 22 June 2040

1Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah sawthat her son was dead,she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring.2But 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 slain,even him and his nurse,and put them in the bedroom;and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.3He was with her hidden in the Lord’s house six yearswhile Athaliah reigned over the land.

4In the seventh year Jehoiada sentand fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard,and brought them to him into the Lord’s house;and he made a covenant with them,and made a covenant with them in the Lord’s house,and showed them the king’s son.

· · · verses 5–8 are not read9The captains over hundreds did according to allthat Jehoiada the priest commanded;and they each took his men,those who were to come in on the Sabbath with thosewho were to go out on the Sabbath,and came to Jehoiada the priest.10The priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spearsand shields that had been King David’s,which were in the Lord’s house.11The guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand,from the right side of the house to the left side of the house,along by the altar and the house, around the king.12Then he brought out the king’s son,and put the crown on him,and gave him the covenant;and they made him king and anointed him;and they clapped their hands,and said, “Long live the king!”

13When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people,she came to the people into the Lord’s house;14and she looked, and behold,the king stood by the pillar,as the tradition was,with the captains and the trumpets by the king;and all the people of the land rejoiced,and blew trumpets.Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried,“Treason! Treason!”

15Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundredswho were set over the army,and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks.Kill anyone who follows her with the sword.”For the priest said,“Don’t let her be slain in the Lord’s house.”16So they seized her;and she went by the way of the horses’ entry to the king’s house,and she was slain there.

17Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lordand the king and the people,that they should be the Lord’s people;also between the king and the people.18All the people of the land went to the house of Baal,and broke it down.They broke his altars and his images in pieces thoroughly,and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.The priest appointed officers over the Lord’s house.· · · verse 19 is not read20So all the people of the land rejoiced,and the city was quiet.They had slain Athaliah with the sword at the king’s house.

11The Lord has sworn to David in truth.He will not turn from it:“I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.

12If your children will keep my covenant,my testimony that I will teach them,their children also will sit on your throne forever more.”

13For the Lord has chosen Zion.He has desired it for his habitation.14“This is my resting place forever.I will live here, for I have desired it.

17I will make the horn of David to bud there.I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.18I will clothe his enemies with shame,but on himself, his crown will shine.”

19“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth,where moth and rust consume,and where thieves break through and steal;20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,where neither moth nor rust consume,and where thieves don’t break through and steal;21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22“The lamp of the body is the eye.If therefore your eye is sound,your whole body will be full of light.23But if your eye is evil,your whole body will be full of darkness.If therefore the light that is in you is darkness,how great is the darkness!