And the house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom.
ATHALIAH.
How a Queen Reigned in Judah and How Jehoiada the Priest Conspired Against Her.
(In addition to her share of downright wickedness, Athaliah possessed the fierce tiger-like courage and ferocity of the race of Ahab. When she heard that her son was dead she determined immediately to murder all her unfortunate little grandchildren! She was a lovely grandmother, indeed! She carried out her determination, and killed all but one, whom she failed to find. Perhaps since she was so busy she did not miss the little fellow! At any rate his good aunt Jehosheba took little baby Joash and hid him and his nurse in a bedchamber. He was kept concealed for six years, while the ugly old grandmother ruled the nation with a rod of iron, and did all the bad and abominable things she could think of. But by and by a priest named Jehoiada thought a change would be most desirable. So he conspired against her. He took the guard secretly into the palace and showed them little Joash, who was now seven years old, and told them that he was their true king, and they all swore allegiance to him. Then, next Sabbath while the people were at worship, the guard surrounded the city with the old weapons in their hands which had been King David's, and which they had found hidden in the house of the Lord. And the priest brought out little Joash and put a crown on his head, and all the people and the soldiers clapped their hands and shouted, "God save the king!" And the wicked old queen was there, angry enough, you may be sure, and she tore her garments, and shouted shrilly, "Treason! Treason!" But the soldiers only drove her to her palace, and there they killed her, and that was the end of the evil woman, and nobody cared when she died.)
Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the sons of the king.
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 that were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedchamber; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.
And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds, and of the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the Lord; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the Lord, and showed them the king's son.
And he commanded them, saying, "This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king's house; and a third part shall be at the gate Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier. And the two companies of you, even all that go forth on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the king. And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that cometh within the ranks, let him be slain: and be ye with the king when he goeth out, and when he cometh in."