Ahaziah Reigns Wickedly in Judah
1 The 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. 2 Ahaziah was 42 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. 3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab because his mother was his counselor in acting wickedly. 4 He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.
Ahaziah Allies wtih Jehoram of Israel
5 He also followed their counsel and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead, and the Syrians wounded Joram. 6 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. 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 the Lord, 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 destroy the house of Ahab.
Jehu Kills the Rulers of Judah
8 When Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the rulers of Judah and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah, serving Ahaziah, and killed them. 9 He 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.
Athaliah Queen in Judah
10 Now 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. 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. 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 did not kill him. 12 He was with them hidden in the house of the Lord for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.