Study Desk

And he put all the people in their places around the king. Each man had his spear in his hand. They were put in their places from the right side of the house to the left side, around the altar and the house.

Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him. They gave him the Law, and made him king. Jehoiada and his sons poured oil on him and said, "Long live the king!"

She looked and saw the king beside his pillar at the gate. The captains and those who blew the horns were beside the king. And all the people of the land were filled with joy and blew horns. The singers were playing music and leading the praise. Athaliah tore her clothes and called out, "They are turning against the queen!"

All the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They broke in pieces his altars and the objects made to look like him. And they killed Mattan the religious leader of Baal in front of the altars.

Joash was seven years old when he became king. And he ruled forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.

They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done well in Israel, and to God and His house.

So Joash the king did not remember the kindness his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he killed his son. And when Zechariah was dying, he said, "May the Lord see and punish!"

When they had left Joash, leaving him very sick, his own servants made plans against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the religious leader. And they killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David. But they did not bury him in the graves of the kings.

Now the story of his sons, and the words spoken by wise men against him, and the work done on the house of God, are written in the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah became king in his place.

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king. And he ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

As soon as the nation was under his rule, he killed his servants who had killed his father the king.

But he did not kill their children. He did what is written in the Law in the book of Moses. The Lord had said in this Law, "Fathers must not be put to death for the children. And children must not be put to death for the fathers. Each must be put to death for his own sin."

Now Amaziah made himself strong of heart, and he led his people to the Valley of Salt and killed 10,000 men of Seir.

After Amaziah came from killing the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir. He set them up as his gods. He bowed down in front of them, and burned special perfume to them.

Then King Amaziah of Judah spoke with his wise men, and sent word to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us face each other."

And Judah lost the battle to Israel. Each man ran away to his home.

Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

Then all the people took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah.

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king. And he ruled fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem.

Uzziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He did all that his father Amaziah had done.