But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not a prophet of Yahweh here, that we may inquire of Yahweh by him?” And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”

Then he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand, and go; if you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; and lay my staff on the boy’s face.”

Now Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he returned to meet him and told him, saying, “The boy has not awakened.”

Now the Arameans had gone out in marauding bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.

Now there was a great famine in Samaria. And behold, they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver.

Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. And the king sent a man from his presence; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”

Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent; if we wait until morning light, punishment will overtake us. So now, come, let us go and tell the king’s household.”

And the gatekeepers called and told it within the king’s household.

Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel.

As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it peace, Zimri, your master’s killer?”

Then he came in and ate and drank. And he said, “Take care now of this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king’s daughter.”

“So now, when this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, as well as the chariots and horses and a fortified city and the weapons,

look for the best and fittest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”

Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, “If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me about this time tomorrow at Jezreel.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them.

Now it happened that when the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel.

Then the messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” So he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”

But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So they hid him from Athaliah, and he was not put to death.

Now in the seventh year Jehoiada sent for and took the commanders of hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him in the house of Yahweh. Then he cut a covenant with them and had them swear in the house of Yahweh, and showed them the king’s son.

And he commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you shall do: one-third of you, who come in on the sabbath and keep watch over the king’s house

Then the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and small shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of Yahweh.

Then he brought the king’s son out and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony; and they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”

So they laid hands on her, and she arrived at the horses’ entrance of the king’s house and was put to death there.

And he took the commanders of hundreds and the Carites and the guards and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of Yahweh, and came by the way of the gate of the guards to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.

So all the people of the land were glad, and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house.