2 Chronicles 22

¹ The inhabitants of Jerusalem then made his youngest son Ahaziah king in succession to him, sincethe marauders who had attacked the camp with the Arabs had kil ed al the older ones. That was why Ahaziahson of Jehoram, king of Judah became king.

² Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he came to the throne and he reigned for one year inJerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah, descendant of Omri.

³ He too fol owed the example of the House of Ahab, for his mother being his adviser brought about hiscondemnation.

⁴ He did what is displeasing to Yahweh as the House of Ahab did, for they were his advisers after hisfather's death, to his undoing.

⁵ He followed their advice and went with Jehoram son of Ahab, king of Israel, to make war on Hazaelking of Aram at Ramoth-Gilead. But the Aramaeans wounded Jehoram,

⁶ who returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which he had received at Ramoth, fighting againstHazael king of Aram. Ahaziah son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to Jezreel to visit Jehoram son of Ahabbecause he was ailing.

⁷ Through this visit to Jehoram God brought ruin on Ahaziah. On his arrival he went out with Jehoram tomeet Jehu son of Nimshi whom Yahweh had anointed to make an end of the House of Ahab.

⁸ While Jehu was executing sentence on the House of Ahab and came across the officers of Judah andAhaziah's nephews who were in attendance on Ahaziah, he kil ed them,

⁹ and then went in search of Ahaziah. The latter was captured while hiding in Samaria, and taken toJehu who put him to death. But they gave him burial because, they said, 'He was the grandson of Jehoshaphatwho sought Yahweh with all his heart.' As a result, there was no member of Ahaziah's family left who was strongenough to rule the kingdom.

¹⁰ When Athaliah mother of Ahaziah learned that her son was dead, she promptly did away with al theroyal stock of the House of Judah.

¹¹ But Jehosheba the king's daughter, surreptitiously rescued Joash son of Ahaziah from among thechiefs who were to be murdered, and put him with his nurse in the sleeping quarters; in this way Jehoshebadaughter of King Joram and wife of Jehoiada the priest -- she was the sister of Ahaziah -- hid him from Athaliah,and he was not put to death.

¹² He stayed hidden with them in the Temple of God for six years while Athaliah governed the country.