Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.

But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose, and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.

But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bed chamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.

And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:

And she looked, and behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entrance, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, treason.

And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

For the sons of Athaliah that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD they bestowed upon Baalim.