The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 5 · Section 19 · Concurrent kings · Judah · Ahaziah – Athaliah
The ſixth that reign'd in Judah, was AHAZIAH.AHAZIAH call'd Jehoahaz, 2 Chron. 21.17. and Azariah, 2 Chron. 22.6. was the ſixth that reigned in Judah; he was the youngeſt Son of Jehoram, for all his Elder Brothers were either ſlain or carried away by the Philiſtines and Arabians as we ſhewed before. It ſeems he was made King by the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem, viz. the Sanhedrin, or great Council there, the reſt giving their conſent. He reigned only one year and did evil in the ſight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of the houſe of Ahab, for his mother was his counſellor to do wickedly; and as ſome think he married a wife alſo of the houſe of Ahab, and therefore is ſaid*2 King. 8.27. to be a Son-in-law of it, and the houſe of Ahab were his counſellors after his Fathers death to his deſtruction. 'Tis ſaid 2 Chron. 22.2. that he was forty two years old when he began to reign, but 2 King. 8.25. 'tis ſaid he was twenty two years old when he began to reign, and 2 King. 9.29. 'tis ſaid he began to reign in the eleventh year of Joram King of Iſrael. But 2 King. 8.25. 'tis ſaid he began to reign in the twelfth year of Joram. Here ſeem to be two contradictions, for the reconciling of which we muſt know that probably the beginning of his reign did fall in with the latter end of the eleventh, and the beginning of the twelfth year of Joram King of Iſrael. And whereas 'tis ſaid in the Chronicles that he was forty two years old when he began to reign, (though his Father Jehoram was but forty years old when he died, as we may ſee 2 Chron. 21.5.) and in the Kings that he was twenty two years old when he began to reign, we muſt thus underſtand it, that he began to reign in the two and f…rtieth year of the continuance of the Crown in the houſe of Omri, and his race (from which he was deſcended by his mother Athaliah) but in the 22th year of his own age. For Omri reigned as ſole King ſix years, 1 King. 16.23. Ahab twenty two years, 1 King. 16.29. Ahaziah his Son, two years, 1 King. 22.51. Jehoram twelve years, 2 King. 3.1. Thus Omri's ſtock continued forty two years, in this ſenſe Ahaziah was a Son of forty two years*Some think here is a Sphaimagraphicum, and 42 is put for 22, and ſo the LXX. ſeem to intimate, who there only ſay that Ahaziah, was 22 years old, when he began to reign., if we reckon from the beginning of Omri's reign.
He went up with his Uncle Jehoram King of Iſrael to war againſt Hazael King of Syria for the recovery of Ramoth-Gilead, which was withheld from the Crown of Iſrael by the Syrians. Ahab had with his own and the joint forces of Jehoſhaphat endeavoured to recover it, but failed of his purpoſe, and was there ſlain by Benhadad, whoſe life he had imprudently ſpared, 1 King. 20.34. But Jehoram his Son, with the joint forces of Judah actually recovered it from Hazael, but was there himſelf wounded. Having therefore won the Town, [2 King. 9.14.] and leaving the chief of his Army there with his Commanders (of whom Jehu was chief) to keep it, (leſt Hazael ſhould come with new forces to recover it) he withdrew himſelf to Jezreel to be cured of his wounds. Jehu being left at Ramoth-Gilead was there anointed (by the direction and command of Eliſha) to be King of Iſrael, who thereupon ſoon ſlew both Jehoram and Ahaziah. For Ahaziah going to Jezreel to viſit Jehoram, and they underſtanding that Jehu marched furiouſly towards them, they both went out to meet him; but Jehu killing Jehoram, Ahaziah fled towards Jezreel, yet durſt not enter the City, but in the ſuburbs (where their Garden-houſes were) he turned aſide into ſome by-way hoping by that means to eſcape, but Jehu and his Captains at laſt overtook him, and ſmote him at a place by Ibleam, and he flying further (after he was wounded) to Megiddo (a City not far off which belongs to the Kingdom of Samaria) Jehu and his men following him cloſe, at laſt by making diligent ſearch in the City, there they found him out, and brought him to Jehu, who preſently cauſed him to be put to death.
Thus the deſtruction of Ahaziah was of God, and his going to join with Joram King of Iſrael was the occaſion of it. Had he ſtayed at Jeruſalem Jehu would not have medled with him. When he was dead Jehu and his Commanders permitted his ſervants to carry him in a Chariot, and to bury him at Jeruſalem in the Sepulchers of his Fathers. For they ſaid, he is a Son, that is, a Grandſon of Jehoſhaphat who ſought the Lord with all his heart. Thus we ſee that the piety, ſincerity and integrity of Jehoſhaphat was reverenced and highly eſteemed even by thoſe that had not their own hearts poſſeſſed therewith, God delighting to honour them that honour him. Shortly after this Jehu going to Samaria met by the way forty two young Princes of the blood of Ahaziah, (viz. the Sons of his Brethren *V. 13. The word Brethren muſt be here taken in a large ſenſe for his Brethren, Sons or other kindred. They are called Princes of Judah becauſe places of dignity and government were committed unto them.) who came thither probably to attend and wait upon their King, and Ʋncle, being ſeveral of them poſſibly Officers of his Court. It ſeems they knew nothing of the late revolution in Iſrael, nor of the death of Jehoram, Jezebel, or Ahaziah, or that Jehu reigned. Jehu asks them who they were? It ſeems they knew him not, but ſuppoſing him to be ſome great Officer of Jehoram's, told him they were kinſmen to Ahaziah King of Judah, and coming to attend him there, they thought themſelves obliged (being ſo near the Court) to go and pay their reſpects to King Jehoram's Sons, and the Sons of Queen Jezebel, and thither they were now going. Jehu being at this time in his full career of executing the judgment of God upon the houſe of Ahab, and perceiving theſe young men to be of that curſed ſtock (being deſcended from Athaliah Ahab's daughter) he looked upon it as within his commiſſion to put them to death, and accordingly bidding thoſe about him to lay hold on them, he commanded them all (with ſufficient ſeverity) to be immediately ſlain in the place.
2 King. 8. from 25, to the end.
2 King. 9. v. 16. and from 21, to 30.
2 King. 10.13, 14.
2 Chron. 22. from v. 1, to 10.
The 7th. that reigned in Judah was ATHALIAH.THE houſe of Ahaziah was ſo miſerably weakned by the late deſtruction of ſo many of the branches of it, and none of his children being of years ſufficient to maintain their right to the Kingdom againſt ſuch as ſhould go about to uſurp it, Athaliah mother of Ahaziah (who probably was left by him to govern the Kingdom in his abſence when he went to help Joram King of Iſrael in his wars) hearing that her Son was dead, and that many others of the Royal family were ſlain by Jehu, taking this advantage, forthwith ſhe laid hold on the Princes of the blood, and thoſe of the Royal family that remained in Judah and ſlew them, although ſome of them (as 'tis like) her own Grandchildren; ſo cruel and bloody are the minds of Idolaters. But by the wonderful Providence of God it happened that Joaſh an infant-ſon of Ahaziah eſcaped her hands; for Jehoſhaba the wife of Jehoiada the High Prieſt got him away, and hid him with his nurſe in a private Chamber belonging to the Temple. Athaliah did theſe ſtrange and unnatural things that ſhe might quietly poſſeſs the Royal Throne, and ſet up the worſhip of Baal again in the Kingdom. And ſome conjecture that ſhe had Sons by ſome other man beſides Jehoram whom ſhe deſired to promote to the Crown, perhaps ſome of thoſe who brake up the houſe of God and beſtowed the dedicated things thereof upon Baal, as we read 2 Chron. 24.7. For the Sons of Athaliah that wicked woman had broken up the houſe of God, and all the dedicated things thereof did they beſtow upon Baalim. Athaliah having thus uſurped the Crown, ſhe reigned about ſix years.
2 Chron. 22.10, 11, 12.
1 King. 11. from 1, to 4.