¹⁷ They marched against Judah, broke down its defenses, and carried away everything of value in the royal palace, including the king’s sons and his wives. Only his youngest son, Ahaziah,^[a] was spared.

Ahaziah Rules in Judah

22 Then the people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram’s youngest son, their next king, since the marauding bands who came with the Arabs^[a] had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram reigned as king of Judah.

²³ King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s king, Amaziah son of Joash and grandson of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. Then he brought him to Jerusalem, where he demolished 600 feet^[a] of Jerusalem’s wall, from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.

⁶ he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he had received at Ramoth.^[a] Because Joram was wounded, King Ahaziah^[b] of Judah went to Jezreel to visit him.

⁷ Over the years the followers of wicked Athaliah had broken into the Temple of God, and they had used all the dedicated things from the Temple of the Lord to worship the images of Baal.