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2 Chronicles 22

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Ahaziah Reigns in Judah 1–9

1
And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead; for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. ​
2
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. ​
3
He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab; for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly. ​
4
And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, as did the house of Ahab; for they were his counsellors after the death of his father, to his destruction. ​
5
He walked also after 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.
6
And he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
7
Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went unto Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom Jehovah had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. ​
8
And it came to pass, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, that he found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, ministering to Ahaziah, and slew them.
9
And he sought Ahaziah, and they caught him (now he was hiding in Samaria), and they brought him to Jehu, and slew him; and they buried him, for they said, He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought Jehovah with all his heart. And the house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom. ​

Athaliah Destroys the Royal Seed 10–12

10
Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah. ​
11
But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedchamber. 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 slew him not. ​
12
And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Chronicles 22

Verse 1

his youngest son — Qatan, the word of 21:17, where Jehoahaz is 'the youngest of his sons', the one the raiders left. The people of Jerusalem make him king because 'the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest', so v.1 completes the loss foretold in the letter of 21:14.

Verse 2

Athaliah the daughter of Omri — Her father is given as Ahab in 21:6, and here her line is traced to Omri, Ahab's father (1 Kgs 16:29–30), the founder of the house that 'did evil… above all that were before him'. The reign of 'one year' is short, and ends in v.9 at the hand of Jehu.

Verse 3

his mother was his counsellor — Yaats, to advise, the verb that returns in v.4 for the house of Ahab as 'his counsellors'. 'Wickedly' is rasha, to act wickedly. 2 Kgs 8:27 gives the other tie, 'he was the son in law of the house of Ahab', so counsel came from both sides.

Verse 4

to his destruction — Mashchith, destruction, also used of a snare or trap (Jer 5:26). The counsellors came 'after the death of his father'. Prov 13:20 states the rule the verse shows: 'He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.'

Verse 7

was of God — The same phrasing as 2 Chr 10:15, 'the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word'. 'Destruction' is tebusah, a treading down. Ahaziah's visit to Joram placed him before Jehu, 'whom the LORD had anointed', charged to 'smite the house of Ahab' (2 Kgs 9:6–7).

Verse 9

sought — Two verbs are rendered 'sought'. Jehu's men bakash Ahaziah, a search for a man in hiding, while Jehoshaphat darash the LORD 'with all his heart', as 2 Chr 17:4 and 19:3 describe him. Ahaziah is buried for his grandfather's sake, 'in his sepulchre with his fathers' (2 Kgs 9:28).

Verse 10

all the seed royal — Literally 'all the seed of the kingdom', the line of David, to whom the LORD promised 'the throne of his kingdom for ever' (2 Sam 7:13) and 'a light to him and to his sons' (21:7). Athaliah, of Omri's house and not David's, acts against that line, and 2 Kgs 11:3 says she 'did reign over the land'.

Verse 11

Jehoshabeath — Called Jehosheba in 2 Kgs 11:2, which names her 'the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah'. Only here is she called 'the wife of Jehoiada the priest'. She took Joash from 'the king's sons that were slain' and hid him, the lamp promised to David 'in Jerusalem' (1 Kgs 15:4) still burning.

Verse 12

hid in the house of God six years — Chaba, the verb of v.9, where Ahaziah 'was hid in Samaria' and was found. Here the child is hidden 'in the house of God' and is not found. The six years are those of Athaliah's reign, and 2 Kgs 11:4 and 2 Chr 23:1 begin the next step in the seventh year.