2 Chronicles 22

The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram's youngest son, king in his place, for the raiding band that had come with the Arabs to the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram reigned as king of Judah. Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah daughter of Omri. He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother counseled him to act wickedly. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, like the house of Ahab, for after his father's death they became his counselors, to his ruin. He also followed their counsel and went with Jehoram son of Ahab, king of Israel, to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram, and he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they had inflicted on him at Ramah when he fought Hazael king of Aram. Azariah son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to visit Jehoram son of Ahab at Jezreel because he was ill. Ahaziah's downfall came from God through his visit to Joram. When he arrived, he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. When Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the leaders of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers who were serving Ahaziah, and killed them. He searched for Ahaziah, and they captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. They brought him to Jehu, put him to death, and buried him, for they said, “He is a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” The house of Ahaziah had no strength to hold the kingdom. When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose and destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah. But Jehoshabeath the king's daughter took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were being put to death. She put him and his wet nurse in a bedroom. Jehoshabeath, daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, was Ahaziah's sister. She hid him from Athaliah, so Athaliah did not put him to death. He remained hidden with them in the house of God for six years, while Athaliah ruled over the land.

Rights and attribution