Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 8
Ahaziah was the youngest son of King Jehoram of Judah and Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab. He became king of Judah after his father’s death because an enemy army had killed all his older brothers (2 Chronicles 22:1). He was not the same man as King Ahaziah of Israel, who was his mother’s brother (2 Kings chapter 1).
During his short rule, Ahaziah of Judah depended very much upon the family of Ahab, who were very evil. They became his chief advisers (2 Chronicles 22:4). They directed him in matters of war, politics and religion. So Ahaziah followed the same evil religions as his father Jehoram and his grandfather Ahab had done. His main god was probably therefore the false god Baal (1 Kings 16:31-32).
Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, began to increase in power during Ahaziah’s rule. For the first time, her name appears here in the Bible’s records. There have been previous references to her, but not by name (2 Kings 8:18; 2 Chronicles 18:1; 2 Chronicles 21:6). She was of course the wife of Jehoram, the previous king – but people did not usually consider a king’s wife to be especially powerful. However, as the mother of the new king, Ahaziah, she had the power to try to direct her son’s actions. In the end, she would prove herself to be as powerful as any king was (11:1-3). She was an extremely wicked person, as we shall see.
God’s judgment against Ahab’s family happened just a year after Ahaziah became king. He became king at 22 years old; he died at 23 years old.
Next part: Ahaziah visits Joram (2 Kings 8:28-29)
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