Tidings of this general execution reached Athaliah, Jezebel's daughter, who still occupied a commanding position in the kingdom of Judah. When she saw that her son, the king of Judah, was dead, "she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah." In this massacre all the descendants of David who were eligible to the throne were destroyed, save one, a babe named Joash, whom the wife of Jehoiada the high priest hid within the precincts of the temple. For six years the child remained hidden, while "Athaliah reigned over the land." 2 Chronicles 22:10, 12.

Jesabels datter Atalja fik nu meddelelse om, at alle disse mennesker var blevet dræbt. Hun øvede stadig stor indflydelse i Judas rige. Da hun fik at vide, at hendes søn, Judas konge, var død, "tog hun sig for at udrydde hele den kongelige slægt af Judas hus". Ved dette blodbad dræbtes alle de af Davids efterkommere, som var arveberettigede til tronen, med undtagelse af et barn ved navn Joas, som ypperstepræsten Jojadas hustru skjulte i templet. Barnet holdtes skjult i seks år, "mens Atalja herskede i landet". 2Krøn. 22,10. og 12.