Jehoiada

Jehoiada (meaning knowledge of the LORD) was the high priest of Jerusalem whose decisive action preserved the Davidic dynasty and the Mosaic faith during the usurpation of Athaliah. After Athaliah seized the throne and attempted to kill all the royal heirs, Jehoiada's wife Jehosheba (his niece) hid the infant Joash in the temple for six years. In the seventh year, Jehoiada organized the palace guard and Levites, presented the child king, executed Athaliah, and destroyed the temple of Baal — restoring both the monarchy and true worship in a single coup (2 Kings 11-12; 2 Chronicles 22-24).

Jehoiada served as regent and spiritual guide during Joash's minority and lived to 130 years (2 Chronicles 24:15) — a longevity honored with royal burial in the city of David "because he had done good in Israel." After his death, the king reverted to idolatry and had Jehoiada's son Zechariah stoned for his prophetic rebuke — a sin for which Joash later suffered assassination. Jehoiada stands as one of the Old Testament's great priestly figures: a keeper of the covenant when the throne failed.