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The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place, because the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the oldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.
Verse 1. Arabians and Philistines. Calmet. 21:17. Bible.
Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
Verse 2. Forty-two, and so forth Divers Greek Bibles read twenty-two, agreeably to 4 Kennicott. 8:18. ( Challoner.) with the Syr. and Arab. The Rom. ( Calmet.) and Alex. Septuagint have “twenty.” Bible.—Ochozias was the youngest son, and his father died at forty years of age. Calmet. 21:20. Calmet.—Others would date from the birth of Amri, (Broughton) or of Athalia. But is most probable that we should read 22, as 4 Kennicott. Calmet.—The contradiction has so much perplexed the commentators, that Walton (prol. 36) puts it among the quædam απορα; and De Dieu says, “I would rather plainly confess that this difficulty is to us inexplicable.” The error here, “is plainly owing to a mistake of one of the Hebrew numeral letters,” c, being put instead of m, which was formerly more similar than it is now. “In Origen’s Hexapla, one of the Greek copies (probably that found in Caracalla’s time) reads here cb, by rendering the number 22, εικοσι και δυο, all which proofs make the mistake indubitable, and strongly recommend this method of correcting it.” Kennicott.—Mariana, Tirinus. and so forth had already suggested this plan, ( Bible.) which is very plausible. D.—Ochozias might reign twenty years with his father, and only one alone. 4 Kennicott. 8:26. Worthington.
He also walked in the ways of Ahab’s house, because his mother was his counselor in acting wickedly.
Verse 3. Pushed. Hebrew and Septuagint “was his counsellor to,” and so forth
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, as did Ahab’s house, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.
He also followed 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 wounded Joram.
He returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Azariah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
Verse 6. Ochozias. So all the versions read. Hebrew “Azarias,” is probably incorrect, unless this man had three names. Calmet.
Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went to Joram; for when he had come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off Ahab’s house.
Verse 7. For. Prot. “and the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, by coming to Joram.” God had decreed to punish him by the hand of Jehu. 4 Kennicott. 9.
When Jehu was executing judgment on Ahab’s house, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah serving Ahaziah, and killed them.
Verse 8. Out. Hebrew “exercising judgment with.”—Brethren, who had been themselves slain by the rovers. Ochozias employed his nephews at court, and they expected that he would make some stay at Jezrahel.
He sought Ahaziah, and they caught him (now he was hiding in Samaria), and they brought him to Jehu and killed him; and they buried him, for they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” The house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom.
Verse 9. Hid in the kingdom of Samaria, (Malvenda) at Mageddo, where he was wounded; though he was perhaps put to death at Jezrahel. 4 Kennicott. 9:27.—Buried him, at Jerusalem.—Reign. Hebrew “the house of Ochozias had no one to bear the weight of the kingdom.” The children of the deceased were too young, particularly as most of the princes were slain. Calmet.—Human hope failed, but God’s providence kept David’s issue on the throne, till Christ appeared. Worthington.
Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah.
Verse 10. All, except Joas, (verse 11, and 4 Kennicott. 11:1. Calmet.) ninety-five years after Solomon’s death. Mariana. D.
But Jehoshabeath, the king’s daughter, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stealthily rescued him from among the king’s sons who were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. 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 didn’t kill him.
Verse 11. High is not expressed in Hebrew or Septuagint but he is supposed to have been the pontiff. Bible.
He was with them hidden in God’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.