2 Chronicles Chapter 22 — The Reign of Ahaziah and Athaliah
King Ahaziah of Judah reigns briefly and is killed during Jehu's purge, leading his mother Athaliah to seize the throne until Joash is rescued and hidden.
1The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place, because the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the oldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.
2Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
3He also walked in the ways of Ahab’s house, because his mother was his counselor in acting wickedly.
4He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, as did Ahab’s house, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.
5He also followed their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.
6He returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Azariah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
7Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went to Joram; for when he had come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off Ahab’s house.
8When Jehu was executing judgment on Ahab’s house, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah serving Ahaziah, and killed them.
9He sought Ahaziah, and they caught him (now he was hiding in Samaria), and they brought him to Jehu and killed him; and they buried him, for they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” The house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom.
10Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah.
11But Jehoshabeath, the king’s daughter, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stealthily rescued him from among the king’s sons who were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah, so that she didn’t kill him.
12He was with them hidden in God’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
2 Chronicles 22:3
“He also walked in the ways of Ahab’s house, because his mother was his counselor in acting wickedly.”
This verse highlights the significant influence family alliances had on the spiritual direction of Judah's kings.
2 Chronicles 22:11
“But Jehoshabeath, the king’s daughter, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stealthily rescued him from among the king’s sons who were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom.”
This verse records the pivotal moment when the Davidic line was narrowly preserved through a courageous act of rescue.
Chapter Summary
2 Chronicles 22 details the short and troubled reign of Ahaziah, who becomes king of Judah after his older brothers are killed by invaders. Influenced heavily by his mother Athaliah and the house of Ahab, Ahaziah follows the wicked practices of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He forms an ill-fated alliance with Jehoram of Israel against Syria and is later caught and executed by Jehu during Jehu's divinely appointed judgment on Ahab's lineage. Following Ahaziah's death, his mother Athaliah attempts to secure her power by murdering the entire royal family of Judah. However, Jehoshabeath, the king's daughter and wife of Jehoiada the priest, manages to hide the infant Joash and his nurse in a bedroom within the temple. Joash remains hidden for six years while Athaliah reigns over the land, effectively preserving the Davidic line from total extinction during a time of great spiritual and political upheaval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ahaziah's mother was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri. The text explains that she was his counselor in acting wickedly, which led him to walk in the evil ways of the house of Ahab rather than following the traditions of his ancestors.
Ahaziah went to Jezreel to visit King Jehoram of Israel, who was recovering from wounds sustained in a battle against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead. This visit eventually led to Ahaziah's encounter with Jehu.
The line of David was preserved when Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, rescued the infant Joash from the massacre. She hid him in the temple for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
Study Note
This chapter records the only instance in the history of the Southern Kingdom of Judah where the Davidic line was almost entirely extinguished and a non-Davidic queen reigned for an extended period.
Related Chapters
2 Kings 11
This chapter provides a parallel account of Athaliah's usurpation and the rescue of Joash.
2 Chronicles 21
Describes the reign of Jehoram, Ahaziah's father, and the circumstances leading to Ahaziah's kingship.
2 Kings 9
Details the rise of Jehu and the judgment he executed on the house of Ahab which impacted Judah.
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