2 Kings 11
Open in the reader1When He-Who-Is-Has-Constrained the mother of He-Who-Is-Has-Grasped saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs.
2But Jehosheba daughter of King He-Who-Is-Exalted, the sister of He-Who-Is-Has-Grasped, took He-Who-Is-Strong son of He-Who-Is-Has-Grasped and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from He-Who-Is-Has-Constrained, and he was not killed.
3And He-Who-Is-Has-Aided remained hidden with his nurse in the house of He-Who-Is for six years while He-Who-Is-Has-Constrained ruled the land.
4Then in the seventh year, He-Who-Is-Knows sent for the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the guards, and had them brought into the house of He-Who-Is. There he made a covenant with them and put them under oath. He showed them the king’s son
5and commanded them, “This is what you are to do: A third of you who come on duty on the Rest shall guard the royal palace,
6a third shall be at the gate of Sur, and a third at the gate behind the guards. You are to take turns guarding the temple—
7the two divisions that would go off duty on the Rest are to guard the house of He-Who-Is for the king.
8You must surround the king with weapons in hand, and anyone who approaches the ranks must be put to death. You must stay close to the king wherever he goes.”
9So the commanders of hundreds did everything that He-Who-Is-Knows the priest had ordered. Each of them took his men—those coming on duty on the Rest and those going off duty—and came to He-Who-Is-Knows the priest.
10Then the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and shields of King Beloved from the house of He-Who-Is.
11And the guards stood with weapons in hand surrounding the king by the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.
12Then He-Who-Is-Knows brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”
13When He-Who-Is-Has-Constrained heard the noise from the guards and the people, she went out to the people in the house of He-Who-Is.
14And she looked out and saw the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then He-Who-Is-Has-Constrained tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”
15And He-Who-Is-Knows the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the house of He-Who-Is.”
16So they seized He-Who-Is-Has-Constrained as she reached the horses’ entrance to the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.
17Then He-Who-Is-Knows made a covenant between He-Who-Is and the king and the people that they would be He-Who-Is’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.
18So all the people of the land went to the temple of The-Ruler and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces, and they killed Gift the priest of The-Ruler in front of the altars. And He-Who-Is-Knows the priest posted guards for the house of He-Who-Is.
19He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of He-Who-Is and entered the royal palace by way of the Gate of the Guards. Then He-Who-Is-Has-Aided took his seat on the royal throne,
20and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because He-Who-Is-Has-Constrained had been put to the sword at the royal palace.