2 Chronicles 22

Ahaziah’s Short Reign & Athaliah’s Bloody Coup

1 Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, because the raiding party that came with the Arabs to the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram, king of Judah, took over.

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

3 He also walked in the ways of Ahab’s family, because his mama was his bad influence to act wickedly.

4 He did what was whack in the eyes of the Lord, just like Ahab’s family, because they were his counselors after his pops passed away, leading him to his destruction.

5 He even followed their advice and went with Joram son of Ahab king of Israel to fight Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-Gilead. And the Arameans wounded Joram.

6 So Joram went back to Jezreel to heal from the wounds the Arameans gave him at Ramah when he fought Hazael king of Aram. Ahaziah son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to Jezreel to visit Joram son of Ahab, because he was sick.

7 Now, Ahaziah’s visit to Joram was set up by God to be his downfall. When he got there, he went out with Joram against Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to wipe out Ahab’s family.

8 And it happened, when Jehu was executing judgment on Ahab’s family, he found the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers who were serving Ahaziah, and he killed them.

9 He looked for Ahaziah, and they captured him hiding in Samaria. They brought him to Jehu, killed him, and then buried him, because they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.” So no one from Ahaziah’s family was left to hold the power of the kingdom.

Athaliah’s Ruthless Takeover

10 When Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mama, saw that her son had passed away, she got up and wiped out the whole royal family of the house of Judah.

11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, snatched Joash son of Ahaziah from among the king’s sons who were about to be killed. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Jehoshabeath, King Jehoram’s daughter, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was Ahaziah’s sister), hid him from Athaliah, so she could not kill him.

12 He stayed hidden with them in God’s temple for six years while Athaliah was ruling the land.