1.
And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.
2.
Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
Forty and two years old = a son of forty-two years: i.e. of the house of Omri, on account of his connection with it through his mother (832-790 = 42). In 2 Kings 8:26 Ahaziah's actual age (twenty-two years) is given when he began to reign (790) during the two years of his father's disease. His father, Jehoram, was thirty-two when he began to reign with Jehoshaphat, two years before the latter's death (2 Kings 8:16 ). This was in 796. Jehoram therefore was born in 828. Ahaziah, his son, being twenty-two when he began his co-regency, was therefore born in 812; his father being sixteen years old. See App-50 . pp 2Ch 57:58 .
daughter of Omri. Daughter put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus) for granddaughter. See App-55 .
3.
He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counseller to do wickedly.
ways. Compare 2 Kings 8:27 .
4.
Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellers after the death of his father to his destruction.
evil = the evils. Hebrew. ra'a. .
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
5.
He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.
with Jehoram. Compare 2 Kings 8:28 , &c.
Joram. Another spelling of Jehoram. See note on 1 Chronicles 25:11 .
6.
And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick.
Azariah. Same as Ahaziah. See note on 2 Chronicles 22:1 with 2 Chronicles 21:17 .
7.
And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.
destruction. Compare 2 Kings 9:21-27 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
whom the LORD had anointed. Compare 2Ki 9:6 , 2 Kings 9:7 .
8.
And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.
9.
And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.
hid = hiding himself.
in Samaria. The province, not the city.
brought him. His wounds being partially healed. to Jehu. Who must have been then at Megiddo (2 Kings 9:27 ).
10.
But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.
she arose and destroyed. The enemy's third attempt, at this time, to destroy the royal succession: (1) 2 Chronicles 21:4 ; (2) 2 Chronicles 21:17 ; 2 Chronicles 22:1 ; (3) 2 Chronicles 22:10 . This time he well-nigh succeeded. See App-25 .
11.
But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. 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 slew him not.
from among . . . slain. As Christ, the Antitype, Who was raised from among the dead, and is now hidden on high (Acts 3:21 ).
bedchamber. One formerly used by the priests.
the daughter of king Jehoram: i.e. of the former king of that name (2 Kings 11:2 ).
the wife of Jehoiada the priest. Hence her action. See note on "Libnah" (2 Chronicles 21:10 ).
12.
And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.
in the house of God. The safest of all places at that time; for its courts were deserted (2 Chronicles 24:7 ).
six. The number of man. See App-10 .