Ahaziah is a biblical figure mentioned in the Old Testament, known for being a king of both Israel and Judah at different times. His reigns are characterized by idolatry and alliances that led to his downfall. The accounts of Ahaziah are found primarily in the books of 1 Kings, 2 Kings, and 2 Chronicles.

Ahaziah of Israel

Ahaziah, the son of Ahab and Jezebel, became the king of Israel after the death of his father. His reign is recorded in 1 Kings 22:51-53 and 2 Kings 1. Ahaziah ruled Israel for two years, from approximately 853 to 852 BC. His reign was marked by the continuation of the idolatrous practices initiated by his parents, particularly the worship of Baal. The Berean Standard Bible states, "He did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and mother and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin" (1 Kings 22:52).

During his reign, Ahaziah sought an alliance with Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, to build ships for trade, but the venture was unsuccessful due to divine disapproval (1 Kings 22:48-49). His reign was abruptly ended when he suffered a severe injury from a fall through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria. Instead of seeking the Lord, Ahaziah sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, regarding his recovery. This act of idolatry prompted a divine message through the prophet Elijah, who declared that Ahaziah would not recover from his injuries (2 Kings 1:2-4). Ahaziah died without an heir, and his brother Joram succeeded him as king.

Ahaziah of Judah

Ahaziah of Judah, also known as Jehoahaz, was the son of Jehoram and Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. His reign is detailed in 2 Kings 8:25-29 and 2 Chronicles 22:1-9. Ahaziah became king of Judah at the age of 22 and reigned for one year around 841 BC. His mother, Athaliah, exerted significant influence over him, leading him to follow the idolatrous practices of the house of Ahab. The BSB notes, "He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor in wickedness" (2 Chronicles 22:3).

Ahaziah's reign was marked by his alliance with Joram, king of Israel, against Hazael, king of Aram. During a battle at Ramoth-gilead, Joram was wounded, and Ahaziah visited him at Jezreel. This visit coincided with the uprising led by Jehu, who was anointed by God to destroy the house of Ahab. Jehu killed Joram and subsequently pursued Ahaziah. Ahaziah attempted to flee but was captured and killed at Megiddo (2 Kings 9:27-28). His death marked the end of his brief and tumultuous reign, and his mother, Athaliah, seized the throne of Judah, leading to a period of turmoil.

Ahaziah's life and reigns serve as a cautionary tale of the consequences of idolatry and ungodly alliances. His reliance on the influence of his mother and the house of Ahab led to his downfall and the further destabilization of both Israel and Judah.Ahaziah

seizure; vision of the Lord

Ahaziah

(sustained by the Lord).

1. Son of Ahab and Jezebel eighth king of Israel, reigned B.C. 896-895. After the battle of Ramoth in Gilead, in which Ahab perished [AHAB], the vassal king of Moab refused his yearly tribute; comp. (Isaiah 16:1) Before Ahaziah could take measures for enforcing his claim, he was seriously injured by a fall through a lattice in his palace at Samaria. Being an idolater, he sent to inquire of the oracle of Baalzebub in the Philistine city of Ekron whether he should recover his health. But Elijah, who now for the last time exercised the prophetic office, rebuked him for this impiety, and announced to him his approaching death. The only other recorded transaction of his reign, his endeavor to join the king of Judah in trading to Ophir, is related under JEHOSHAPHAT. (1 Kings 22:49-53; 2 Kings 1:1; 2 Chronicles 20:35-37)
2. Fifth king of Judah, son of Jehoram and Athaliah (daughter of Ahab), and therefore nephew of the preceding Ahaziah, reigned one year, B.C. 884. He is Galled AZARIAH, (2 Chronicles 22:2) probably by a copyist's error, and JEHOAHAZ. (2 Chronicles 21:17) He was 22 years old at his accession. (2 Kings 8:26) (his age 42, in (2 Chronicles 22:2) Isa a copyist's error). Ahaziah was an idolater, and he allied himself with his uncle Jehoram king of Israel against Hazael, the new king of Syria. the two kings were, however defeated at Ramoth, where Jehoram was severely wounded. The revolution carried out in Israel by Jehu under the guidance of Elisha broke out while Ahaziah was visiting his uncle at Jezreel. As Jehu approached the town, Jehoram and Ahaziah went out to meet him; the former was shot through the heart by Jehu, and Ahaziah was pursued and mortally wounded. He died when he reached Megiddo.

Ahaziah

1. Son and successor of Ahab, king of Israel, 1 Kings 22:51 2 Kings 1:1-18. He reigned two years, alone and with his father, who associated him in the kingdom the year before his death, B. C. 894. Ahaziah imitated Ahab's impiety, and worshipped Baal and Astarte, whose rites had been introduced into Israel by Jezebel his mother. During his reign the Moabites revolted. Having joined the king Jehoshaphat in a commercial enterprise on the Red Sea, his impiety blasted the whole. After a fall from the gallery of his house, he sent to consult a god of the Philistines as to his recovery. Elijah the prophet foretold his speedy death-first to the messengers, and again to Ahaziah himself, after two companies of fifty had been consumed by fire from heaven.

2. Otherwise Jehoahaz, or Azariah, king of Judah, son of Jehoram and Athaliah; he succeeded his father B. C. 881, 2 Kings 8:25 2 Chronicles 22:2. He was twenty-two years of age when he ascended the throne, and reigned but one year at Jerusalem. He followed the house of Ahab, to which he was allied by his mother, and did evil. He met his death at the hand of Jehu, while in company with Joram, son of Ahab.

Held by Jehovah.

(1.) The son and successor of Ahab. He followed the counsels of his mother Jezebel, and imitated in wickedness the ways of his father. In his reign the Moabites revolted from under his authority (2 Kings 3:5-7). He united with Jehoshaphat in an attempt to revive maritime trade by the Red Sea, which proved a failure (2 Chronicles 20:35-37). His messengers, sent to consult the god of Ekron regarding his recovery from the effects of a fall from the roof-gallery of his palace, were met on the way by Elijah, who sent them back to tell the king that he would never rise from his bed (1 Kings 22:51; 2 Kings 1:18).

(2.) The son of Joram, or Jehoram, and sixth king of Judah. Called Jehoahaz (2 Chronicles 21:17; 25:23), and Azariah (2 Chronicles 22:6). Guided by his idolatrous mother Athaliah, his reign was disastrous (2 Kings 8:24-29; 9:29). He joined his uncle Jehoram, king of Israel, in an expedition against Hazael, king of Damascus; but was wounded at the pass of Gur when attempting to escape, and had strength only to reach Megiddo, where he died (2 Kings 9:22-28). He reigned only one year.

AHAZIAH

a-ha-zi'-a ('achazyah and 'achazyahu, "Yah holds, or sustains"):

I. Ahaziah.

Son of Ahab and Jezebel, eighth king of Israel (1 Kings 22:51-2_kings 1:18).

1. His Reign:

Ahaziah became king over Israel in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and he reigned two years, 854-853 B.C. There is, here an incongruity between the synchronism and the length of the reigns of the kings. Jehoshaphat began to reign in the fourth year of Ahab (1 Kings 22:41), and he reigned 22 years (1 Kings 16:29). Accordingly Ahaziah's first year, in the twenty-second year of Ahab, would fall in the nineteenth year of Jehoshaphat. The chronological statement in 2 Kings 1:17 is probably taken from the Syriac, and both are in harmony wrath a method of computation followed by certain Greek manuscripts.

2. His Character:

A good name does not insure a good character. Ahaziah, the "God-sustained," served Baal and worshipped him, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the God of Israel, Just as his father before him had done. He appears to have been weak and unfortunate, and calamities in quick succession pursued him.

3. The Revolt of Moab:

Ahab had sought the good and became an enemy to the best. His house and the nation suffered the consequences. "Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab." Ahaziah appears to have been too weak to offer resistance. The Moabite Stone dates the revolt in the days of Ahab. No doubt it began at the time of Ahab's last campaign against Syria.

4. His Maritime Alliance:

According to 1 Kings 22:48 Ahaziah attempted to form an alliance with Jehoshaphat of Judah to revive the ancient maritime traffic, but failed. According to 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 the alliance was consummated, in consequence of which the enterprise came to nothing. See JEHOSHAPHAT.

5. His Sickness and Death:

Ahaziah suffered a severe accident by falling through the lattice in his upper apartment in Samaria, and lay sick. As a worthy son of Jezebel and Ahab, he sent messengers to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, regarding his recovery. But Israel belonged to Yahweh. Accordingly the messengers were met by the prophet Elijah who for the last time warns against the corrupting moral influences of the Baal religion. "Thus saith Yahweh, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art gone up, but shalt surely die" was the message which he sent back to the embassy, and the death of the king speedily followed.

II. Ahaziah.

Sixth king of Judah (2 Kings 8:25-29; 2 Kings 9:16 = 2 Chronicles 22:1-9); also written Jehoahaz (2 Chronicles 21:17; 2 Chronicles 25:23), which is merely a transposition of the component parts of the compound. The form "Azariah" (2 Chronicles 22:6) is an error, fifteen Hebrew manuscripts and all the versions reading Ahaziah.

1. His Brief Reign:

Ahaziah, youngest son of Jehoram, began to reign in the twelfth year (2 Kings 8:25) of Jehoram of Israel. In 2 Kings 9:29 it is stated as the eleventh. The former is probably the Hebrew, the latter the Greek method of computation, the Septuagint Luc also reading eleventh in 8:25. He was 22 years old when he began to reign and he reigned one year (2 Kings 8:26). The reading "forty two" (2 Chronicles 22:2) is a scribal error, since according to 2 Chronicles 21:5, 20 Jehoram the father was only 40 years old at the time of his death. Syriac, Arabic and Luc read 22, Septuagint Codex Vaticanus 20.

See CHRONOLOGY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

2. His Character:

(Compare 2 Kings 8:27 2 Chronicles 22:3, 4.) In view of the disaster which befell the royal house (2 Chronicles 21:16, 17), the inhabitants of Jerusalem placed Ahaziah the youngest son upon the throne. That "he walked in the way of the house of Ahab" is exemplified by Chronicles to the effect that his mother, the daughter of Jezebel, counseled him in the ways of wickedness and that the house of Ahab led him to his destruction. The influence of Jezebel was at work in Judah. Ahaziah dedicated "hallowed things" to Yahweh (2 Kings 12:18), but he did evil in Yahweh's eyes.

3. His Alliance with Jehoram of Israel:

(Compare 2 Kings 8:28, 29 2 Chronicles 22:5, 6.) Ahaziah cultivated the relations which had been established between the two kingdoms by Ahab. Accordingly he joined his uncle Jehoram of Israel in an expedition against Hazael, king of Syria. Ramoth-gilead was captured and held for Israel against the king of Syria (2 Kings 9:14). However, Jehoram of Israel was wounded and returned to Jezreel to be healed of his wounds. It appears that the army was left in charge of Jehu at Ramoth-gilead. Ahaziah apparently went to Jerusalem and later went down to Jezreel to visit Jehoram. In the meantime Jehu formed a conspiracy against Jehoram.

4. His Death:

The death of Ahaziah, as told in 2 Kings 9:16, differs from the account in 2 Chronicles 22:7-9. According to the account in Kings, Ahaziah who is visiting Jehoram, joins him in a separate chariot to meet Jehu. Jehoram suspecting treachery turns to flee, but an arrow from the bow of Jehu pierces his heart and he dies in his chariot. Ahaziah tries to escape, but is overtaken near Ibleam and mortally wounded by one of Jehu's men. He fled to the fortress of Megiddo, where he died. His servants conveyed his body in a chariot to Jerusalem, where he was buried. According to the Chronicler, this account is very much abbreviated (2 Chronicles 22:7 f). His destruction is of God because of his alliance with Jehoram. Jehu, who was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, first slew the kinsmen of Ahaziah. He then sought Ahaziah who was hiding in Samaria. When he was found, he was brought to Jehu and put to death. He was buried, but where and by whom we are not told.

That there were other traditions respecting the death of Ahaziah, is proved by Josephus, who says that when Ahaziah was wounded he left his chariot and fled on horseback to Megiddo, where he was well cared for by his servants until he died (Ant., IX, vi, 3). S. K. Mosiman

274. Achazyah -- "Yah has grasped," the name of several Israelites
... Achazyah. 275 . "Yah has grasped," the name of several Israelites. Transliteration:
Achazyah Phonetic Spelling: (akh-az-yaw') Short Definition: Ahaziah. ...
/hebrew/274.htm - 6k

Ahaziah
... AHAZIAH. BY REV. ... But certain things are said about Ahaziah which afford room for
reflection, and may, perhaps, be useful to us if we take them in a right way. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/milligan/men of the bible some lesser-known/ahaziah.htm

Concerning Ahaziah; the King of Israel; and Again Concerning the ...
... From The Death Of Ahab To The Captivity Of The Ten Tribes. CHAPTER 2. Concerning
Ahaziah; The King Of Israel; And Again Concerning The Prophet Elijah. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 2 concerning ahaziah the.htm

How Athaliah Reigned Over Jerusalem for Five [Six] Years when ...
... CHAPTER 7. How Athaliah Reigned Over Jerusalem For Five [Six] Years When Jehoiada
The High Priest Slew Her And Made Jehoash, The Son Of Ahaziah, King. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 how athaliah reigned.htm

How Jehu was Anointed King, and Slew Both Joram and Ahaziah; as ...
... Tribes. CHAPTER 6. How Jehu Was Anointed King, And Slew Both Joram And Ahaziah;
As Also What He Did For The Punishment Of The Wicked. 1 ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 how jehu was.htm

The Boy Joash on the Throne of Judah
... THE OLD TESTAMENT THE BOY JOASH ON THE THRONE OF JUDAH. When Joram had ruled twelve
years over Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram began to rule over Judah. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/the boy joash on the.htm

Jehoiada and Joash
... 'And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and ...
Jehu had also murdered 'the brethren of Ahaziah,' forty-two in number. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/jehoiada and joash.htm

That the Employing Of, and Associating with the Malignant Party ...
... therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord,") and with Ahaziah, (2 Chronicles
20:35: "And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/section iii that the employing.htm

The Fall of the House of Ahab
... Ahaziah, his successor, "did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way
of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam." "He ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 16 the fall of.htm

Genealogy of Jesus According to Matthew.
... begat Joram [Joram married Athaliah, the wicked daughter of Ahab, and followed Ahab
in all his ungodly practices]; and Joram [Joram begat Ahaziah, and Ahaziah ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/iii genealogy of jesus according.htm

The Divided Kingdom.
... 8. Ahaziah, 1:K.22:51-2 K.1:18. ... Reigned 8. years and died. 6. Ahaziah, 2:K.8:25-29;
9:27-29; 2:Chron.22:1-9. Reigned 1 year and was killed by order of Jehu. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xiii the divided kingdom.htm

Ahaziah (34 Occurrences)
... He reigned only one year. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. AHAZIAH. a-ha-zi'-a
('achazyah and 'achazyahu, "Yah holds, or sustains"): I. Ahaziah. ...
/a/ahaziah.htm - 28k

Ahaziah's (4 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Ahaziah's (4 Occurrences). 2 Kings 1:18 Now the
rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not ...
/a/ahaziah's.htm - 7k

Ahazi'ah (33 Occurrences)
Ahazi'ah. Ahaziah, Ahazi'ah. Ahaziah's . ... Ahazi'ah (33 Occurrences). 1 Kings
22:40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead. ...
/a/ahazi'ah.htm - 16k

Athali'ah (17 Occurrences)
... Athali'ah (17 Occurrences). 2 Kings 8:26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah
when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. ...
/a/athali'ah.htm - 11k

Jeho'ram (21 Occurrences)
... (See RSV). 2 Kings 8:25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel
did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. (See RSV). ...
/j/jeho'ram.htm - 13k

Athaliah (17 Occurrences)
... On the death of her husband and of her son Ahaziah, she resolved to seat herself
on the vacant throne. She slew all Ahaziah's children ...
/a/athaliah.htm - 19k

Jehosheba (2 Occurrences)
... She hid Jehoash, the young son of King Ahaziah, and so saved his life from Queen
Athaliah. Multi-Version Concordance Jehosheba (2 Occurrences). ...
/j/jehosheba.htm - 8k

Jo'ash (44 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 11:2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took
Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons who ...
/j/jo'ash.htm - 19k

Bed-chambers (3 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 11:2 and Jehosheba daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, taketh Joash
son of Ahaziah, and stealeth him out of the midst of the sons of the king ...
/b/bed-chambers.htm - 7k

Bedroom (8 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 11:2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, secretly
took Joash, the son of Ahaziah, with the woman who took care of him, away ...
/b/bedroom.htm - 9k

Who was King Ahaziah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was King Joash in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Athaliah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus