2 Kings 11:17-20 - Jehoiada's Reforms

¹⁷ Jehoiada then drew up a covenant between the Lord and the king and people, stipulating that they should be loyal to the Lord. ¹⁸ All the people of the land went and demolished the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols to bits. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altar. Jehoiada the priest then placed guards at the Lord's temple. ¹⁹ He took the officers of the units of hundreds, the Carians, the royal bodyguard, and all the people of land, and together they led the king down from the Lord's temple. They entered the royal palace through the Gate of the Royal Bodyguard, and the king sat down on the royal throne. ²⁰ All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah with the sword in the royal palace.

¹⁶ Jehoiada then drew up a covenant stipulating that he, all the people, and the king should be loyal to the Lord. ¹⁷ All the people went and demolished the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

¹⁸ Jehoiada then assigned the duties of the Lord's temple to the priests, the Levites whom David had assigned to the Lord's temple. They were responsible for offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord with joy and music, according to the law of Moses and the edict of David. ¹⁹ He posted guards at the gates of the Lord's temple, so no one who was ceremonially unclean in any way could enter. ²⁰ He summoned the officers of the units of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of land, and he then led the king down from the Lord's temple. They entered the royal palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne. ²¹ All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah.