2 Crônicas 22
Bob Utley · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Crônicas 22
Utley - What a tragedy! Israel and Judah had reunited, not around YHWH but around Ba'al. The judgment of YHWH (i.e., Jehu) on Ahab's house (including later, Athaliah) fell on Jehoram, the short-lived king of Judah. This northern king was the one who popularized Ba'al worship because of the encouragement of his Phoenician wife, Jezebel (cf. 1 Kgs. 16:29-22:40). SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE 2 Chronicles 22:4 He did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction. they were his: 2Ch 24:17,18 Pr 1:10 12:5 13:20 19:27 COUNSELED IN THE "SCHOOL OF EVIL AHAB" He did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for (term of explanation) they were his counselors after the death of his father (King Jehoram / Joram), to his destruction - The message from this verse is be careful from whom you receive your counsel! Wicked counsel begats wicked behavior. The Message Bible says "After the death of his father, he attended the sin school of Ahab, and graduated with a degree in doom." Note the for (term of explanation) which tells us not only was Ahaziah getting evil counsel from his wicked mother Athaliah, but here the "THEY" suggests he was also getting evil counsel from members of Ahab's house who promoted Baalism. Bob Utley - "He did evil in the sight of the Lord" This is theologically parallel to "walked in the ways of the house of Ahab." It denotes idolatry and covenant disobedience. YHWH is described in anthropomorphic language. Humans use earthly, time-oriented language to describe an eternal, spiritual Being! "his counselors" The ones we listen to and seek advice from are crucial people in our spiritual lives! Be careful! Mark Boda: The account of this evil is dominated by references to the intrusion of the northern kingdom, an intrusion emphasized by the Chronicler’s threefold use of the Hebrew root counsel appearing in 22:3 (“his mother encouraged him in doing wrong”), 22:4 (“they even became his advisers . . . and they led him to ruin”), and 22:5 (“following their evil advice”). . . The Chronicler’s account thus casts Ahaziah “as a victim rather than as an instigator” (Japhet 1993:821). The seeds planted when Jehoshaphat made alliances with the Omride dynasty had now germinated and grown as weeds about to choke out the dynastic promise given to David. (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary – 1-2 Chronicles.) 2 Chronicles 22:5 He also walked according to their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. But the Arameans wounded Joram. He walked: Ps 1:1 Mic 6:16 went with: 2Ki 8:28,29-9:13 Ramoth gilead: 2Ch 18:3,31 19:2 1Ki 22:3 Da 5:22 Related Passage: 2 Kings 8:28 (DON'T BE CONFUSED BY THE DIFFERENT NAME JORAM) Then he (AZAHIAH) went with Joram (AKA "JEHORAM") the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, and the Arameans wounded Joram. Location of Ramoth-Gilead East of Jordan River He also walked according to their counsel - Remember that according to 2Ch 22:4 he is walking to his destruction! And so Azariah follows the counsel of his family from the north, and like King Jehoshaphat (2Ch 18:1) makes another disastrous alliance with the northern kingdom allying himself with King Joram (Jehoram) And went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram (AKA "SYRIA") at Ramoth-gilead. But the Arameans wounded Joram (AKA "JEHORAM"). Once again it is easy to become confused with these names, for Ahaziah's deceased father was also named Jehoram, and was king in the southern kingdom of Judah. The Joram/Jehoram he forms an alliance with is the king of the northern kingdom. It is fascinating that Joram/Jehoram was wounded in battle just as his father Ahab had been wounded (see 2Ch 18:33,34). Notice that much like his grandfather Jehoshaphat EXPLANATION - There are two kings in the Bible referred to as King Jehoram/Joram. (1) KING OF JUDAH - The first was the son of King Jehoshaphat, and he ruled in the southern kingdom of Judah from 853 to 841 BC. The other King Jehoram was the son of the wicked King Ahab, and he ruled in the northern kingdom of Israel from 852 to 841 BC . The name Joram is a shortened form of Jehoram. Complicating matters is the fact that both Jehorams were brothers-in-law to each other. (AHAZIAH'S FATHER) Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat was 32 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for four years with his father and another eight years on his own in Judah (2 Kings 8:16–17)—a total of twelve years. Although Jehoshaphat had been a good and godly king, Jehoram did not follow in his father’s footsteps. He married Athaliah, daughter of King Ahab (and sister of Ahab’s son Joram), and he became an evil ruler. But, in spite of King Jehoram’s wickedness, God kept his covenant with David and refrained from destroying Judah (2 Kings 8:19)..... (2) KING OF NORTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL -...The other Jehoram (or Joram), son of Ahab, took the throne of Israel in the second year of his brother-in-law’s reign in Judah, and he was just as corrupt. He certainly had a poor example in his father. Ahab had turned the people to idolatry, leading them away from the true God of their fathers to the worship of his wife Jezebel’s god, Baal. (GotQuestions.org) Frederick Mabie: Ahaziah’s reliance on the counsel of the ungodly (cf. vv. 3-4) leads to his agreement to help the northern kingdom in battle alliance against Aram at the Transjordanian city of Ramoth Gilead, in similar manner to his grandfather Jehoshaphat (cf. 18:2-34). Ramoth Gilead (likely Tell Ramith) was situated along the King’s Highway about thirty miles east of the Jordan River. Control over Ramoth Gilead meant control over the lucrative north-south trade caravans that passed through it. (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Revised Edition – 1 & 2 Chronicles.) Ramoth-gilead [NAVE] Called also Ramah, 2Ki 8:29; 2 Chr. 22:6. A city of Gad, and a city of refuge, Dt. 4:43; Josh. 20:8; 1Ch 6:80. One of Solomon's commissaries at, 1 Ki 4:13. In the possession of the Syrians, 1 Ki 22:3. Besieged by Israel and Judah; Ahab slain at, 1Ki 22:29-36; 2Ch 18:2, 3, 5, 11, 14, 19, 28. Recovered by Joram; Joram wounded at, 2Ki 8:28, 29; 9:14, 15; 2Ch 22:5, 6. Elisha anoints Jehu king at, 2Ki 9:1-6. RAMOTH-GILEAD [ISBE] - ra'-moth-gil'-e-ad (ramoth gil'adh): (20v - 1 Ki. 4:13; 1 Ki. 22:3; 1 Ki. 22:4; 1 Ki. 22:6; 1 Ki. 22:12; 1 Ki. 22:15; 1 Ki. 22:20; 1 Ki. 22:29; 2 Ki. 8:28; 2 Ki. 9:1; 2 Ki. 9:4; 2 Ki. 9:14; 2 Chr. 18:2; 2 Chr. 18:3; 2 Chr. 18:5; 2 Chr. 18:11; 2 Chr. 18:14; 2 Chr. 18:19; 2 Chr. 18:28; 2 Chr. 22:5) (ED NOTE: DO NOT BE CONFUSED FOR RAMOTH-GILEAD IS CALLED "RAMAH" IN 2Chr 22:6). A great and strong city East of the Jordan in the territory of Gad (see map above), which played an important part in the wars of Israel. It is first mentioned in connection with the appointment of the Cities of Refuge (Dt 4:43; Josh 20:8). It was assigned to the Merarite Levites (Josh 21:38; 1 Ch 6:80). In these four passages it is called "Ramoth in Gilead" (ramoth ba-gil'adh). This form is given wrongly by the King James Version in 1 Ki 22:3. In all other places the form "Ramoth-gilead" is used.e to the shape of a jaw-bone (Jdg 15:9,14,19). It may have been in Wady es-Sarar, not far from Zorah and Timnath; but the available data do not permit of certain identification. History: Here Ben-geber was placed in charge of one of Solomon's administrative districts (1 Ki 4:13), which included Havvoth-jair and "the region of Argob, which is in Bashan." The city was taken from Omri by the Syrians under Ben-hadad I (Ant., VIII, xv, 3 ff), and even after the defeat of Ben-hadad at Aphek they remained masters of this fortress. In order to recover it for Israel Ahab invited Jehoshaphat of Judah to accompany him in a campaign. Despite the discouragement of Micalab, the royal pair set out on the disastrous enterprise. In their attack on the city Ahab fought in disguise, but was mortally wounded by an arrow from a bow drawn "at a venture" (1 Ki 22:1-40; 2 Ch 18). The attempt was renewed by Ahab's son Joram; but his father's ill fortune followed him, and, heavily wounded, he retired for healing to Jezreel (2 Ki 8:28 ff; 2 Ch 22:5f). During the king's absence from the camp at Ramoth-gilead Jehu was there anointed king of Israel by Elisha (2 Ki 9:1ff; 2 Ch 22:7). He proved a swift instrument of vengeance against the doomed house of Ahab. According to Josephus (Ant., IX, vi, 1) the city was taken before Joram's departure. This is confirmed by 2 Ki 9:14 ff. The place is not mentioned again, unless, indeed, it be identical with "Mizpeh" in 1 Macc 5:35. W. Ewing QUESTION - Who was Hazael in the Bible? ANSWER - Hazael, whose name is translated “God has seen,” was a high-ranking officer in the court of Ben-Hadad II, king of Aram (Syria). Later, Hazael became king of Aram himself, in fulfillment of the word of Elijah, the prophet of Israel. Hazael was an ambitious and ruthless man who ruled over Aram about 46 years. Hazael is first mentioned in 1 Kings 19:15 when God told Elijah the prophet to “go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram.” Elijah obeyed, but Hazael was not made king until years later. Hazael’s Wickedness Hazael remained a court official under Ben-Hadad until the time of Elisha, Elijah’s successor as Israel’s prophet. Ben-Hadad was gravely ill. Elisha traveled to Damascus and was met by Hazael, who had brought “forty camel-loads of all the finest wares of Damascus” as a gift from the king (2 Kings 8:9) along with a query from the king about whether he would recover from his illness. Elisha gave Hazael a paradoxical answer: “Go and say to him, ‘You will certainly recover.’ Nevertheless, the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die” (2 Kings 8:10). Elisha, in speaking with Hazael, began to weep (2 Kings 8:11). Hazael asked why the prophet was weeping, and Elisha said, “I know the harm you will do to the Israelites” (2 Kings 8:12). Hazael expressed doubt, citing his lack of authority, and Elisha repeated God’s prophecy that Hazael will be king (verse 13). Hazael returned to Ben-Hadad, and “the next day he took a thick cloth, soaked it in water and spread it over the king’s face, so that he died. Then Hazael succeeded him as king” (2 Kings 8:15). It is likely that Hazael had been planning the murder for some time and that his response to Elisha’s prophecy was feigned surprise. God had seen the treachery in his heart. Hazael’s Military Might During his reign as king, Hazael led the Arameans in battle against the combined forces of King Jehoram (Joram) of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah, whom he attacked at Ramoth-Gilead (2 Kings 9:14). Jehu became king of Israel, and Hazael went on to take more Israelite territory: “Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan (2 Kings 10:32–33). Israel suffered these losses due to the idolatry of King Jehu; it was the Lord who “began to reduce the size of Israel,” using Hazael as the means (verse 32). Hazael also seized the city of Gath (2 Kings 12:17) and came against Jerusalem in Judah. There his military campaign ended. “Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his predecessors—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem” (2 Kings 12:18). God’s Providence God used the cruel Hazael to punish the nation of Israel for her wickedness. During the entire reigns of Joab and Jehoahaz of Israel, Hazael and his son oppressed Israel. The reason was the evil that Israel pursued (2 Kings 13:2–3). Hazael’s oppression was so severe that “nothing had been left of the army . . . except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time” (2 Kings 13:7). Eventually, King Jehoahaz sought the Lord’s favor, and “the Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram” (2 Kings 13:5). This prophecy was fulfilled when Jehoash was able to recapture the towns that Hazael had taken from Israel (verse 25). Elisha’s Prophecy In the midst of the oppression of Hazael, King Jehoash of Israel went to Elisha the prophet to inquire about what God said about the matter. Elisha, who was on his deathbed, told Jehoash to shoot an arrow out the window to the east. Elisha called it “The Lord’s arrow of victory” and said, “You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek” (2 Kings 13:17). Then Elisha told Jehoash to shoot arrows into the ground. The king shot three arrows and then stopped. Elisha was angry with the king’s lack of zeal, saying, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times” (2 Kings 13:19). Hazael’s Death In time, God put an end to Hazael’s reign, and he was succeeded by his son, Ben-Hadad III (2 Kings 13:24). God raises up kings and puts them down again (Daniel 2:21; cf. Romans 13:1). He can even use a wicked man like Hazael to orchestrate His plan. And, afterward, Aram was held accountable for their cruelty: “This is what the Lord says: ‘For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not relent. Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth, I will send fire on the house of Hazael that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad’” (Amos 1:3–4). Through all the trouble that Israel has suffered, from Aram and other countries, God remains faithful to His covenant with them. As the biblical historian noted, even during the oppression of Hazael, “the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence” (2 Kings 13:23).GotQuestions.org 2 Chronicles 22:6 So he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had inflicted on him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. And Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick. HCSB so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they inflicted on him in Ramoth-gilead when he fought against Aram’s King Hazael. Then Judah’s King Ahaziah son of Jehoram went down to Jezreel to visit Joram son of Ahab since Joram was ill. And he returned: 2Ki 9:15 which were given him: Heb. wherewith they wounded him, Azariah. Ahaziah, ['chzyhw, <Strong's H274>,] and Jehoahaz, [yhw'chz <Strong's H3059>,] are essentially the same both in letters and sense, the word [yhw,] {yeho,} or [yh, <Strong's H3050>,] {yah,} being merely transposed: but Azariah, [`zryhw, <Strong's H5838>,] seems to have been a distinct name by which he was known. 2Ch 22:1,7, Ahaziah, 2Ch 21:17, Jehoahaz to see Jehoram: 2Ki 8:29 10:13,14 So he (Joram/Jehoram) returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had inflicted on him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram (AKA "SYRIA") - Do not be confused by the name Raman, for it is identical with Ramoth-Gilead (see HCSB rendering above) in the previous verse 2Ch 22:5. It is not clear why the name was changed here. And Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram (JORAM/JEHORAM) the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick - Jezreel had been the chief residence of his father Ahab. Ahaziah went to support his wounded uncle Jehoram, whose sister Athaliah was Ahaziah’s mother (2Ch 21:6; 22:2–3). Are you confused again? You have to read this section very slowly and compare the passages or you will easily get lost in the details. The main point is that clearly Ahaziah of Judah is being faithful to his alliance and is supporting Joram/Jehoram of Israel (northern kingdom). But his "faithfulness" to this wicked alliance would end up costing his life as explained in the following passages. In short, Ahaziah was caught in the line of fire of Jehu who had been charged by God to obliterate Ahab's line. Walton - Jezreel. Jezreel has been identified with Zerin/Tel Yizra’al at the east end of the Jezreel Valley in the territory of Issachar. The city was about fifteen miles southeast of Megiddo. It was the winter capital of the Israelite kingdom by the reign of Ahab. With the destruction of the northern kingdom by the Assyrians (722/21 B.C.), Jezreel lost its importance, which it failed to regain. For more information see 1 Kings 21:1. (IVP Background Commentary - OT - page 443) JEZREEL - (SEE ALSO WIKIPEDIA) A city situated in the plain of the same name between Gilboa and Little Hermon, now generally called Esdraelon (see note). It appears in (Joshua 19:18) but its historical importance dates from the reign of Ahab, B.C. 918-897, who chose it for his chief residence. The situation of the modern village of Zerin still remains to show the fitness of his choice. Int he neighborhood, or within the town probably, were a temple and grove of Eastward, with an establishment of 400 priests supported by Jezebel. (1 Kings 16:33; 2 Kings 10:11) The palace of Ahab, (1 Kings 21:1; 18:46) probably containing his "ivory house," (1 Kings 22:39) was on the eastern side of the city, forming part of the city wall. Comp. (1 Kings 21:1; 2 Kings 9:25,30,33) Whether the vineyard of Naboth was here or at Samaria is a doubtful question. Still in the same eastern direction are two springs, one 12 minutes from the town, the other 20 minutes. The latter, probably from both its size and its situation, was known as "the spring of Jezreel." With the fall of the house of Ahab the glory of Jezreel departed. 2 Chronicles 22:7 Now the destruction of Ahaziah was from God, in that he went to Joram. For when he came, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. destruction: Heb. treading down, Mal 4:3 was from God: 2Ch 10:15 De 32:35 Judges 14:4 1Ki 12:15 22:20 Ps 9:16 Isa 46:10 Ho 14:9 he went to Joram 2Ki 9:21 the LORD had anointed 1Ki 19:16 2Ki 9:1-7 Related Passages: 2 Kings 9:1-7 Now Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Gird up your loins, and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth-gilead. 2 “When you arrive there, search out Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and bid him arise from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room. 3“Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and flee and do not wait.” 4 So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5 When he came, behold, the captains of the army were sitting, and he said, “I have a word for you, O captain.” And Jehu said, “For which one of us?” And he said, “For you, O captain.” 6 He arose and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. 7 ‘You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. AHAZIAH'S DESTRUCTION UNDER DIVINE DIRECTION! Now the destruction (tebucah - literally "treading down"~ downfall; LXX - katastrophe - "catastrophe!") of Ahaziah was from God, in that he went to Joram - The downfall of Ahaziah was ordained by God. God used this visit to Joram to bring about Ahaziah’s downfall. In other words, as a result of his alliance with Joram and his visit to see him on his sickbed, Ahaziah made himself a target and would be killed by Jehu who came to kill Joram as part of God's charge to annihilate the house of Ahab. Bob Utley - Ahaziah's (Jehoahaz) demise is attributed to a direct influence by YHWH because of his disobedience (cf. 2 Chr. 21:14-15). This is characteristic of the Chronicler! He saw YHWH's hand in all of Judah/Israel's affairs. "Jehu" He is characterized as "whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab" (cf. 2 Kgs. 9:6,7). This was a prophetic anointing by Elisha! The full account or Jehu is found in 2 Kgs. 9:1-10:31. For when he came, he went out with Jehoram (JORAM) against (TO FIGHT) Jehu (see note) the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab (2Ki 9:6,7) - NET = "God brought about Ahaziah's downfall through his visit to Joram. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had commissioned to wipe out Ahab's family." The Lord had already told Jehu to kill every male in Ahab's family thus destroying Ahab's dynasty. Whom the LORD had anointed - Actually in a sense Jehu had 4 anointers, the LORD of course, Elijah (1Ki 19:16), Elisha and Elisha's young servant (2Ki 9:1,3) Raymond Dillard: In Kings the death of Ahaziah appears to result more from the excessive zeal of Jehu’s coup—perhaps it is precisely this excess in murdering the Judean king and members of the royal household that prompted Hosea’s oracle about God’s avenging the “blood of Jezreel” (Hos 1:4). For the Chronicler, however, the death of Ahaziah was the result of divine will, the inevitable outcome of his following in the ways of the house of Ahab. (BORROW 2 Chronicles) Martin Selman: Ahaziah is probably not condemned for participating in the war as such. Rather, by failing to separate himself from Jehoram, he made himself liable to suffer the same punishment that God had previously announced against Ahab’s house and which he had chosen Hazael and Jehu to carry out (cf. 1 Kgs 19:15-17; 2 Kgs 8:11-13). This lack of discernment shows itself in several attendant ironies. - Firstly, though Israel and Judah had been reunited, it was on the basis of selfinterest and idolatry rather than the covenant. - Secondly, joint action against the Syrians at Ramoth Gilead had already led to one disaster (ch. 18). - Thirdly, Jehoram’s attempt to recover (v. 6, NIV, REB, NEB, etc.), literally “be healed” (NRSV, RSV) at Jezreel is probably a tacit rejection of the Lord’s offer of healing through repentance (cf. 2 Chr. 7:14; 30:20). His action may also have been compounded by further idolatry if family tradition is an adequate guide (cf. 2 Kgs 1:2-6, 15-17). (BORROW 2 Chronicles : a commentary) Duguid The following section (vv. 7–9) shows awareness of details in 2 Kings 9:1–10:36 but deals very briefly with Jehu’s purge of the house of Ahab. The Chronicler simply summarizes how it came about that “the house of Ahaziah had no one able to rule the kingdom” (his addition). This outcome was due not merely to human scheming or folly: “It was ordained by God [lit., “It was from God”] that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about. . . . [For] the Lord had anointed [Jehu] to destroy the house of Ahab” (cf. 2 Kings 9:1–13). QUESTION - Who was King Jehu in the Bible? ANSWER - Before his reign as king, Jehu functioned as a commander in the army of Ahab (2 Kings 9:5, 25) in the northern kingdom of Israel. Jehu was the son of Jehoshaphat, although he is more commonly mentioned as son of Nimshi, his grandfather, perhaps because Nimshi was more well-known. Jehu’s name, meaning “Yahweh is he,” portrays well his future, God-given task: to obliterate the house of Ahab along with the worship of Baal that pervaded Israel at the time. Jehu was a reformer of sorts who was used by God to clean up the mess that Ahab had made. Of King Ahab it is recorded that he “did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him” (1 Kings 16:30). Marrying Jezebel, daughter of the king of the Sidonians, Ahab was seduced into her idolatrous worship of Baal and Ashtoreth. Although God was patient for a time with Ahab, his many sins eventually brought God’s judgment upon his family line (1 Kings 21:20–22). This judgment first lands upon Ahab’s own head, as he is shot and killed in a battle against the Arameans (1 Kings 22:34–38). God chose Jehu as one of three men who would enact His judgment upon Ahab’s family. God told the prophet Elijah, “Anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu” (1 Kings 19:15–17). One way or another, Ahab’s dynasty would be destroyed. God also chose Jehu to be the king of Israel. After he was anointed king, Jehu immediately took steps to secure the throne. Knowing that Joram, son of Ahab, had recently gone to Jezreel to recover from wounds in a battle against the Arameans, Jehu ordered his men to seal the city so that no one could alert Joram of Jehu’s anointing (2 Kings 9:1–16). Jehu made haste to Jezreel and killed two of Ahab’s progeny—Joram, king of northern Israel; and Ahaziah, king of Judah (2 Kings 9:14–29). Jehu then proceeded to Jezebel’s palace in Jezreel, where the queen stood watching for him at her window. At Jehu’s command, eunuchs surrounding Jezebel threw her down from the window. Jezebel’s blood splattered over the pavement, and her body was eaten by dogs (2 Kings 9:30–37). Jehu left no man standing who was in alliance with King Ahab, as God had commanded long before through Elijah. Entering the temple of Baal, Jehu slaughtered all the priests of Baal and destroyed the temple and its sacred stone, thus eradicating Baal worship in Israel (2 Kings 10:23–28). The Lord blessed Jehu for his obedience, granting him a dynasty that would last to the fourth generation (2 Kings 10:30). However, because Jehu continued to hold on to the idolatrous worship of King Jeroboam (2 Kings 10:29, 31; 2Ki 12:26–30), God began to reduce the size of Israel, gradually giving them over to the power of even Hazael of Syria (2 Kings 10:32–33). Jehu reigned over Israel a total of twenty-eight years and was succeeded by his son Jehoahaz (2 Kings 10:35–36). Through Jehu we can learn that, although it is true that God blesses and grants success to those who seek to obey Him, God also can and will pull away His blessing from one who willfully chooses to live in sin. As Jesus says in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” We cannot serve God while continuing to hold on to false gods. As Joshua said, we must “choose for [ourselves] this day whom [we] will serve” (Joshua 24:15). Where does your allegiance lie?GotQuestions.org 2 Chronicles 22:8 It came about when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers ministering to Ahaziah, and slew them. MSG The fate of Ahaziah when he went to visit was God’s judgment on him. When Ahaziah arrived at Jezreel, he and Joram met with Jehu son of Nimshi, whom God had already authorized to destroy the dynasty of Ahab. Jehu, already at work, executing doom on the dynasty of Ahab, came upon the captains of Judah and Ahaziah’s nephews, part of the Ahaziah delegation, and killed them outright. Then he sent out a search party looking for Ahaziah himself. They found him hiding out in Samaria and hauled him back to Jehu. And Jehu killed him. They didn’t, though, just leave his body there. Out of respect for his grandfather Jehoshaphat, famous as a sincere seeker after God, they gave him a decent burial. But there was no one left in Ahaziah’s family capable of ruling the kingdom. when Jehu: 2Ki 10:10-14 JEHU'S VENGEANCE AGAINST HOUSE OF AHAB It came about when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers ministering to Ahaziah, and slew them (read 2Ki 10:10,11,12,13,14). Norman Geisler - When Critics Ask - 2 CHRONICLES 22:8—Were Ahaziah’s brothers slain or were they his brother’s sons? PROBLEM: Here we are told that it was king Ahaziah’s brother’s “sons” who were killed. But 2 Kings 10:13–14 says it was Ahaziah’s “brothers” that were slain. SOLUTION: The Hebrew term for “brother” can mean “near relative.” For example, Abraham’s nephew Lot was called his “brother” (Gen. 14:12, 16). Since Ahaziah, the youngest son, was born when his father was only 18, he could have had many nephews and cousins or “brethren.” Since the 2 Chronicles passage refers to his brother’s sons, the word “brother” can be taken in the strict sense here. It is also quite possible that both statements are literally true. Since Jehu was commanded by God to exterminate the house of Ahab, and since Ahaziah “walked in the way of the house of Ahab,” it is conceivable that Jehu took it upon himself to destroy the house of Ahaziah also, including his brothers and his brothers’ sons. In fact, in the 2 Kings passage, the report of the killing of Ahaziah’s brothers (2 Kings 10:13–14) takes place after Jehu had killed Ahaziah (2 Kings 9:27), while the 2 Chronicles passage reports the killing of the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers before the killing of Ahaziah (2 Chron. 22:8–9). 2 Chronicles 22:9 He also sought Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was hiding in Samaria; they brought him to Jehu, put him to death and buried him. For they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So there was no one of the house of Ahaziah to retain the power of the kingdom. in Samaria: 1Ki 13:21 Because: 1Ki 14:13 2Ki 9:28,34 the son of Jehoshaphat: 2Ch 17:3,4 21:20 the house: 2Ch 22:1,8 21:4,17 JEHU FINDS AND KILLS KING AHAZIAH He also sought Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was hiding in Samaria; they brought him to Jehu, put him to death and buried him. For they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” - This is a sad note that it was the father who had sought the LORD, but the son failed to follow in his footsteps. Walton - Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel for two centuries. Omri constructed the city in the early ninth century B.C., and it was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722/21. The city was built on a hill rising three hundred feet above the nearby valleys. It was located along the crossroads of major trade routes that lead to Shechem, the Jordan Valley, Megiddo, Jezreel and Jerusalem. The site has been extensively excavated in this century. For more information see comment on 1 Kings 16:24. (IVP Background Commentary - OT - page 443) (See also Wikipedia) Bob Utley - Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart" This theological statement is a key to Chronicles. It is the way kings are evaluated. Rehoboam ‒ did not, 2 Chr. 12:14 Asa ‒ did, 2 Chr. 14:7; did not, 2 Chr. 16:12 Jehoshaphat ‒ did, 2 Chr. 19:3; 22:9 Uzziah ‒ did, 2 Chr. 26:5 Hezekiah ‒ did, 2 Chr. 31:12 Josiah ‒ did, 2 Chr. 34:3 Because they did, the blessings of Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28 are given to them and their people (cf. 2 Chr. 14:7; 17:5,11-12; 26:5; 31:21). So there was no one of the house of Ahaziah to retain the power of the kingdom - there was no one left in Ahaziah’s family capable of ruling the kingdom. This power vacuum would soon be filled by Ahaziah's evil mother. Again we see the rotten fruit of Jehoshaphat’s earlier alliance with Israel. Eugene Merrill: The chronicler seems to have implied that Ahaziah died at Jezreel (2 Chron. 22:9), while the author of Kings wrote that Ahaziah died at Megiddo (2 Kings 9:27). Probably the two accounts are supplementary. Ahaziah fled to Samaria and was captured there by Jehu’s men, who brought him back to Jehu. Meanwhile Jehu left Jezreel and met Ahaziah as he was being returned. Jehu’s men wounded him and Ahaziah escaped to Megiddo where he died. Raymond Dillard: The infidelity of Jehoram and Ahaziah had brought the Davidic succession to the same point as that of Saul—no one left who could assume power over the kingdom (2Ch 22:9; 1 Chr 10; cf. Mosis, Untersuchungen, 179). . . The Chronicler spoke of a time in the past when there was no one left of the Davidic line “who could assume power over the kingdom” (2Ch 22:9). Surely the lesson was not lost on his post-exilic audience: even in adversity the royal line was preserved and would eventually regain the kingdom. Davidic hopes did not die at the time of Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Joash; they should not die in the post-exilic period. The flame from the promise of God that David would never lack a descendant to rule Israel (1 Chr 17:11– 14; 2 Chr 21:7) may have become little more than a smoldering wick—but it could not be extinguished. (BORROW 2 Chronicles) Duguid The Chronicler’s concluding addition (2 Chron. 22:9b) illustrates the striking reversal: just seven years after Jehoshaphat’s godly reign, his grandson died and there is no descendant “able to rule the kingdom.” The omission, as for Jehoram, of the usual details of sources and resting with his fathers, as well as the absence of a successor, indicates that Ahaziah’s reign is also an aberration. J.A. Thompson: It was in God’s purpose to destroy the house of Ahab, and Jehu had been “anointed” (masah) to carry out God’s intention. If Ahaziah placed himself at risk by foolishly visiting the king of Israel, it was almost inevitable that events would turn out as they did. The Chronicler was thus able to provide one more expression of his theology of immediate retribution. The comment in v. 9 gives us the reflections of the Chronicler. Whatever his defects, Ahaziah was a descendant of Jehoshaphat. As a descendant of one who sought the Lord with all his heart, his corpse could hardly be left exposed. Respect for the godliness of Jehoshaphat extended even to his unworthy descendants. With the death of Ahaziah the promise of God that David would never lack a descendant to rule over Israel (1 Chr 17:11-14; 2 Chr 21:7) seemed to be failing. The lamp God had given David (2Ch 21:7) was now only a flickering wick. But God would not allow that, faint as it was, to be extinguished. He had Joash, only a child, waiting to be crowned (2Ch 22:10 – 24:27). (The New American Commentary – Volume 9 – 1, 2 Chronicles.) Mark Boda: Whereas at the end of the reign of each of the previous kings of the southern kingdom there has been an heir waiting in the wings, this time there is none, a reality that deepens the crisis in Judah, creating a parallel to the crisis at the end of the reign of Saul (see 1 Chr 10:6, 13-14) and providing a segue to Athaliah’s reign of terror (2Ch 22:10-12). (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary – 1-2 Chronicles.) PAUL APPLE - DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS: 1) How can family connections lead to poor spiritual counsel? 2) How can we develop our discernment so we are not easily led astray by poor counsel? 3) Why do ecumenical alliances seem so innocent and expedient, yet prove to be so dangerous? 4) When circumstances look the darkest, what gives us encouragement that God is still in control and orchestrating His kingdom agenda? Geoffrey Kirkland: The Catastrophe of Corrupt Counselors: The Kingship of the Wicked King Ahaziah: I. DEPRAVED GUIDANCE (1-4) II. DISOBEDIENT ALLIANCE (5-6) III. DESTRUCTIVE RECOMPENSE (7-9) IV. DIVINE PROVIDENCE (10-12) Duguid From a human perspective the future of the house of David was in the hands of two royal women. Athaliah, as a daughter of Ahab, either was fiercely angry and revengeful or saw her own life at risk (or both), and acted decisively and brutally. We can only guess at the level of support for her policies (cf. 2 Chron. 22:9b; and the uprising seven years later), but she ruthlessly sought to ensure there would be no potential claimants to the Davidic throne, and so the Chronicler plainly states, “Athaliah reigned over the land.” The absence of the usual regnal formula (cf. 2Ch 21:1, 5; 2Ch 22:1) points to the illegitimate hiatus. In the middle of the account, however, we read of how Jehoshabeath (2 Kings 11:2: Jehosheba), “daughter of King Jehoram,” by stealth took Joash, a baby “son of Ahaziah,” and with his wet nurse hid him in a bedroom. As the wife of the high priest and brother of Ahaziah, she knew well the intricacies of the temple and palace buildings. She took risks not for her own sake (she was not Joash’s mother; 2 Chron. 24:1) but for the future of Davidic kingship, and we might assume for worship of the Lord and not of Baal. Hope is found in the statement, “So [Athaliah] did not put him to death.” The mention of “six years” linked with Joash (and not with Athaliah’s reign) prepares for the next chapter, which begins “But in the seventh year” (23:1). Frederick Mabie: In addition to Jehu’s killing Ahaziah and Joram, the Aramean official Hazael assassinated Ben-Hadad in Damascus and seized control of Aram. The Tel Dan Inscription indicates that King Hazael takes credit for the deaths of Joram and Ahaziah, implying that Jehu may have acted in collusion with Hazael/Aram. (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Revised Edition – 1 & 2 Chronicles.) Martin Selman: The real subject of chapter 22 is the house of Ahab (2Ch 22:3, 7, 8) rather than the rulers of Judah, Ahaziah (2Ch 22:1-9) and Athaliah (2Ch 22:10-12). The influence of Ahab’s house was felt during Ahazziah’s brief reign through Athaliah’s role as queen mother (2Ch 22:2) and through various advisers (2Ch 22:4-5). External pressure was brought to bear by Jehoram king of Israel (also called Joram), who in one case is given the full title of son of Ahab king of Israel (2Ch 22:5; cf. 2Ch 22:6, 7, 8). Ahaziah was little more than a puppet, and, after his death, Athaliah ruled Judah while there was no effective control of Judah. The unity of Judah and Israel is eloquently symbolized by the names of their kings. No other Israelite king was called Jehoram or Ahaziah, yet both names are used of successive contemporary rulers in Judah and Israel. Ahaziah and Athaliah represent two further stages in the subversion of Judah by Ahab’s dynasty before the denouement in chapter 23. While Jehoram of Judah is merely open to its influence (ch 21), Ahaziah if fully co-operative. When Ahaziah dies, however, the situation becomes even more desperate. No male in David’s house can assume kingship (2Ch 22:9), and remnants of hope are dashed by Athaliah’s violent purge of what was left of the royal family (2Ch 22:10-12). The overwhelming threat is no more evident than in the repeated group murders which affect the Davidic house four times within two generation (2Ch 21:4; 22:1, 8, 10). It is true that one baby escapes Athaliah’s cruelty (2Ch 22:11-12), but what could one baby do against such a tyrant? In all this, God’s own integrity is increasingly under question, for he seems to have failed to keep his promises, and to have left his people utterly defenseless. . . Assurance of God’s sovereign control was just as appropriate in the troubles of the postexilic period when the Davidic house had become no more than a memory (cf. Ezra 9:6-7; Neh. 9:36-37). It is equally applicable to suffering believers of every generation who feel that God seems to have relinquished effective control over their situation. Such an assurance brought comfort too to the apostles (cf. 2 Cor. 1:3-11; 6:3-10; 1 Pet. 2:20-25), and the biblical witness as a whole encourages believers to look to the unseen hand of God even when the darkness is at its thickest. (BORROW 2 Chronicles : a commentary) August Konkel: The Chronicler assumes that his readers are familiar with the details of why Ahaziah would go to see Jehoram in Jezreel, which led to his fate in the purge of Jehu. For the Chronicler, this decision was a divine initiative (2 Chron 22:7). The death of Ahaziah is a punishment for allying with the king of Israel. This was an ironic justice; the king who lived by the counsel of the Omrides shared their fate. He had taken advice form Samaria, but found no refuge there at the time of his death. The Chronicler leaves Ahaziah in exile, as he does with Jehoiakim and the three last kings of Judah (Dillard 1987:175). The much-longer account of Kings explains that Ahaziah was buried in Jerusalem. The details of Kings cannot be reconciled with the impression left by the Chronicler without a measure of credulity. In Kings, Ahaziah flees south toward Samaria but is overtaken at Beth Haggan; he is shot and wounded at Gur, near Ibleam. Knowing that he cannot count on the speed of his chariot in the hills, he turns west toward Megiddo, seeking refuge. There he dies from his wounds and is brought back to Jerusalem. Apparently the Chronicler gives a rather schematic version of the events that leave Ahaziah in exile. He closes with the note that Ahaziah was given a proper burial as a son of righteous Jehoshaphat. (Multipart Video Series on 1-2 Chronicles) Andrew Hill: The Chroniclers’ theological commentary bluntly states that God “brought about Ahaziah’s downfall” (2Ch 22:7). Wilcock notes three reasons for Ahaziah’s downfall: - foreign influence in the form of false religion, - family inheritance (with respect to the alliance by marriage of Judah and Israel), and - personal responsibility (because neither true spirituality nor impiety is hereditary). Jehu son of Nimshi becomes God’s agent of justice in punishing the evil of both Joram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah (2Ch 22:7-8; cf. 2 Kings 9:24-29). While 2 Kings 9 related the parallel destruction of “two houses” (Judah and Israel), the focus of Chronicles is exclusively on the “house of Judah.” The message of the passage is alarmingly clear: God repays evil for evil almost immediately on those who fail to emulate David’s example of righteous rule. (The NIV Application Commentary – 1 & 2 Chronicles.) Matthew
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Utley - Irony—two royal children saved; one is evil, Ahaziah and one is godly, Joash. The Messianic line from David continues! There were still godly, faithful people in Judah. Jehoshabeath is King Jehoram of Judah's daughter wife of Jehoida the priest sister of King Ahaziah Athaliah's daughter or the daughter of another wife/concubine of Jehoram This woman's name of Jehoshabeath ( "Jehovah is an oath") is mentioned only here and in 1Ki 11:2 (Jehosheba) but is memorialized for all eternity for her part in preserving the line of the Messiah! This woman reminds us that even in the midst of spiritual darkness and great evil, God has faithful followers, much like in the dark days of the Judges (Jdg 21:25+), which had the shining lights of Ruth and Boaz, who also were instrumental in propagating the line of the Messiah (cf Mt 1:5+). 🙏 THOUGHT - Days are dark in America in 2026 but God has His faithful remnant and His purposes will not be thwarted but will be accomplished. If God is calling you to be a "Jehoshabeath" or a "Ruth" or a "Boaz," then may He give you the grace to answer His call and carry out the "good works" (Eph 2:10+) He has prepared for you in Christ Jesus, for His glory and honor. Amen. Duguid: The future of the Davidic kingdom being centered in a baby, rescued from a murderous ruler by a young woman, finds an echo in the young Son of David being rescued by his parents from the paranoid King Herod, a time at which several innocent children were killed (Matt. 2:13–18). Raymond Dillard: The fact that royal infants may regularly have been put into the care of wet nurses or foster mothers becomes the key to Josheba’s frustrating Athaliah’s plans; the suckling child was overlooked and could have escaped detection as he grew by mingling with other priests’ children or perhaps as a temple devotee like the young Samuel (Gray, 570; 1 Sam 1:21–28; 3:1). (BORROW 2 Chronicles) Andrew Hill: The name Jehosheba (Chronicles actually uses Jehoshabeath, a variant form of the name) means “Yahweh vows.” Fittingly, God uses this faithful woman to keep his oath to maintain the lamp of David (cf. 2Ch 21:7). No matter how gloomy the prospects, the destiny of the nation is secure in God’s hands. The Chronicler’s audience needs that reminder too? (See 1 and 2 Chronicles - Page 33) QUESTON - Who was King Joash (Jehoash) in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - There are two kings with the name Joash (or Jehoash) in the Bible: one a king of Judah (reigned 835–796 BC) and the other a king of Israel (reigned 798–782 BC). The story of King Joash of Judah starts with that of King Jehu of Israel. Anointed king of Israel by Elisha, Jehu was tasked with destroying King Ahab’s descendants and wiping out Baal worship in the land (2 Kings 9). 1 Kings 21:25–26 gives the reason for the judgment: “There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.” God had told Ahab, through Elijah, “I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free, . . . because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin” (1 Kings 21:21–22). Ahab responded to the prophecy with mourning and in humility, so God relented, saying that He would not bring the disaster in Ahab’s time but during his son’s reign. Jehu was God’s instrument to fulfill the prophecy. After Jehu was anointed king over Israel, he set out against Joram, a son of Ahab and the current king of Israel. Ahaziah (different from the other son of Ahab who initially succeeded him) was king of Judah at the time and was with Joram. Judah’s Ahaziah, however, “followed the ways of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for he was related by marriage to Ahab’s family” (2 Kings 8:27). Jehu killed both Ahaziah and Joram; executed Ahab’s wife, Jezebel; killed Ahab’s descendants; and “wiped out Baal from Israel” (2 Kings 10:28, ESV). Unfortunately, Jehu himself did not walk in the ways of God, but, since he had been faithful to God’s call to rid Israel of Baal worship, God promised that four generations of his line would be king of Israel (2 Kings 10:30). King Joash of Judah first comes on the scene when Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah, whom Jehu had killed, took charge of Judah. Athaliah killed all of the royal family she could find in Judah in order to secure the throne for herself. However, Athaliah missed one of her grandsons—the infant Joash. The evil queen’s daughter (or possibly step-daughter) rescued young Joash and his nurse, and the child was hidden for six years in the temple while Athaliah reigned in Judah (2 Kings 11:1–3). In the seventh year, the priest Jehoiada revealed Joash to the captains of the guards. The priest made an agreement with them to provide protection to the temple and the rightful king, and Jehoiada brought Joash out into public and anointed him as king (2 Kings 11:4–12). The people of Judah rejoiced over Joash’s appointment. Upon hearing the noise of the ceremony, Queen Athaliah rushed to the temple, crying, "Treason! Treason!” By Jehoiada’s command, Athaliah was captured by the guards, removed from the temple, and put to death (2 Kings 11:13–16). “Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people” (2 Kings 11:17). The people tore down the temple of Baal, watchmen were set over the Lord’s temple, and, at the age of seven, Joash took the throne (2 Kings 11:18–21). 2 Kings 12:1–3 says that Joash “reigned in Jerusalem forty years. . . . Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” Second Kings 12 goes on to describe various financial dealings of Joash. King Joash’s main achievement was making repairs to the temple (2 Kings 12:4–16). He also used a monetary gift to dissuade King Hazael of Aram (Syria) from attacking Jerusalem (2 Kings 12:17–18). The tragedy of King Joash of Judah is that, after his mentor and guardian, Jehoiada, died, he began listening to wicked advisers. Joash revived Baal and Asherah worship in Judah (2 Chronicles 24:17–19). God sent prophets to warn Joash, but he did not listen to them. Finally, the prophet Zechariah, son of the priest Jehoiada, brought God’s word to Joash, but the king callously ordered the son of his old friend to be stoned to death (verses 19–22). Joash’s reign did not end peacefully: “His officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla” (2 Kings 12:20). Joash’s son Amaziah took over the throne, and Amaziah “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord,” but, the Bible notes, he was more like his father Joash than his ancestor David (2 Kings 14:3–4). Interestingly, Amaziah interacted with the other King Joash in the Bible. King Joash of Israel began his reign in the thirty-seventh year of the reign of King Joash of Judah, so there was some overlap. King Amaziah started ruling Judah in the second year of King Joash of Israel. Amaziah of Judah battled against the Edomites and then challenged Joash of Israel to battle (2 Kings 14:7–8). Joash refused, essentially telling Amaziah he was needlessly stirring up trouble (2 Kings 14:9–10). Amaziah did not heed the warning, and Joash of Israel defeated Judah in battle. Second Chronicles 25:20 says that Judah’s defeat was “because they sought the gods of Edom.” Second Kings records another of Joash of Israel’s military victories. When Joash’s father, Jehoahaz, was reigning, King Hazael of Aram (the same king that Joash of Judah had kept from attacking Jerusalem) oppressed Israel (2 Kings 13:22). “But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence” (2 Kings 13:23). When the prophet Elisha was sick and near to death, King Joash of Israel visited the prophet, apparently disconcerted over the military situation in Israel (2 Kings 13:14). Elisha instructed Joash to shoot arrows out of the open window. The prophet then proclaimed, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! . . . You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek” (2 Kings 13:17). Elisha next instructed Joash to strike the ground with the arrows. Joash did so but stopped after three strikes. “The man of God was angry with him and said, ‘You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times’” (2 Kings 13:19). When Hazael died and his son, Ben-hadad, took over, Joash did defeat him three times. Israel was able to recover cities that previously had been taken from them (2 Kings 13:24–25). King Joash of Israel ruled for sixteen years and “did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them” (2 Kings 13:11). After he died, Joash of Israel was succeeded by his son Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:16). 2 Chronicles 22:12 He was hidden with them in the house of God six years while Athaliah reigned over the land. hid in the house: Ps 27:5 Athaliah: Ps 12:8 73:14,18,19 Jer 12:1 Hab 1:12 ATHALIAH OBLIVIOUS TO EXISTENCE OF JOASH He was hidden with them in the house of God six years while Athaliah reigned over the land - Ahaziah's one surviving son Joash was hidden away for six years in The Temple of God. Athaliah, oblivious to his existence, ruled the country. F B