2 Chronicles 22:2

KJV

Forty and two years old [was] Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name also [was] Athaliah the daughter of Omri.

KJV (with Strong's)

Forty {H705} and two {H8147} years {H8141} old {H1121} was Ahaziah {H274} when he began to reign {H4427}, and he reigned {H4427} one {H259} year {H8141} in Jerusalem {H3389}. His mother's {H517} name {H8034} also was Athaliah {H6271} the daughter {H1323} of Omri {H6018}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Achazyah was forty-two years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for one year in Yerushalayim. His mother's name was 'Atalyahu the daughter of 'Omri.

Berean Standard Bible

Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri.

American Standard Version

Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
This verse introduces Ahaziah, the sixth king of Judah, immediately highlighting the brevity of his one-year reign and the critical influence of his mother, Athaliah, described as "the daughter of Omri." This genealogical detail is pivotal, signaling a dangerous intertwining of the Davidic line with the notoriously idolatrous Omride dynasty of the Northern Kingdom, thereby setting the stage for Judah's continued spiritual decline and Ahaziah's own tragic, divinely disfavored rule.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** 2 Chronicles 22:2 follows the account of King Jehoram's wicked and divinely judged reign in [2 Chronicles 21](/2_chronicles/21 "2 Chronicles 21 - Jehoram's Wicked Reign"), which concluded with his agonizing death and an ignominious burial. Ahaziah, his son, inherits a kingdom already steeped in apostasy and under divine displeasure. This verse serves as a concise introduction to Ahaziah, immediately establishing the key influences that will define his brief rule. The subsequent verses in [2 Chronicles 22](/2_chronicles/22 "2 Chronicles 22 - Ahaziah's Reign and Athaliah's Usurpation") detail his evil ways, his alliance with the wicked King Jehoram of Israel, and his eventual death, which then precipitates Athaliah's bloody usurpation of the throne. The brevity of Ahaziah's reign and the emphasis on his mother's lineage are crucial narrative cues, preparing the reader for the escalating tragedy and spiritual compromise that characterize this period in Judah's history.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The mention of Athaliah as "the daughter of Omri" is profoundly significant. While biologically she was the daughter of Ahab, Omri's son, the chronicler emphasizes her connection to Omri, the founder of the most wicked dynasty in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. This dynasty, including Ahab and the infamous Jezebel, was notorious for introducing and promoting Baal worship on a national scale, directly challenging the worship of Yahweh. The marriage of Jehoram of Judah to Athaliah was a political alliance, likely intended to secure peace between the two kingdoms. However, it proved to be a catastrophic spiritual compromise for Judah, bringing the deep-seated idolatry and ungodly practices of the Omride house directly into the Davidic royal line in Jerusalem, the very heart of Yahweh's covenant people. This verse underscores the pervasive influence of these unholy alliances on the religious and political landscape of both kingdoms.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully introduces several major themes that permeate the book of Chronicles and are particularly evident in this period of Judah's history. Firstly, it highlights the **corrupting influence of ungodly kinship**, as Athaliah's lineage directly connects Ahaziah to the idolatrous house of Omri, proving profoundly detrimental to his rule and Judah's spiritual health. Her influence is explicitly stated to be evil in [2 Chronicles 22:3](/2_chronicles/22-3 "2 Chronicles 22:3 - Ahaziah's Evil Ways"). Secondly, the **brevity and instability of ungodly reigns** are starkly indicated by Ahaziah's mere one year on the throne, signaling divine displeasure and the consequences of compromising God's covenant. This stands in sharp contrast to the longer, more stable reigns of righteous kings. Finally, the verse underscores the **consequences of compromise**, as the political alliance that produced Ahaziah brought the deep-seated idolatry of the Northern Kingdom directly into the Southern Kingdom of Judah, serving as a powerful biblical lesson on the spiritual dangers of prioritizing worldly gain over faithfulness to God.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Forty and two (Hebrew, _arba'im ushnayim'_):** This numerical detail presents a notable textual challenge, as [2 Kings 8:26](/2_kings/8-26 "2 Kings 8:26 - Ahaziah's Age") states Ahaziah was "twenty and two years old" when he began to reign. Scholars generally consider the "twenty and two" figure in 2 Kings to be the more accurate one, primarily because Ahaziah's father, Jehoram, died at age 40, which would make Ahaziah (at 42) older than his own father at the time of his father's death. The discrepancy is widely understood as a scribal error in transmission, a common type of mistake in ancient manuscripts involving similar-looking numbers (e.g., confusion between Hebrew letters representing 20 and 40). While a minor textual variant, it does not diminish the theological message of the passage.
* **Daughter (Hebrew, _bath'_):** While Athaliah was biologically the granddaughter of Omri (being the daughter of Ahab, Omri's son), the Hebrew term _bath_ (daughter) can also broadly refer to a female descendant. The chronicler's specific choice to identify her as "the daughter of Omri" is not a genealogical error but a deliberate emphasis on her direct spiritual and ideological lineage. It highlights that she embodied the character and wickedness of the Omride dynasty, underscoring the profound and corrupting influence she brought into the Davidic line.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Forty and two years old [was] Ahaziah when he began to reign":** This clause introduces Ahaziah and his age at accession. As discussed in the Key Word Analysis, the "forty and two" is a textual variant, with "twenty and two" from [2 Kings 8:26](/2_kings/8-26 "2 Kings 8:26 - Ahaziah's Age") being the more widely accepted age. Regardless of the precise age, the immediate focus is on the beginning of his reign, setting the stage for the brief and ill-fated period of his rule.
* **"and he reigned one year in Jerusalem":** This statement immediately conveys the brevity and instability of Ahaziah's reign. A one-year rule is exceptionally short for a king, particularly in a lineage meant to be enduring like the Davidic dynasty. This brevity signals divine displeasure and judgment, indicating that Ahaziah's rule was not blessed by Yahweh, a common theme in Chronicles for wicked kings. Jerusalem, as the capital and the city of God's temple, serves as the backdrop for this compromised reign.
* **"His mother's name also [was] Athaliah the daughter of Omri":** This final clause is arguably the most crucial. It identifies Ahaziah's mother, Athaliah, and immediately connects her to the infamous Omride dynasty. This is not merely a genealogical note but a profound statement about the source of Ahaziah's spiritual corruption and the subsequent events. The chronicler frequently emphasizes the influence of mothers on kings, and in this case, Athaliah's Omride heritage is presented as the primary conduit for the idolatry and wickedness that would plague Ahaziah's reign and lead to her own bloody usurpation.

#### Literary Devices
The chronicler employs several literary devices in this concise verse to convey its profound theological message. There is clear **Foreshadowing**, as the immediate mention of Ahaziah's brief, one-year reign and his mother's Omride lineage instantly signals impending doom and further spiritual decline for Judah. This brevity stands in stark **Contrast** to the long, stable reigns promised to righteous Davidic kings, highlighting Ahaziah's ungodly character and divine disfavor. The use of **Genealogy as a Narrative Device** is prominent; the specific identification of Athaliah as "the daughter of Omri" is not just factual but serves to explain the source of Ahaziah's evil and the subsequent tragic events. This genealogical detail carries significant weight, acting as a shorthand for the pervasive idolatry and wickedness that would infect the Davidic line. Furthermore, there is an element of **Irony**: the king of Judah, from the line chosen by God to uphold His covenant, is shown to be more influenced by his idolatrous Omride mother than by the divine covenant, underscoring the tragic spiritual compromise of the kingdom.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse, though brief, serves as a potent theological statement about the profound impact of familial and cultural influences, particularly in leadership. It underscores the dangers of spiritual compromise through unholy alliances, demonstrating how such choices can lead to national apostasy and divine judgment. The brevity of Ahaziah's reign is a clear sign of God's displeasure with his unrighteousness and the corrupting influence of his mother. The chronicler consistently emphasizes that a king's prosperity and the nation's well-being are directly tied to their faithfulness to Yahweh, and Ahaziah's short, troubled rule exemplifies the consequences of deviation from this path.

* [Deuteronomy 7:3-4](/deuteronomy/7-3 "Deuteronomy 7:3-4 - Warning Against Intermarriage")
* [Proverbs 22:6](/proverbs/22-6 "Proverbs 22:6 - Train Up a Child")
* [1 Kings 16:30-33](/1_kings/16-30 "1 Kings 16:30-33 - Ahab's Wickedness")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ahaziah's brief and compromised reign offers a timeless warning about the devastating consequences of being raised in or aligning with environments hostile to God's ways. For believers today, this passage underscores the critical importance of discerning and choosing godly influences in our lives, whether familial, social, or professional. Our associations and the heritage we embrace or reject profoundly shape our character, decisions, and spiritual trajectory. It calls us to diligently instruct the next generation in the ways of the Lord, recognizing that our choices have lasting repercussions on our lives and those around us. We are challenged to uphold righteous standards, to resist the temptation to compromise our faith for worldly gain or acceptance, and to actively seek environments that foster spiritual growth and faithfulness to God.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do the influences in our lives, particularly familial and cultural, shape our spiritual walk and decisions?**
* **What are the potential dangers of compromising our faith for worldly gain or acceptance in our contemporary context?**
* **In what ways can we actively counter ungodly influences in our own lives and in the lives of those we lead or mentor?**

### FAQ
**Why is Ahaziah's age given as 42 in 2 Chronicles 22:2 when 2 Kings 8:26 says 22?**

Answer: This is a well-known textual variant that scholars have addressed. The most widely accepted explanation is that the figure "42" in 2 Chronicles 22:2 is a scribal error, likely a miscopying of the Hebrew numerical characters. The parallel account in [2 Kings 8:26](/2_kings/8-26 "2 Kings 8:26 - Ahaziah's Age") states Ahaziah was "twenty and two years old" when he began to reign. This age is generally favored because Ahaziah's father, Jehoram, died at the age of 40 (2 Chronicles 21:20). If Ahaziah were 42 when he began to reign, he would have been older than his own father at the time of his father's death, which is chronologically impossible. While such discrepancies exist in ancient manuscripts, they are typically minor scribal issues that do not affect the core theological truths or narrative integrity of the biblical text. The central message about Ahaziah's brief and ungodly reign remains consistent in both accounts.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ahaziah's compromised reign, marred by the corrupting influence of the wicked Omride dynasty through his mother Athaliah, stands in stark contrast to the perfect, unblemished, and eternal reign of Jesus Christ. While Ahaziah's lineage brought spiritual contamination and led to divine judgment, Jesus, though born into the Davidic line, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, ensuring His sinless nature and freedom from the stain of human compromise ([Luke 1:35](/luke/1-35 "Luke 1:35 - The Holy Spirit and Mary")). His "reign" is not a brief, unstable year in a compromised kingdom, but an eternal, righteous dominion that will never end ([Daniel 7:14](/daniel/7-14 "Daniel 7:14 - The Son of Man's Eternal Dominion")). The spiritual decline and idolatry that Athaliah's influence introduced into Judah foreshadow the pervasive sin that Christ came to cleanse and overcome. He is the ultimate "Son of David" who perfectly fulfills the covenant promises, establishing a kingdom of justice and peace, unlike the compromised and idolatrous rule of Ahaziah ([Isaiah 9:6-7](/isaiah/9-6 "Isaiah 9:6-7 - The Child Born to Us")). Through His atoning sacrifice, Christ breaks the power of all corrupting influences, offering true spiritual freedom and an eternal inheritance to those who believe, a profound contrast to Ahaziah's brief and tragic reign and its consequences ([Hebrews 9:14](/hebrews/9-14 "Hebrews 9:14 - Christ's Blood Cleanses Conscience")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

2 Chronicles 21:6

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought [that which was] evil in the eyes of the LORD.

1 Kings 16:28

So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

2 Kings 8:26

Two and twenty years old [was] Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.