2 Chronicles 22

1The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the raiding band that came with the Arabs to the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.

2Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri.

3He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his adviser in doing wickedly.

4He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they were his advisers, to his ruin.

5He also followed their advice and went with Jehoram son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, and the Arameans wounded Joram.

6So he went back to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they had given him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. And Azariah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Jehoram son of Ahab, because he was sick.

7Now it was God’s doing that Ahaziah was brought down by going to Joram. When he arrived, he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom Yahweh had anointed to wipe out the house of Ahab.

8While Jehu was carrying out judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers who were serving Ahaziah, and he killed them.

9He searched for Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was hiding in Samaria. They brought him to Jehu and put him to death. Then they buried him, for they said, “He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought Yahweh with all his heart.” So there was no one in the house of Ahaziah strong enough to hold the kingdom.

10When Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, saw that her son was dead, she set out to destroy all the royal family of the house of Judah.

11But 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, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and the wife of Jehoiada the priest—for she was Ahaziah’s sister—hid him from Athaliah, and she did not put him to death.

12He remained with them, hidden in the house of God, for six years, while Athaliah ruled over the land.