Athaliah and the Hidden Heir

"And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. 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 which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber… And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years."

In the seventh year Jehoiada brings the captains of the Carites and the guard into the temple, shows them the king's son, and posts them in three watches. He gives them "king David's spears and shields, that were in the temple." "And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king."

Athaliah hears the noise and comes into the temple: the king stands by a pillar, "as the manner was," with trumpets and rejoicing. "Treason, Treason." She is taken out and killed at the horse gate of the palace. Jehoiada makes a covenant between the LORD, the king and the people. They break down the house of Baal and kill Mattan its priest. "And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet." Joash is seven years old.

Athaliah

Athaliah is called daughter of Ahab (8:18) and of Omri (8:26, meaning granddaughter or "of the house of Omri"). She ruled Judah c. 841–835 BC. No outside inscription names her.

Jehosheba

2 Chronicles 22:11 adds that Jehosheba was the wife of Jehoiada the priest, which explains how she could hide the child in the temple. Kings does not say so.

Joash and Jehoash

Two kings bear this name in the same period: Joash/Jehoash of Judah (this chapter) and Joash/Jehoash of Israel (chapter 13). The site uses both spellings as the KJV does and notes which kingdom is meant.