2 Chronicles 22:1-12
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.
3 He also 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 like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction.
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 Ramothgilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.
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.
7 And the destructiona 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.
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.
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.
11 But Jehoshabeath,b 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.
12 And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.
AHAZIAH'S REIGN
(vv.1-9)
Since all Jehoram's sons had been killed except Ahaziah, the youngest, he was made king by the people. Taking the throne at the age of 22 (not 42), he reigned only one year. Sadly, the Lord's judgment on his father did not affect him to turn to the Lord, but he followed the ways of the house of Ahab. His mother was Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and he accepted the wicked advice of his mother (v.3). How different to Asa, who removed his mother from the place of queen mother because she had made an idol, an image of Asherah (2 Chronicles 15:16). One who deliberately ignores the Lord leaves himself open to being led into every form of evil.
Ahaziah therefore accepted advice from the house of Ahab and joined himself to Jehoram the son of Ahab to fight against Hazael king of Syria. His grandfather had mistakenly united with Ahab in going to battle and was seriously reproved by God for doing so, but Ahaziah was so friendly with Joram king of Israel that after Joram was wounded in battle, Ahaziah went to visit him (v.6). But the time had come when God had sent Jehu the son of Nimshi to cut off the house of Ahab, and Ahaziah compromised his own safety by his friendship with Joram. Jehu came to Samaria and killed all the relatives of Ahab he found there, including Joram king of Israel. Of course Jehu knew that Ahaziah was the husband of Athaliah, Ahab's daughter, and that he had come to Samaria. Ahaziah hid in the city, but Jehu's men found him and brought him to Jehu (v.9). They killed him, but because he was the grandson of Jehoshaphat they buried him. His mother-in-law, Jezebel, was not buried because the dogs ate her body except for her skull, her feet and the palms of her hands (2 Kings 9:35).
Since Ahaziah was only 23 years old at this time, his sons were young children, so that there was no one of his descendants capable of taking the throne.
ATHALIAH'S USURPATION OF POWER
(vv.10-12)
The callous wickedness of Athaliah rose to a terrible height at this time. She killed her grandsons so that she could have free rein to take the kingdom of Judah. Ahaziah, being the son of Jehoram who was the son of Jehoshaphat, was of the royal line, but his mother, Athaliah, was not. She was a usurper with no royal rights whatever. But God was not defeated by her wickedness. He preserved one descendant of Ahaziah by means of Jehoshabeath, a daughter of King Jehoram who hid the youngest son when Athaliah murdered the rest (v.11). It was Satan who moved Athaliah in her attempt to completely destroy the seed royal. Many such attempts were made through history, but God is above all the hateful plans of men and of Satan. Joash was only one year old when he was hidden, and since Jehoshabeath was the wife of the priest Jehoiada, they were able to hide Joash in the temple for six years. All this time Athaliah had her way in ruling over Judah.
Certainly God did not recognise her as Queen. In fact, in the genealogy of the kings in Matthew, not only is Athaliah totally ignored, but also her son Ahaziah, her grandson Joash and his son Amaziah are dropped out of the genealogy. (Matthew 1:8). Thus God showed His disapproval of the sinful union of Jehoram with Athaliah which affected all their descendants to the third generation. This is just one of various occasions when the Lord saw fit to make omissions that are significant in His sacred Word. For His wisdom is marvellously great, whether in His inclusions or His omissions..