THE SECOND BOOK OF THE
CHRONICLES

2 Chronicles 22 ©

Ahaziah becomes king in his father’s stead, v. 1, etc. He follows the sins of the house of Ahab, 3. Visits Jehoram, king of Israel, who was sick, 6. By this occasion he comes to be slain by Jehu, 8. Athaliah usurps the government, having murdered all the royal seed of the house of Judah, except Joash, whom Jehoshabeath, his aunt, had hid, 10.

1

ANDa the inhabitants of Jerusalem made 1Ahaziah his 2youngest son king in his stead: for 3the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the 4eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

2

5Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned 6one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Athaliah the 7daughter of Omri.

3

He 8also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.

4

Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD 9like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his 10destruction.

5

¶He walked 11also after their counsel, andb went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at 12Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.

6

And he returned to be healed in 13Jezreel because of the 14wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And 15Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick.

7

And the 16destruction of Ahaziah was 17of God 18by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had 19anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

8

And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing 20judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the 21sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, hec slew them.

9

Andd he 22sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they 23buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD 24with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had 25no power to keep still the kingdom.

10

¶But 26when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all 27the seed royal of the house of Judah.

11

But 28Jehoshabeath, the daughter 29of the king, took 30Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his 31nurse in a 32bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of 33Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.

12

And he was with 34them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over 35the land.