Difference between revisions of "Ahaziah"

<p> 1. The son and successor of [[Ahab]] as king of [[Israel]] ( <span> 1 Kings 22:40 </span> ). [[He]] reigned two years and died after suffering a fall in his palace at [[Samaria]] ( <span> 2 Kings 1:2-17 </span> ). The prophet [[Elijah]] announced [[Ahaziah]] would die because he sent for help from Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, instead of from Yahweh. 2. The son and successor of [[Jehoram]] as king of [[Judah]] ( <span> 2 Kings 8:25 </span> ). He reigned for one year and died after being wounded as he fled from [[Jehu]] while visiting [[King]] [[Joram]] of Israel ( <span> 2 Kings 9:27 </span> ). These two kings were related to one another. Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah of Judah, was the sister of Ahaziah of Israel. So, Ahaziah of Israel was the uncle of Ahaziah of Judah. [[See]] <a> Israel </a> and <a> [[Chronology]] of the [[Biblical]] [[Period]] </a> . </p>

<p> <span> Ahazi'ah. </span> <span> (sustained by the Lord). </span> </p> <p> 1. [[Son]] of [[Ahab]] and Jezebel, eighth king of Israel, reigned B.C. 896-895. After the battle of [[Ramoth]] in Gilead, in which Ahab perished, <span> see </span> <a> Ahab </a> <span> , </span> the vassal king of [[Moab]] refused his yearly tribute; compare <span> [[Isaiah]] 16:1 </span> . </p> <p> [[Before]] [[Ahaziah]] could take measures for enforcing his claim, he was seriously injured by a fall through a lattice in his palace at Samaria. Being an idolater, he sent to inquire of the oracle of [[Baalzebub]] in the [[Philistine]] city of [[Ekron]] whether he should recover his health. </p> <p> But Elijah, who now, for the last time, exercised the prophetic office, rebuked him for this impiety, and announced to him his approaching death. The only other recorded transaction of his reign, his endeavor to join the king of [[Judah]] in trading to Ophir, is related under <span> [[Jehoshaphat]] </span> . <span> 1 Kings 22:49-53 </span> ; <span> 2 Kings 1:1 </span> ; <span> 2 [[Chronicles]] 20:35-37 </span> . </p> <p> 2. [[Fifth]] king of Judah, son of [[Jehoram]] and [[Athaliah]] (daughter of Ahab), and therefore, nephew of the preceding Ahaziah, reigned one year, B.C. 884. [[He]] is called <span> [[Azariah]] </span> , <span> 2 Chronicles 22:2 </span> , probably by a copyist's error, and <span> [[Jehoahaz]] </span> . <span> 2 Chronicles 21:17 </span> . </p> <p> He was 22 years old at his accession; <span> 2 Kings 8:26 </span> ; (his age 42, in <span> 2 Chronicles 22:2 </span> , is a copyist's error). Ahaziah was an idolater, and he allied himself with his uncle Jehoram, king of Israel, against Hazael, the new king of Syria. The two kings were, however, defeated at Ramoth, where Jehoram was severely wounded. </p> <p> The revolution, carried out in [[Israel]] by [[Jehu]] under the guidance of Elisha, broke out while Ahaziah was visiting his uncle at Jezreel. [[As]] Jehu approached the town, Jehoram and Ahaziah went out to meet him; the former was shot through the heart by Jehu, and Ahaziah was pursued and mortally wounded. He died when he reached Megiddo. </p>

<p> <translit> ā </translit> - <translit> ha </translit> - <translit> zı̄´a </translit> ( <span> אחזיה </span> , <i> <translit> 'aḥazyāh </translit> </i> and <span> אחזיהוּ </span> , <i> <translit> 'ăḥazyāhū </translit> </i> , "Yah holds, or sustains"): </p> <h4> I. [[Ahaziah]] </h4> <p> [[Son]] of [[Ahab]] and Jezebel, eighth king of [[Israel]] (1 Ki 22:51 through 2 Ki 1:18). </p> <p> <span> 1. [[His]] [[Reign]] </span> </p> <p> Ahaziah became king over Israel in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and he reigned two years, 854-853 bc. There is, here an incongruity between the synchronism and the length of the reigns of the kings. [[Jehoshaphat]] began to reign in the fourth year of Ahab ( <span> 1 Kings 22:41 </span> ), and he reigned 22 years ( <span> 1 Kings 16:29 </span> ). [[Accordingly]] Ahaziah's first year, in the twenty-second year of Ahab, would fall in the nineteenth year of Jehoshaphat. The chronological statement in <span> 2 Kings 1:17 </span> is probably taken from the Syriac, and both are in harmony wrath a method of computation followed by certain [[Greek]] manuscripts. </p> <p> <span> 2. His [[Character]] </span> </p> <p> A good name does not insure a good character. Ahaziah, the "God-sustained," served [[Baal]] and worshipped him, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the [[God]] of Israel, Just as his father before him had done. [[He]] appears to have been weak and unfortunate, and calamities in quick succession pursued him. </p> <p> <span> 3. The [[Revolt]] of [[Moab]] </span> </p> <p> Ahab had sought the good and became an enemy to the best. His house and the nation suffered the consequences. "Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab." Ahaziah appears to have been too weak to offer resistance. The [[Moabite]] [[Stone]] dates the revolt in the days of Ahab. [[No]] doubt it began at the time of Ahab's last campaign against Syria. </p> <p> <span> 4. His [[Maritime]] [[Alliance]] </span> </p> <p> According to <span> 1 Kings 22:48 </span> f Ahaziah attempted to form an alliance with Jehoshaphat of [[Judah]] to revive the ancient maritime traffic, but failed. According to <span> 2 [[Chronicles]] 20:35-37 </span> the alliance was consummated, in consequence of which the enterprise came to nothing. [[See]] <links> JEHOSHAPHAT </links> . </p> <p> <span> 5. His [[Sickness]] and [[Death]] </span> </p> <p> Ahaziah suffered a severe accident by falling through the lattice in his upper apartment in Samaria, and lay sick. [[As]] a worthy son of [[Jezebel]] and Ahab, he sent messengers to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, regarding his recovery. But Israel belonged to Yahweh. Accordingly the messengers were met by the prophet [[Elijah]] who for the last time warns against the corrupting moral influences of the Baal religion. "Thus saith Yahweh, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?' [[Therefore]] thou shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art gone up, but shalt surely die" was the message which he sent back to the embassy, and the death of the king speedily followed. </p> <h4> II. Ahaziah </h4> <p> [[Sixth]] king of Judah ( <span> 2 Kings 8:25-29 </span> ; <span> 2 Kings 9:16 </span> f = <span> 2 Chronicles 22:1-9 </span> ); also written [[Jehoahaz]] ( <span> 2 Chronicles 21:17 </span> ; <span> 2 Chronicles 25:23 </span> ), which is merely a transposition of the component parts of the compound. The form "Azariah" ( <span> 2 Chronicles 22:6 </span> ) is an error, fifteen [[Hebrew]] manuscripts and all the versions reading Ahaziah. </p> <p> <span> 1. His [[Brief]] Reign </span> </p> <p> Ahaziah, youngest son of Jehoram, began to reign in the twelfth year ( <span> 2 Kings 8:25 </span> ) of [[Jehoram]] of Israel. [[In]] <span> 2 Kings 9:29 </span> it is stated as the eleventh. The former is probably the Hebrew, the latter the Greek method of computation, the [[Septuagint]] Luc also reading eleventh in <span> 2 Kings 8:25 </span> . He was 22 years old when he began to reign and he reigned one year ( <span> 2 Kings 8:26 </span> ). The reading "forty two" ( <span> 2 Chronicles 22:2 </span> ) is a scribal error, since according to <span> 2 Chronicles 21:5 </span> , <span> 2 Chronicles 21:20 </span> Jehoram the father was only 40 years old at the time of his death. Syriac, [[Arabic]] and Luc read 22, Septuagint [[Codex]] Vaticanus 20. See <a> CHRONOLOGY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT </a> . </p> <p> <span> 2. His Character </span> </p> <p> (Compare <span> 2 Kings 8:27 </span> ; <span> 2 Chronicles 22:3 </span> , <span> 2 Chronicles 22:4 </span> .) In view of the disaster which befell the royal house ( <span> 2 Chronicles 21:16 </span> , <span> 2 Chronicles 21:17 </span> ), the inhabitants of [[Jerusalem]] placed Ahaziah the youngest son upon the throne. That "he walked in the way of the house of Ahab" is exemplified by Chronicles to the effect that his mother, the daughter of Jezebel, counseled him in the ways of wickedness and that the house of Ahab led him to his destruction. The influence of Jezebel was at work in Judah. Ahaziah dedicated "hallowed things" to [[Yahweh]] ( <span> 2 Kings 12:18 </span> ), but he did evil in Yahweh's eyes. </p> <p> <span> 3. His Alliance with Jehoram of Israel </span> </p> <p> (Compare <span> 2 Kings 8:28 </span> , <span> 2 Kings 8:29 </span> ; <span> 2 Chronicles 22:5 </span> , <span> 2 Chronicles 22:6 </span> .) Ahaziah cultivated the relations which had been established between the two kingdoms by Ahab. Accordingly he joined his uncle Jehoram of Israel in an expedition against Hazael, king of Syria. Ramoth-gilead was captured and held for Israel against the king of [[Syria]] ( <span> 2 Kings 9:14 </span> ). However, Jehoram of Israel was wounded and returned to [[Jezreel]] to be healed of his wounds. It appears that the army was left in charge of [[Jehu]] at Ramoth-gilead. Ahaziah apparently went to Jerusalem and later went down to Jezreel to visit Jehoram. In the meantime Jehu formed a conspiracy against Jehoram. </p> <p> <span> 4. His Death </span> </p> <p> The death of Ahaziah, as told in <span> 2 Kings 9:16 </span> f, differs from the account in <span> 2 Chronicles 22:7-9 </span> . According to the account in Kings, Ahaziah who is visiting Jehoram, joins him in a separate chariot to meet Jehu. Jehoram suspecting treachery turns to flee, but an arrow from the bow of Jehu pierces his heart and he dies in his chariot. Ahaziah tries to escape, but is overtaken near [[Ibleam]] and mortally wounded by one of Jehu's men. He fled to the fortress of Megiddo, where he died. His servants conveyed his body in a chariot to Jerusalem, where he was buried. According to the Chronicler, this account is very much abbreviated ( <span> 2 Chronicles 22:7 </span> f). His destruction is of God because of his alliance with Jehoram. Jehu, who was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, first slew the kinsmen of Ahaziah. He then sought Ahaziah who was hiding in Samaria. When he was found, he was brought to Jehu and put to death. He was buried, but where and by whom we are not told. </p> <p> That there were other traditions respecting the death of Ahaziah, is proved by Josephus, who says that when Ahaziah was wounded he left his chariot and fled on horseback to Megiddo, where he was well cared for by his servants until he died ( <i> Ant. </i> , IX, vi, 3). </p>

<p> (Hebrew Achazyah', <span> אֲחְְזיָה </span> <span> , held </span> by <span> Jehovah, </span> <span> 2 Kings 1:2 </span> ; <span> 2 Kings 9:16 </span> ; <span> 2 Kings 9:23 </span> ; <span> 2 Kings 9:27 </span> ; <span> 2 Kings 9:29 </span> ; <span> 2 Kings 11:2 </span> ; <span> 2 [[Chronicles]] 20:35 </span> ; elsewhere in the prolonged form, Achazya'hu, <span> אֲחְְזיָהוּ </span> <span> ; </span> Sept. <span> Ο᾿χοζίας </span> , but v. r. <span> Ο᾿ζίας </span> in <span> 1 Chronicles 3:11 </span> ), the name of two [[Jewish]] kings. </p> <p> <span> 1. </span> The son and successor of Ahab, and ninth king of Israel, who reigned two years (current, B.C. 895-4). Under the influence of his mother, Jezebel, [[Ahaziah]] pursued the evil courses of his father. The most signal public event of his reign was the revolt of the vassal king of the Moabites, who took the opportunity of the defeat and death of [[Ahab]] to discontinue the tribute which he had paid to the Israelites, consisting of 100,000 lambs and as many rams, with, their wool (comp. <span> [[Isaiah]] 16:1 </span> ). The difficulty of enforcing this tribute was enhanced by the fact that after the battle of [[Ramoth]] in Gilead, (See <a> AHAB </a> ), the [[Syrians]] had the command of the country along the east of Jordan, and they cut off all communication between the [[Israelites]] and Moabites. Ahaziah became a party in the attempt of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to revive the maritime traffic by the [[Red]] Sea, in consequence of which the enterprise was blasted, and came to nothing ( <span> 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 </span> ). [[Soon]] after, Ahaziah, having been much injured by a fall from the roof-gallery of his palace, had the infatuation to send to consult the oracle of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, respecting his recovery. But the messengers were met and sent back by Elijah, who announced to the king that he should rise no more from the bed on which he lay ( <span> 1 Kings 22:51 </span> to 2 Kings 1:50). (See <a> ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF </a> ). </p> <p> <span> 2. </span> The son of [[Jehoram]] by [[Athaliah]] (daughter of Ahab and Jezebel), and sixth king of the separate kingdom of Judah; otherwise called JEHOAHAZ (See <a> JEHOAHAZ </a> ) ( <span> 2 Chronicles 21:17 </span> ; <span> 2 Chronicles 25:23 </span> ), and AZARIAH (See <a> AZARIAH </a> ) ( <span> 2 Chronicles 22:6 </span> ). [[In]] <span> 2 Kings 8:26 </span> , we read that he was 22 years old at his succession, but in <span> 2 Chronicles 22:2 </span> , that his age at that time was 42. The former number is certainly right (comp. <span> 2 Chronicles 22:1 </span> ), as in <span> 2 Chronicles 21:5 </span> ; <span> 2 Chronicles 21:20 </span> , we see that his father Jehoram was 40 when he died, which would make him younger than his own son, so that a transcriber must have confounded <span> כב </span> (22) and <span> מב </span> (42). (See the treatises on this difficulty in [[Latin]] by Lilienthal [Regiom. 1750], and in German by Mtihlenfeld [Nordhaus. 1753].) [[He]] reigned but one year (B.C. 884-883), and that ill, being guided by his idolatrous mother ( <span> 2 Kings 8:24-29 </span> ). He joined his uncle Jehoram of [[Israel]] in an expedition against Hazael, king of Damascene-Syria, for the recovery of Ramloth-Gilead, and afterward paid him a visit while he lay wounded in his summer palace of Jezreel. The two kings rode out in their several chariots to meet [[Jehu]] (q.v.); and when Jehoram was shot through the heart Ahaziah attempted to escape, but was pursued as far as the pass of Gur, and being there mortally wounded, had only strength to reach Megiddo, where he died (Guranmiller, <span> Harmonia vitoe A chasiep, </span> Jen. 1717). [[His]] body was conveyed by his servants in a chariot to [[Jerusalem]] for interment ( <span> 2 Kings 9:22-28 </span> ). The variation in <span> 2 Chronicles 22:7-9 </span> , is not substantial (see Poole's <span> Synopsis, </span> in loc.). It appears from the latter passage that Jehu was right in considering Ahaziah as included in his commission to root out the house of Ahab, his presence in [[Jezreel]] at the time of Jehu's operations being an arrangement of [[Providence]] for accomplishing his doom. (See <a> JUDAH, KINGDOM OF </a> ). </p>