1Ahaziah succeedeth Jehoram: his wicked reign. 5His confederacy with Jehoram the son of Ahab, with whom he is slain by Jehu. 10Athaliah having destroyed all the seed royal of Judah, save Joash, who was hid by his aunt Jehoshabeath, usurpeth the kingdom.
1ANDa 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.
a 2 Kings 8:24, 25, etc.
1 See 2 Chron. 21 on verse 17.
2 That is, the youngest in years. Compare Gen. 19 on verse 31.
3 See hereof 2 Chron. 21:16, 17.
4 That is, the eldest sons of Jehoram. In 2 Chron. 21:17 it is only stated that these soldiers had carried away the sons of Jehoram; but here it is now added that they also had slain them.
25Forty 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.
5 Hebr. a son of two and forty years.
6 Namely, alone. As some do gather from 2 Kings 8:26. Perceiving that a long time before he was held and acknowledged to be king while his father was incapable to govern. But how these two places are to be reconciled, this is very obscure.
7 She is likewise so called 2 Kings 8:26. Understand the daughter of Omri’s son, namely, Ahab. See the annotation at the aforementioned place. Grandchildren are called the sons and daughters of their grandfathers, see Gen. 36 on verse 2; yea, also of all their ancestors counted in a straight or direct line upward, as appears in Mat. 1:1; Luke 13:16.
3He 8also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.
8 Namely, as his father Jehoram, 2 Chron. 21:6.
4Wherefore 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.
9 Namely, those who were of Ahab’s house.
10 As such is the Hebrew word taken in Exod. 12:13; Ezek. 25:15; Dan. 10:8.
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.
11 That is, he not only did hear their idolatrous counsel, but he also did walk accordingly.
b 2 Kings 8:28.
12 Called also Ramah in the next verse, and 2 Kings 8:29. See likewise of this city 1 Kings 4:13.
6And 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.
13 A city in the tribe of Issachar; of which see Joshua 19:18; 1 Kings 4:12, etc.
14 Or, there had been smiters, that had smitten him by Ramah. Understand by these the Syrians, 2 Kings 9:15.
15 Otherwise called: Ahaziah, verses 1, 2; likewise Jehoahaz in 2 Chron. 21:17.
7And 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.
16 Or, trampling, that is, the destruction of Ahaziah, whereby he was subdued, and as it were trampled upon; whereof see verse 9.
17 Namely, as of a righteous Judge, Who is wont to punish the sins of people, committed freely and not by constraint. Compare herewith 1 Kings 12:15, and the annotation thereon.
18 That is, which treading underfoot or destruction was occasioned thereby that Ahaziah came to Jehoram, and tarried not at home.
19 Namely, by the command which He had given to the prophet Elijah, 1 Kings 19:16, and which Elijah executed by the hand of Elisha, 2 Kings 9:6.
8And 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.
20 That is, punishment, which God had commanded Jehu to execute upon the house of Ahab. Also 2 Chron. 20:9, see the annotation.
21 At 2 Kings 10:13 they are called the brethren of Ahaziah. See the annotation there.
c 2 Kings 10:14.
9Andd 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.
d 2 Kings 9:27.
22 See the exposition of this verse, 2 Kings 9 on verse 27.
23 That is, they permitted him to be carried to Jerusalem to be buried there.
24 Compare 2 Chron. 15:12.
25 Perhaps because they were too young, to whom the kingdom, by way of succession, did belong, or because Athaliah’s power was too great.
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.
26 See the exposition of this and the following verses 2 Kings 11:1, 2, 3.
27 Hebr. the seed of the kingdom.
11But 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.
28 Hebr. Jehoschabath; otherwise also called Jehosheba, 2 Kings 11:2.
29 Namely, of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, and consequently the sister of Ahaziah, 2 Kings 11:2.
30 Other, Jehoash, 2 Kings 12:2.
31 Who had given him suck, or as yet gave him suck; for, he was but a year old. Compare the annotation at 2 Chron. 23 on verse 1.
32 Hebr. a chamber of beds. See the annotation at 2 Kings 11 on verse 2.
33 Hebr. Jehojada. See of this man 2 Kings 11 on verse 4.
12And he was with 34them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over 35the land.
34 Understand that Joash, with his nurse, had secretly been kept and reared by the high priest and his wife in one of the chambers which were at the temple.
35 Namely, of Judah.