Ahaziah Takes the Throne of Judah

²⁵ In the twelfth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became king over Judah. ²⁶ Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, the granddaughter^[a] of King Omri of Israel. ²⁷ He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty and did evil in the sight of^[b] the Lord, as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he was related to Ahab’s family.^[c]

²⁸ He joined Ahab’s son Joram in a battle against King Hazael of Syria at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. ²⁹ King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians^[d] in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. King Ahaziah son of Jehoram of Judah went down to visit^[e] Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, for he was ill.