The Murderous Palace Intrigue -- Haftorah Parsha Shekalim

The wicked queen Atalya seeks to kill out the entire Davidic dynasty.

Yehoyada, the Kohen Gadol and his wife Yehosheva manage to save one young boy. That child grows up to be King Yoash.

Will he follow in his patron Yehoyada's footsteps? For a time yes; but with Yehoyada's death he begins to slip into idolatry.

Yehoyada's son Zechariah the prophet comes to rebuke the king and is killed -- displaying a horrible lack of gratitude and paving the way for the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem.