- AHAZIAH, King of Judah, Son of Jehoram and Athaliah, succeeded his Father 2 Kings viii. 24. 2 Chr. xxii. 2.in the Kingdom of Judah, in the year of the World 3119, before J.C. 881, before the vulgar Æra 885. He was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year only at Jerusalem. He walked in the ways of Ahab’s house, to which he was allied, his Mother being of this Family, and did evil in the sight of the Lord. This Prince was likewise called Jehoahaz and Azariah. The text of the Chronicles imports, that he was two and 17. Vide & vi. in Hebr.forty years of age when he began to reign, wherein it differs from the text of the second book of Kings, which makes him to be two and twenty only; but this passage in the Chronicles is thought to be corrupted. Joram, King of Israel, going to attack Ramoth of Gilead, which the Kings of Syria had taken from the Kings his Predecessors, was there dangerously wounded, and carried by his own appointment to Jezreel, in order to be dressed. Ahaziah, 2 Kings viii. 28. ix. 21, 22. & 2 Chr. xxii. 2, 3, 4, 5. In the Year of the World 3120. before J.C. 880. before the Vulg. Æra 884.Joram’s friend and relation, accompanied him in this war, and came afterwards to visit him at Jezreel. In the mean time Jehu, the Son of Nimshi, whom Joram had left besieging the fortress of Ramoth, rebell’d against his Master, and set out with a design of extirpating the house of Ahab, according to the Lord’s command. Joram and Ahaziah, who knew nothing of his intentions, went to meet him: Jehu shot Joram dead upon the spot; Ahaziah fled, but Jehu’s People overtook him at the going up to Gur, which is near Ibleam, and mortally wounded him: Notwithstanding, he had strength enough to reach Megiddo, where he died. His Servants, having laid In the Year of the World 3120. before J.C. 880. before the vulg. Æra 884.him in his chariot, carried him to Jerusalem, where he was buried with his Fathers in the City of David. After this manner is this Accident related in the second book of Kings, Chap. ix. 21, 22, &c.
But in the Chronicles this story is told with some little difference. And it came to pass that when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the Princes of Judah and the Sons of the Brethren of Ahaziah, that minister’d to Ahaziah, he slew them: And he sought Ahaziah, and they caught him, for he was hid in Samaria, and brought him to Jehu; and when they had slain him, they buried him, because, said they, he is the Son of Jehoshaphat. The better to reconcile the relation in the books of Kings with that in the Chronicles, it may be
¹ Epiphan. in lib. de vita & monte
VOL. I. Prophet. in Ahia. said that in the passage here produced by us, Samaria is put down not for the City, but the Kingdom of this name. Jehu being informed that Ahaziah was still in the Territories of Israel, and continued dangerously ill at Megiddo, not being able to reach the land of Judah, he gave orders for him to be brought into his presence and put to death. See the Commentators on the second book of Kings, Chap. ix. 22, 23, &c.