¹⁷All of the people went to Baal’s temple. They tore it down. They smashed the altars and the statues of gods. They killed Mattan in front of the altars. He was the priest of Baal.

¹⁸Then Jehoiada put the priests, who were Levites, in charge of the Lord’s temple. David had given them their duties in the temple. He had appointed them to sacrifice burnt offerings to the Lord. He wanted them to do it in keeping with what was written in the Law of Moses. David wanted them to sing and be full of joy.

¹⁹Jehoiada stationed guards at the gates of the Lord’s temple. No one who was “unclean” in any way could enter.

²⁰Jehoiada took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all of the people of the land. He brought the new king down from the Lord’s temple. They went into the palace through the Upper Gate. Then they seated the king on the royal throne.

²¹All of the people of the land were filled with joy. And the city was quiet. That’s because Athaliah had been killed with a sword.

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