Difference between revisions of "Athaliah"

<p> [[Athaliah]] (''Ăth-A-L'' ''Î'Ah'' ), ''Whom [[Jehovah]] Afflicts.'' 1. The daughter of Ahab by Jezebel. She was married to Jehoram, king of Judah; and, when her son Ahaziah was slam by Jehu, she destroyed the rest of the royal family except Joash, an infant, who was concealed in the temple by his aunt [[Jehosheba]] (most likely not Athaliah's daughter), the wife of Jehoiada the high priest. Athaliah usurped the throne for six years, 884-878 b.c. In the seventh year, Jehoiada brought out the young prince. Athaliah, probably engaged in her idolatrous worship in the house of Baal, heard the shouts of the people, rushed into the temple, and saw the young king standing by, or perhaps on a pillar or platform; but her cry of "treason" only caused her own arrest and deserved execution. &nbsp;2 Kings 8:18; &nbsp;2 Kings 8:26; &nbsp;2 Kings 11:1-21; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:2; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:10-12; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:1-20; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 24:7. 2. A Benjamite. &nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:26. 3. One whose son, with many of the same family, returned from [[Babylon]] with Ezra. &nbsp;Ezra 8:7 </p>

<p> <strong> ATHALIAH </strong> . <strong> 1 </strong> . The only queen who occupied the throne of Judah. She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and was married to Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat. On the accession of her son Ahaziah she became queen-mother, second only to the king in power and influence. When Ahaziah was slain by Jehu, she could not bring herself to take an [[Inferior]] position, and seized the throne for herself, making it secure, as she supposed, by slaying all the male members of the house of David so far as they were within her reach. One infant was preserved, and was successfully concealed in the [[Temple]] six years. The persons active in this were Jehosheba, sister of Ahaziah, and her husband Jehoiada, the chief priest. The story of the young prince’s coronation by the bodyguard is one of the most dramatic in [[Hebrew]] history. The death of Athaliah at the hands of the guard forms the logical conclusion of the incident. The destruction of the temple of Baal, which is spoken of in the same connexion, indicates that Athaliah was addicted to the worship of the PhÅ“nician Baal, introduced by her mother into Israel (&nbsp; 2 Kings 11:1-21 ). <strong> 2 </strong> . See Gotholias. <strong> 3 </strong> . A [[Benjamite]] (&nbsp; 1 Chronicles 8:26 ). </p> <p> H. P. Smith. </p>

<li> &nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:26 . <div> <p> '''Copyright Statement''' These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> '''Bibliography Information''' Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Athaliah'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/a/athaliah.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>

<p> (Hebrews Athalyah, עֲתִלְיָה . &nbsp;2 Kings 11:1; &nbsp;2 Kings 11:3; &nbsp;2 Kings 11:13-14; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:26; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:12; &nbsp;Ezra 8:17; in the prolonged form Athalya'hu, עֲתִלְיָהוּ ''.'' &nbsp;2 Kings 8:26; &nbsp;2 Kings 11:2; &nbsp;2 Kings 11:20; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:2; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:10-11; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 23:12-13; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 23:21; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 24:7; afflicted by Jehovah), the name of two men and one woman. </p> <p> '''1.''' (Sept. Γοθολία, and so Josephus, ''Ant.'' 9, 7, 1.) The daughter of Ahab, king of Israel, doubtless by his idolatrous wife Jezebel. She is also called the daughter of Omri (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:2), who was the father of Ahab; but by a comparison of texts it would appear that she is so called only as being his granddaughter. Athaliah became the wife of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. This marriage may fairly be considered the act of the parents; and it is one of the few stains upon the character of the good Jehoshaphat that he was so ready, if not anxious, to connect himself with the idolatrous house of Ahab. Had he not married the heir of his crown to Athaliah, many evils and much bloodshed might have been spared to the royal family and to the kingdom. When Jehoram came to the throne, he, as might be expected, "walked in the ways of the house of Ahab," which the sacred writer obviously attributes to this marriage by adding, "for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife" (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:6). Jehoram died (B.C. 884) of wounds received in a war with the [[Syrians]] into which his wife's counsel had led him, and was succeeded by his youngest son Ahaziah, who reigned but one year, and whose death arose from his being, by blood and by circumstances, involved in the doom of Ahab's house. (See Ahaziah). </p> <p> Before this Athaliah had acquired much influence in public affairs (comp. &nbsp;1 Kings 10:1; &nbsp;Proverbs 21:1), and had used that influence for evil; and when the tidings of her son's untimely death reached Jerusalem, she resolved to seat herself upon the throne of David at whatever cost (B.C. 883), availing herself probably of her position as king's mother, (See [[Asa]]), to carry out her design. Most likely she exercised the regal functions during Ahaziah's absence at Jezreel (2 Kings 9), and resolved to retain her power, especially after seeing the danger to which she was exposed by the overthrow of the house of Omri, and of Baal- worship in Samaria. It was not unusual in those days for women in the East to attain a prominent position, their present degradation being the result of Mahommedanism. Miriam, Deborah, Abigail, are instances from the Bible, and [[Dido]] was not far removed from Athaliah, either in birthplace or date, if [[Carthage]] was founded B.C. 861 (Josephus, c. Apion. 1, 18). In order to remove all rivals, Athaliah caused all the male branches of the royal family to be massacred (&nbsp;2 Kings 11:1); and by thus shedding the blood of her own grandchildren, she undesignedly became the instrument of giving completion to the doom on her father's house, which Jehu had partially accomplished. From the slaughter of the royal house one infant named Joash, the youngest son of Ahaziah, was rescued by his aunt Jehosheba, daughter of Jehoram (probably by another wife than Athaliah), who had married Jehoiada (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:11), the high-priest (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 24:6). The child, under Jehoiada's care, was concealed within the walls of the Temple, and there brought up so secretly that his existence was unsuspected by Athaliah. But in the seventh year (B.C. 877) of her bloodstained and evil reign, Jehoiada thought it time to produce the lawful king to the people, trusting to their zeal for the worship of God, and loyalty to the house of David, which had been so strenuously called out by Asa and Jehoshaphat. After communicating his design to five "captains of hundreds," whose names are given in &nbsp;2 Chronicles 23:1, and securing the co-operation of the [[Levites]] and chief men in the country-towns in case of necessity, he brought the young Joash into the Temple to receive the allegiance of the soldiers of the guard. </p> <p> It was customary on the [[Sabbath]] for a third part of them to do duty at the palace, while two thirds restrained the crowd of visitors and worshippers who thronged the Temple on that day, by occupying the gate of Sur (סוּר, &nbsp;1 Kings 11:6, called ''Of The'' foundation, יְסוֹד, &nbsp;2 Chronicles 23:5, which Gerlach, ''In Loco,'' considers the right reading in Kings also), and the gate "behind the guard" (Vulg. ''Porta Uce Est Post Habitaculum Scutariorum),'' which seem to have been the N. and S. entrances into the Temple, according to Ewald's description of it ''(Geschichte,3,'' 306-7). On the day fixed for the outbreak there was to be no change in the arrangement at the palace, lest Athaliah, who did not worship in the Temple, should form any suspicions from missing her usual guard, but the latter two thirds were to protect the king's person by forming a long and closely-serried line across the Temple, and killing any one who should approach within certain limits. They were also furnished with David's spears and shields, that the work of restoring his descendant might be associated with his own sacred weapons. When the guard had taken up their position, the young prince was anointed, crowned, and presented with the [[Testimony]] or Law, and Athaliah was first roused to a sense of her danger by the shouts and music which accompanied the inauguration of her grandson. She hurried into the Temple, but found Joash already standing "by a pillar," or more properly on it, i.e. on the tribunal or throne apparently raised on a massive column or cluster of columns, which the king occupied when he attended the service on solemn occasions. The phrase in the original is עִלאּעִמּוּד, rendered ἐπί τοῦ στύλου by the Sept., and super tribunal in the Vulgate, while Gesenius gives for the substantive a stage or pulpit. (Comp. &nbsp;2 Kings 23:3, and &nbsp;Ezekiel 46:2.) She arrived, however, only to behold the young Joash standing as a crowned king by the pillar of inauguration, and acknowledged as sovereign by the acclamations of the assembled multitude. Her cries of "Treason!" failed to excite any movement in her favor, and Jehoiada, the high-priest, who had organized this bold and successful attempt, without allowing time for pause, ordered the [[Levitical]] guards to remove her from the sacred precincts to instant death (2 Kings 11; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:6; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:10-12; 2 Chronicles 23). The Tyrians afterward avenged her death (Joel 2). The only other recorded victim of this happy and almost bloodless revolution was Mattan, the priest of Baal. (On its plan, see De Wette, ''Beiti Aige,'' p. 95 sq.; Gramberg, ''Chron.'' p. 135 sq.; Keil, ''Chron.'' p. 361 sq.; Ewald, ''Geschichte,'' 3, 574 sq. The latter words of &nbsp;2 Kings 11:6, in our version, "''That It Be Not [[Broken]] Down,"'' are probably wrong: Ewald translates "''According To Custom;"'' Gesenius gives in his Lexicon ''"A [[Keeping]] Off."'' ) In modern times the history of Athaliah has been illustrated by the music of Handel and of Mendelssohn, and the stately declamation of Racine. </p> <p> '''2.''' (Sept. Γοθολίας v. r. Γοθολία ''.)'' One of the "sons" of Jeroham and chieftains of the tribe of Benjamin, resident at Jerusalem (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:27). B.C. apparently 536. </p> <p> '''3.''' (Sept. Ἀθελία v. r. Ἀθλία ) The father of Jeshaiah, which latter was one of the "sons" of [[Elam]] that returned with seventy dependents from Babylon under Ezra (&nbsp;Ezra 8:7). B.C. ante 459. </p>

<p> '''''ath''''' -'''''a''''' -'''''lı̄´a''''' ( עתליה , <i> '''''‛athalyāh''''' </i> ; meaning uncertain, perhaps, "whom [[Yahweh]] has afflicted"; &nbsp;2 Kings 8:26; 11; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:1-12; 23): </p> 1. Relationship <p> (1) Daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, grand-daughter of Omri, 6th king of Israel. In her childhood the political relations of the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel had, after many years of strife, become friendly, and she was married to Jehoram, eldest son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (&nbsp;2 Kings 8:18 ). The marriage was one of political expediency, and is a blot on the memory of Jehoshaphat. </p> 2. Athaliah as [[Queen]] <p> When Jehoram was 32 years of age, he succeeded to the throne, and Athaliah became queen of Judah. She inherited her mother's strength of will, and like her developed a fanatical devotion to the cult of the [[Zidonian]] Baal. Elijah's blow at the worship of Baal in [[Samaria]] shortly before her accession to power did nothing to mitigate her zeal. It probably intensified it. The first recorded act of Jehoram's reign is the murder of his six younger brothers; some princes of the realm, who were known to be favorable to the ancient faith of the nation, were also destroyed (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:4 ). There can be little doubt that these deeds of blood were supported, and perhaps instigated, by Athaliah, who was a much stronger character than her husband. </p> 3. [[Murder]] of Her [[Grandchildren]] <p> After eight years of royal life, Athaliah became a widow, and her son, Ahaziah, then 22 years of age (&nbsp;2 Kings 8:26; not 42 as in &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:2 ), ascended his father's throne. As queen-mother, Athaliah was now supreme in the councils of the nation, as well as in the royal palace. Within a single year, the young king fell (see Jehu ), and the only persons who stood between Athaliah and the throne were her grandchildren. It is in such moments that ambition, fired by fanaticism, sees its opportunity, and the massacre of the royal seed was determined on. This was carried out: but one of them, Jehoash, a babe, escaped by the intervention of his aunt, Jehosheba (&nbsp;1 Kings 11:2; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:11 ). </p> 4. Her Usurpation <p> The palace being cleared of its royal occupants, Athaliah had herself proclaimed sovereign. No other woman, before or since, sat upon the throne of David, and it is a proof of her energy and ability that, in spite of her sex, she was able to keep it for six years. From &nbsp;2 Chronicles 24:7 we gather that a portion of the temple of Yahweh was pulled down, and the material used in the structure of a temple of Baal. </p> 5. The Counter-Revolution <p> The high priest at this time was Jehoiada, who had married the daughter of Athaliah, Jehosheba (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:11 ). His promotion to the primacy led to the undoing of the usurper, as Jehoiada proved staunchly, if secretly, true to the religion of Yahweh. For six years he and his wife concealed in their apartments, near the temple, the young child of Ahaziah. In the seventh year a counter-revolution was planned. The details are given with unusual fullness in Ki and Chronicles, the writings of which supplement one another. Thus, when the Chronicler wrote, it had become safe to give the names of five captains who led the military rising (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 23:1 ). With the Book of Ki before him, it was not necessary to do more than extract from the ancient records such particulars as had not hitherto appeared. This it is which has chiefly given rise to the charge of variations in the two narratives. See [[Jehoash]] . </p> 6. Her Death <p> At the time of her deposition, Athaliah was resident in the royal palace. When roused to a sense of danger by the acclamations which greeted the coronation ceremony, she made an attempt to stay the revolt by rushing into the temple court, alone; her guards, according to Josephus, having been prevented from following her ( <i> Ant. </i> , IX, vii, 3). A glance sufficed. It showed her the lad standing on a raised platform before the temple, holding the Book of the Law in his hand, and with the crown upon his brow. Rending her robe and shouting, "Treason! Treason!" she fled. Some were for cutting her down as she did so, but this was objected to as defiling the temple with human blood. She was, therefore, allowed to reach the door of the palace in flight. Here she fell, smitten by the avenging guards. </p> <p> Athaliah's usurpation lasted for six years (&nbsp;2 Kings 11:3; &nbsp;2 Kings 12:1; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:12 ). Her 1st year synchronizes with the 1st of Jehu in Israel, and may be placed 846 bc (some put later). See [[Chronology]] Of Old [[Testament]] . The statement of &nbsp;2 Kings 12:1 is here understood in the sense that Jehoash began his public reign in the 7th year of Jehu, and that he reigned 40 years counting from the time of his father's death. A modern parallel is the dating of all official records and legal documents of the time of [[Charles]] Ii of [[England]] from the death of Charles I. </p> <p> The only other reference to Athaliah is that above alluded to in &nbsp;2 Chronicles 24:7 , where she is spoken of as "that wicked woman." </p> <p> (2) A B enjamite who dwelt in Jerusalem (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:26 , &nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:28 ). </p> <p> (3) Father of Jeshaiah, who returned with Ezra (&nbsp;Ezra 8:7 ); called [[Gotholias]] in [[Apocrypha]] (1 [[Esdras]] 8:33). </p>