12. Athaliah heard the noise of the people running to the Temple and praising the king. She came into the Lord’S Temple to the people.
13. She looked and saw the king standing by his column at the front entrance. The officers and the men who blew trumpets were near the king. The people of the land were happy and blowing trumpets. The singers were playing on instruments of music. They led the people in singing praises. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!”
14. Jehoiada the priest brought out the army captains. He said to them, “Take Athaliah outside among the army. Use your swords to kill anyone who follows her.” Then the priest warned the soldiers, “Don’t kill Athaliah in the Lord’S Temple.”
15. Then those men grabbed Athaliah when she came to the entrance of the Horse Gate at the king’s palace. Then they killed her there.
16. Then Jehoiada made an agreement with all the people and the king. They all agreed that they all would be the Lord’S people.
17. All the people went into the temple of the idol Baal and tore it down. They also broke the altars and idols that were in Baal’s temple. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars of Baal.
18. Then Jehoiada chose the priests to be responsible for the Lord’S Temple. The priests were Levites, and David had given them the job of being responsible for the Lord’S Temple. They were to offer the burnt offerings to the Lord the way the Law of Moses commanded. They offered the sacrifices with much joy and singing the way David commanded.
19. Jehoiada put guards at the gates of the Lord’S Temple to prevent any unclean person from entering the Temple.
20. Jehoiada took the army captains, the leaders, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land with him. Then Jehoiada took the king out of the Lord’S Temple. They went through the Upper Gate to the king’s palace and put the king on the throne.
21. All the people of Judah were very happy, and the city of Jerusalem had peace because Athaliah was killed with a sword.