Difference between revisions of "Ahaziah"

<p> [[Ahaziah]] ( ''Â-Ha-Zî'Ah'' ). ''Whom Jehovah Holds.'' 1. The eighth king of Israel; he was the son and successor of Ahab. He reigned two years, alone and with his father, who associated him in the kingdom the year before his death. In the second year of his reign he fell through the lattice of an upper apartment of his palace, and died soon after, as Elijah had foretold, b.c. 895. Ahaziah imitated the impiety of his father and mother in the worship of Baal and Ashteroth. &nbsp;1 Kings 22:40-51; &nbsp;2 Kings 1:1-18; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 20:35; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 20:37. 2. The sixth king of Judah; he succeeded his father, and reigned only one year. &nbsp;2 Kings 8:26. In &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:2, he is said, by an error of the scribes, to have been "forty-two years old" when he began to reign, which would make him two years older than his father. The correct age is "twenty-two," as stated in &nbsp;2 Kings 8:16-26. Ahaziah was governed by his idolatrous mother Athaliah; he received his mortal wound by the command of Jehu, and died at Megiddo, b.c. 883. &nbsp;2 Kings 9:27. In &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:9, the circumstances of the death of Ahaziah appear to be stated differently: but the account is only more full, and.follows the order of events. Ahaziah is also called "Jehoahaz," &nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:17; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:23; and "Azariah," &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:6. </p>

<p> 1. Son and successor of Ahab, king of Israel, &nbsp;1 Kings 22:51 &nbsp; 2 Kings 1:1-18 . He reigned two years, alone and with his father, who associated him in the kingdom the year before his death, [[B. C]]  894. Ahaziah imitated Ahab's impiety, and worshipped Baal and Astarte, whose rites had been introduced into Israel by Jezebel his mother. During his reign the [[Moabites]] revolted. Having joined the king Jehoshaphat in a commercial enterprise on the Red Sea, his impiety blasted the whole. After a fall from the gallery of his house, he sent to consult a god of the [[Philistines]] as to his recovery. Elijah the prophet foretold his speedy death-first to the messengers, and again to Ahaziah himself, after two companies of fifty had been consumed by fire from heaven. </p> <p> 2. Otherwise Jehoahaz, or Azariah, king of Judah, son of Jehoram and Athaliah; he succeeded his father [[B. C]]  881,&nbsp;2 Kings 8:25 &nbsp; 2 Chronicles 22:2 . He was twenty-two years of age when he ascended the throne, and reigned but one year at Jerusalem. He followed the house of Ahab, to which he was allied by his mother, and did evil. He met his death at the hand of Jehu, while in company with Joram, son of Ahab. </p>

<p> <strong> AHAZIAH </strong> . Two kings of this name are mentioned in the OT, one in each of the Israelite kingdoms. </p> <p> <strong> 1. Ahaziah of Israel </strong> was the son of Ahab, and ruled after him only two years or parts of years. He is said to have been a worshipper of Baal, that is, to have continued the religious policy of his father. By a fall from a window of his palace he was seriously injured, and, after lingering awhile, died from the accident. The Moabites, who had been subject to Israel, took this opportunity to revolt. Ahaziah is accused of sending messengers to inquire of the celebrated oracle at Ekron, and is said unexpectedly to have received his answer from Elijah (&nbsp; 2 Kings 1:1-18 ). </p> <p> <strong> 2 </strong> . Ahaziah of Judah was son of Jehoram and grandson of Jehoshaphat. Under the influence of his mother, who was a daughter of Ahah and Jezehel, it is not surprising to read that he walked in the ways of Ahab. All that we know of him is that he continued the league with Israel, and that, going to visit his uncle Jehoram in Jezreel, he was involved in his fate at the revolt of Jehu (&nbsp; 2 Kings 9:27 ). </p> <p> [[H. P]]  Smith. </p>

<p> ''''' ā ''''' - ''''' ha ''''' - ''''' zı̄´a ''''' ( אחזיה , <i> ''''' 'aḥazyāh ''''' </i> and אחזיהוּ , <i> ''''' 'ăḥazyāhū ''''' </i> , "Yah holds, or sustains"): </p> I. Ahaziah <p> Son of Ahab and Jezebel, eighth king of Israel (1 Ki 22:51 through 2 Ki 1:18). </p> <p> 1. His [[Reign]] </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 (&nbsp;1 Kings 22:41 ), and he reigned 22 years (&nbsp;1 Kings 16:29 ). Accordingly Ahaziah's first year, in the twenty-second year of Ahab, would fall in the nineteenth year of Jehoshaphat. The chronological statement in &nbsp;2 Kings 1:17 is probably taken from the Syriac, and both are in harmony wrath a method of computation followed by certain Greek manuscripts. </p> <p> 2. His Character </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> 3. The [[Revolt]] of Moab </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> 4. His Maritime [[Alliance]] </p> <p> According to &nbsp;1 Kings 22:48 f Ahaziah attempted to form an alliance with Jehoshaphat of Judah to revive the ancient maritime traffic, but failed. According to &nbsp; 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 the alliance was consummated, in consequence of which the enterprise came to nothing. See [[Jehoshaphat]] . </p> <p> 5. His [[Sickness]] and Death </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> II. Ahaziah <p> Sixth king of Judah (&nbsp;2 Kings 8:25-29; &nbsp;2 Kings 9:16 f = &nbsp; 2 Chronicles 22:1-9 ); also written Jehoahaz (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:17; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:23 ), which is merely a transposition of the component parts of the compound. The form "Azariah" (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:6 ) is an error, fifteen [[Hebrew]] manuscripts and all the versions reading Ahaziah. </p> <p> 1. His Brief Reign </p> <p> Ahaziah, youngest son of Jehoram, began to reign in the twelfth year (&nbsp;2 Kings 8:25 ) of Jehoram of Israel. In &nbsp;2 Kings 9:29 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 &nbsp; 2 Kings 8:25 . He was 22 years old when he began to reign and he reigned one year (&nbsp;2 Kings 8:26 ). The reading "forty two" (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:2 ) is a scribal error, since according to &nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:5 , &nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:20 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 [[Chronology Of The Old Testament]] . </p> <p> 2. His Character </p> <p> (Compare &nbsp;2 Kings 8:27; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:3 , &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:4 .) In view of the disaster which befell the royal house (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:16 , &nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:17 ), 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]] (&nbsp;2 Kings 12:18 ), but he did evil in Yahweh's eyes. </p> <p> 3. His Alliance with Jehoram of Israel </p> <p> (Compare &nbsp;2 Kings 8:28 , &nbsp;2 Kings 8:29; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:5 , &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:6 .) 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 (&nbsp;2 Kings 9:14 ). 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> 4. His Death </p> <p> The death of Ahaziah, as told in &nbsp;2 Kings 9:16 f, differs from the account in &nbsp; 2 Chronicles 22:7-9 . 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 (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:7 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', '''''אֲחְְזיָה''''' '', Held'' by ''Jehovah,'' &nbsp;2 Kings 1:2; &nbsp;2 Kings 9:16; &nbsp;2 Kings 9:23; &nbsp;2 Kings 9:27; &nbsp;2 Kings 9:29; &nbsp;2 Kings 11:2; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 20:35; elsewhere in the prolonged form, Achazya'hu, '''''אֲחְְזיָהוּ''''' ''';''' Sept. '''''Ο᾿Χοζίας''''' , but v. r. '''''Ο᾿Ζίας''''' in &nbsp;1 Chronicles 3:11), the name of two [[Jewish]] kings. </p> <p> '''1.''' 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. &nbsp;Isaiah 16:1). The difficulty of enforcing this tribute was enhanced by the fact that after the battle of Ramoth in Gilead, (See Ahab), 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 (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 20:35-37). 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 (&nbsp;1 Kings 22:51 to 2 Kings 1:50). (See [[Kingdom Of Israel]]). </p> <p> '''2.''' The son of Jehoram by Athaliah (daughter of Ahab and Jezebel), and sixth king of the separate kingdom of Judah; otherwise called JEHOAHAZ (See Jehoahaz) (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:17; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:23), and AZARIAH (See Azariah) (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:6). In &nbsp;2 Kings 8:26, we read that he was 22 years old at his succession, but in &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:2, that his age at that time was 42. The former number is certainly right (comp. &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:1), as in &nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:5; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 21:20, 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 '''''כב''''' (22) and '''''מב''''' (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 (&nbsp;2 Kings 8:24-29). 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, ''Harmonia Vitoe A Chasiep,'' Jen. 1717). His body was conveyed by his servants in a chariot to Jerusalem for interment (&nbsp;2 Kings 9:22-28). The variation in &nbsp;2 Chronicles 22:7-9, is not substantial (see Poole's ''Synopsis,'' 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 [[Kingdom Of Judah]]). </p>