2 Kings 11:15

11:15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the officers of the units of hundreds, who were in charge of the army, ¹  “Bring her outside the temple to the guards. ²  Put the sword to anyone who follows her.” The priest gave this order because he had decided she should not be executed in the Lord’s temple. ³ 

2 Kings 11:18

11:18 All the people of the land went and demolished ⁴  the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols ⁵  to bits. ⁶  They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altar. Jehoiada the priest ⁷  then placed guards at the Lord’s temple.

¹ tn The Hebrew text also has, “and said to them.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated.

² tn Heb “ranks.”

³ tn Heb “for the priest had said, ‘Let her not be put to death in the house of the Lord.’”

⁴ tn Or “tore down.”

⁵ tn Or “images.”

⁶ tn The Hebrew construction translated “smashed…to bits” is emphatic. The adverbial infinitive absolute (הֵיטֵב [hetev], “well”) accompanying the Piel form of the verb שָׁבַר (shavar), “break,” suggests thorough demolition.

⁷ tn Heb “the priest.” Jehoiada’s name is added for clarification.