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Ahaziah Reigns over Judah

22 (A)Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made [a]Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the band of men who came with (B)the Arabs to the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah became king. Ahaziah was [b]twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the [c]granddaughter of Omri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. And he did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to (C)his destruction.

Ahaziah Goes with Jehoram of Israel

He also walked according to their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. But the [d](D)Arameans struck [e]Joram. So he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they caused by striking him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. And [f]Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

Now (E)the downfall of Ahaziah was from God, in that [g]he went to Joram. And when he came, (F)he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, (G)whom Yahweh had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

Jehu Kills the Princes of Judah

(H)Now it happened when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers attending to Ahaziah, and killed them. (I)And he sought Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was hiding himself in Samaria; they brought him to Jehu, put him to death, (J)and buried him. For they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, (K)who sought Yahweh with all his heart.” So there was no one of the house of Ahaziah to retain the power of the kingdom.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 22:1 In 2 Chr 21:17, Jehoahaz
  2. 2 Chronicles 22:2 As in some versions and 2 Kin 8:26; Heb 42 years
  3. 2 Chronicles 22:2 Lit daughter
  4. 2 Chronicles 22:5 Heb archers
  5. 2 Chronicles 22:5 Jehoram
  6. 2 Chronicles 22:6 As in 2 Kin 8:29; Heb Azariah
  7. 2 Chronicles 22:7 Lit to go

22 The inhabitants of Jerusalem made his youngest son Ahaziah succeed him as king because the raiding party that had invaded the camp with the Arabs had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah, Jehoram’s son, became king of Judah.

Ahaziah rules

Ahaziah was 22 years old[a] when he became king, and he ruled for one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah; she was the granddaughter of Omri. Ahaziah walked in the ways of Ahab’s dynasty, encouraged in this wickedness by his mother. He did what was evil in the Lord’s eyes, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, because after his father’s death they gave him advice that led to his downfall. Ahaziah was following their advice when he went with Israel’s King Joram,[b] Ahab’s son, to fight against Aram’s King Hazael at Ramoth-gilead, where the Arameans wounded Joram. Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he suffered at Ramah in his battle with Aram’s King Hazael. Then Judah’s King Ahaziah,[c] Jehoram’s son, went down to visit Joram, Ahab’s son, at Jezreel because he had been wounded. But God used this visit to Joram to bring about Ahaziah’s downfall. After his arrival, Ahaziah went with Joram to meet Jehu, Nimshi’s son, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy Ahab’s dynasty. While Jehu was executing judgment on Ahab’s dynasty, he discovered the princes of Judah, Ahaziah’s nephews, serving Ahaziah, and Jehu killed them. Jehu went looking for Ahaziah, who was captured while hiding in Samaria. He was then brought to Jehu and executed. He was given a decent burial, however, because people said, “He was the grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.”

There were now no members of Ahaziah’s dynasty strong enough to rule the kingdom.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 22:2 LXX, Syr, 2 Kgs 8:26; MT 42
  2. 2 Chronicles 22:5 Or Jehoram (also in 22:6-7); the king's name is variously spelled in either long Jehoram or short Joram form.
  3. 2 Chronicles 22:6 LXX, Syr, Vulg; MT Azariah