Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 8:25

In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.

25 29. Reign of Ahaziah king of Judah. His war against Hazael king of Syria. Joram king of Israel helps Ahaziah and is wounded (2Ch 22:1-6)

25. Joram Jehoram ] To prevent confusion it will be convenient to adopt the orthography of this verse for these names, Joram king of Israel, and Jehoram king of Judah. They are but different forms of the same name, and given in the Bible narrative indiscriminately to each.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2Ki 8:25-29

In the twelfth year of Joram.

Kinghood: the conventional and the true

Looking at King Ahaziah, as here sketched, two points strike our attention.

I. A king by physical heredity. This man came from the lineage of kings.

1. This arrangement is not Divine. All that can be said is that God permitted, not ordained their existence.

2. This arrangement is absurd. That a man should become a ruler because of his birth is an outrage on common sense. They only will be future kings who are royal in character, in intelligence, and philanthropy. The greatest man of the community will become its king. What is called loyalty is a debased and selfish flunkeyism, not a devout homage for the good. Are we not commanded to honour the king? Yes, but it is implied that he is honour-worthy. Are we to honour such men as Henry VIII., Charles II., and other such monarchical monsters, which, alas! abound in history? No; denounce them, hurl them from their thrones.

II. A monster by moral descent. He was the descendant of one of the most ruthless and most corrupt of that Hebrew people who were fast filling up the measure of their iniquities. This man, like the offspring of all wicked parents, would inherit the spirit, imbibe the principles, and imitate the example of his parents. (D. Thomas, D. D.)

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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

In the twelfth year of Joram.

Object. It was in the eleventh year of Joram, 2Ki 9:29.

Answ. Either, first, He began to reign in the confines of Jorams eleventh and twelfth year, in the very end of his eleventh year, or towards the beginning of the twelfth, whence it is indifferently ascribed to the one or the other. Or, secondly, The one year of Ahaziah did concur with the latter half of Jorams eleventh year, and the former half of his twelfth year: and if he could not be said to

begin to reign in both these years, yet he might unquestionably be said to reign in both of them; and the Hebrew word, both here and 2Ki 9:29, properly signifies he reigned, and not he began to reign, as it is translated. Or, thirdly, Ahaziah began to reign with his father, and during his life, according to the late examples both in Judah and Israel, there being also special occasion for it, by reason of Jorams cruel and long sickness, 2Ch 21:18, &c.; and this was in Jorams eleventh ear, and then his father died, and he began his single reign in Jorams twelfth year.

Ahaziah, called also Jehoahaz, 2Ch 21:17, and Azariah, 2Ch 22:6.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. He is called Jehoahaz, and said to be the youngest son of Jehoram, 2Ch 21:17.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Reign of Ahaziah of Judah (cf. 2Ch 22:1-6). – Ahaziah, the youngest son of Joram, ascended the throne in the twenty-second year of his age. The statement in 2Ch 22:2, that he was forty-two years old when he became king, rests upon a copyist’s error, namely, a confusion of twenty with forty. Now, since his father became king at the age of thirty-two, and reigned eight years, Ahaziah must have been born in the nineteenth year of his age. Consequently it may appear strange that Ahaziah had brothers still older than himself (2Ch 21:17); but as early marriages are common in the East, and the royal princes had generally concubines along with their wife of the first rank, as is expressly stated of Joram in 2Ch 21:17, he might have had some sons in his nineteenth year. His mother was called Athaliah, and was a daughter of the idolatrous Jezebel. In 2Ki 8:26 and 2Ch 22:2 she is called the daughter, i.e., grand-daughter, of Omri; for, according to 2Ki 8:18, she was a daughter of Ahab. Omri, the grand-father, is mentioned in 2Ki 8:26 as the founder of the dynasty which brought so much trouble upon Israel and Judah through its idolatry.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

The Reign of Ahaziah.

B. C. 884.

      25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.   26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.   27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab.   28 And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth-gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.   29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

      As among common persons there are some that we call little men, who make no figure, are little regarded, as less valued, so among kings there are some whom, in comparison with others, we may call little kings. This Ahaziah was one of these; he looks mean in the history, and in God’s account vile, because wicked. It is too plain an evidence of the affinity between Jehoshaphat and Ahab that they had the same names in their families at the same time, in which, we may suppose, they designed to compliment one another. Ahab had two sons, Ahaziah and Jehoram, who reigned successively; Jehoshaphat had a son and grandson names Jehoshaphat had a son and grandson names Jehoram and Ahaziah, who, in like manner, reigned successively. Names indeed do not make natures, but it was a bad omen to Jehoshaphat’s family to borrow names from Ahab’s; or, if he lent the names to that wretched family, he could not communicate with them the devotion of their significations, Ahaziah–Taking hold of the Lord, and Jehoram–The Lord exalted. Ahaziah king of Israel had reigned but two years, Ahaziah king of Judah reigned but one. We are here told that his relation to Ahab’s family was the occasion, 1. Of his wickedness (v. 27): He walked in the way of the house of Ahab, that idolatrous bloody house; for his mother was Ahab’s daughter (v. 26), so that he sucked in wickedness with his milk. Partus sequitur ventrem–The child may be expected to resemble the mother. When men choose wives for themselves they must remember they are choosing mothers for their children, and are concerned to choose accordingly. 2. Of his fall. Joram, his mother’s brother, courted him to join with him for the recovery of Ramoth-Gilead, an attempt fatal to Ahab; so it was to Joram his son, for in that expedition he was wounded (v. 28), and returned to Jezreel to be cured, leaving his army there in possession of the place. Ahaziah likewise returned, but went to Jezreel to see how Jehoram did, v. 29. Providence so ordered it, that he who had been debauched by the house of Ahab might be cut off with them, when the measure of their iniquity was full, as we shall find in the next chapter. Those who partake with sinners in their sins must expect to partake with them in their plagues.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Commentary on 2Ki 8:25-29 AND 2Ch 22:1-6

In comparison of the two accounts, Kings and Chronicles, to the throne, obvious errors are discovered. These are likely due to careless scribes sometime in the ancient past in their copying of the inspired originals. It is found (2Ki 8:17; 2Ch 21:5; 2Ch 21:20) that Jehoram became king at the age-of thirty-two, reigned eight years, and died, making him forty years old at death. However, the Chronicles account gives Ahaziah’s age at accession to the throne as forty-two, and that he was the youngest son of Jehoram. The Kings account gives his age as twenty-two, a more acceptable age, though it would mean that Jehoram’s youngest son was born when he was a mere youth of eighteen years himself. It is to be remembered that the Arabian invaders had killed all the older sons of Jehoram when they broke into the city of Jerusalem. A possible reconciliation of this difficulty would be that Ahaziah was indeed twentytwo years of age (for he was an adult, old enough to accompany his uncle, Joram of Israel, to battle at Ramoth-gilead, and that he was the youngest and sole survivor of those legitimate sons of Jehoram considered eligible to succeed his father.

Ahaziah’s reign lasted only a year and was cut off because he continued in the ways of his father, which were the ways of his mother’s family. His mother was the daughter of Ahab, or of the family of Omri, who was actually her grandfather and her name was Athaliah. Athaliah counselled her son in the idolatrous ways of Baal, and he also received the counsel of his maternal kindred from the northern kingdom. These probably expected to reunite the two kingdoms in the dynasty of Omri. The reference to Ahaziah as “son in law of the house of Ahab” means that legally he was a son of that wicked dynasty. The hand of Satan is clearly apparent here to frustrate the Davidic covenant, whereby the Messiah would be born of David’s line, by polluting that line with the blood of Ahab and Jezebel and making it more Ahabic than Davidic (Eph 6:11-12).

Ahaziah’s destruction came about by his continuance of the wicked alliance with the house of AHab Accordingly he accompanied his uncle to battle at Ramoth-gilead, where grandfather and father, Ahab, had lost his life trying to recapture the city from the Syrians. It was still held by the enemy, and the Syrians were now led by their new king, Hazael, the murderer of old Ben-hadad (see 1Kings chap. 22; 2Ki 8:7-15). But again the allied armies were unsuccessful, and Joram came away severely wounded. He had to return to Jezreel to recover from his wounds, leaving the siege in the hands of his captains Jehu and Bidkar. Ahaziah also left the siege and came to Jezreel to keep company with Joram during his recuperation.

This lengthy study contains several good points of emphasis: 1) There is no coincidence, or luck with the Lord; 2) God’s knowledge of men’s wicked plans will not deter them from carrying them out; 3) good men make foolish choices without consulting the .Lord; 4) the debauchery of a people leads to their physical and spiritual weakness; 5) men invite utter ruin by hardened rebellion against God’s known will; 6) to follow wicked counsel is to perish by that counsel (Exo 23:2).

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

B. THE REIGN OF AHAZIAH OF JUDAH 8:2529

TRANSLATION

(25) In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. (26) Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem; and the name of his mother was Athaliah the daughter of Omri the king of Israel. (27) And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the eyes of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for he was related by marriage to the house of Ahab. (28) And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war with Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead; and the Arameans smote Joram. (29) And Joram the king returned to convalesce in Jezreel from the wounds which the Arameans 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 Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

Sixth King of Judah
AHAZIAH (or JEHOAHAZ, or AZARIAH)
841 B.C.
(Sustained by Yabweh)

2Ki. 8:24; 2Ki. 9:29; 2Ch. 22:1-9

Synchronism
Ahaziah 1 = Joram 12

Mother: Arhaliah

Appraisal: Bad

For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. Psa. 48:4

COMMENTS

In the closing paragraph of chapter 8, the author continues the history of Judah through one more brief reign, that of Ahaziah. According to 2Ki. 8:25, Ahaziah began to reign in the twelfth year of Joram of Israel; but according to 2Ki. 9:29 it was the eleventh year. Such one year discrepancies result from the two systems of counting the regnal years of kings, one of which did not count the months of the accession year. A discrepancy between the text of Kings and Chronicles exists with regard to the age of Ahaziah when he assumed the throne, the former giving his age as twenty-two, and the latter as forty-two (2Ch. 22:2). The Chronicles figure is manifestly incorrect, for Ahaziahs father was only forty years old when he died.[556]

[556] The scribal copying of Chronicles must be at fault here.

Ahaziah was married to the Jezebel of Judah, Athaliah the daughter of Ahab and granddaughter of Omri (2Ki. 8:26). Because of the marriage relationship with the Northern dynasty, Ahaziah followed the religious policy of the house of Ahab (2Ki. 8:27) during his one year reign, i.e., he continued to sanction the Baal worship which had been introduced into Judah by his father Jehoram (cf. 2Ki. 8:18).

From the brief reign of Ahaziah only two incidents are recorded. Following the example of his grandfather Jehoshaphat, Ahaziah joined in a military alliance with Joram of Israel to go to the relief of Ramoth-gilead (or Ramah) which was being attacked by Hazael, the new king of Damascus. It would appear that sometime after the death of Ahab at this same city, the Israelites had successfully wrested Ramoth-gilead from the hands of the Arameans. During the course of the defense of the city, Joram was severely, but not fatally, wounded (2Ki. 8:28). Thereafter Joram and his cousin from Judah returned to their respective capitals leaving a strong garrison under general Jehu to defend the city. King Joram stopped off at Jezreel in the plains to recuperate in the royal retreat there rather than make the more arduous ascent back to Samaria. After some time passed, Ahaziah of Judah decided to make a royal trip to Jezreel to visit his convalescing relative (2Ki. 8:29). As things turned out, Ahaziah never returned from that fateful visit.

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(25-29) The reign of Ahaziah king of Judah. His expedition with Joram of Israel against Hazael at Ramoth-gilead. (Comp. 2Ch. 22:1-6.)

Two-and-twenty years old.He was Jehorama youngest son (2Ch. 21:17; 2Ch. 22:1), and, as his father died at the age of thirty-nine or forty (2Ki. 8:17), he must have been begotten in Jehorams seventeenth or eighteenth year. There is no difficulty in this, nor even in the supposition that Jehoram had begotten sons before Ahaziah, as Thenius seems to imagine. He may have become a father at thirteen or fourteen, and Athaliah was certainly not his only wife.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

AHAZIAH’S REIGN, 2Ki 8:25-29.

25. Ahaziah the son of Jehoram His youngest son, called also Jehoahaz (2 Chronicles 21:27) and Azariah, (2Ki 23:6.) All the older sons of Jehoram were carried off by the Philistines and Arabians.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

An Initial Summary Of The Reign Of Ahaziah King of Judah ( 2Ki 8:25-27 ). c. 841 BC.

Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram of Judah, would only reign for a few months before he was killed by Jehu during the latter’s rebellion against Jehoram of Israel. Nevertheless during that short reign he continued in his father’s sins and in the sins of the house of Ahab, and failed to make any attempt to bolster up the true worship of YHWH. Thus he also was stigmatised as ‘doing what was evil in the sight of YHWH’. And this owed much to the fact that his father had married Ahab’s daughter who had brought her zeal for Baal with her. Just as Solomon’s foreign wives had led him astray, the Israelite royal family were now leading the kings of Judah astray.

Analysis.

a In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign (2Ki 8:25).

b Ahaziah was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel (2Ki 8:26).

a And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did what was evil in the sight of YHWH, as did the house of Ahab, for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab (2Ki 8:27).

Note that in ‘a’ Ahaziah began to reign, and in the parallel in his reign did what was evil in the eyes of YHWH. Centrally in ‘b’ we have the main details about his reign.

2Ki 8:25

‘In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.’

As usual the author gives us the date of Ahaziah’s reign in terms of the parallel king of Israel. In those days there was no general method of dating, and thus things had to be dated in terms of some well known event, such as, in this case, the reign of another king. It also in this case had the benefit that it synchronised the reigns of the kings of the two countries.

2Ki 8:26

‘Ahaziah was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel.’

Ahaziah came to the throne at the age of twenty two, but his reign only lasted for a few months. This was partly because he unfortunately got caught up in Jehu’s rebellion against the king of Israel by ‘accident’, and partly because Jehu saw him as a Baalite, and therefore as fair game. But the prophetic author saw it as a just judgment on his sin.

As is usual for a king of Judah the queen mother’s name is given, but in this case it had added significance because she was of the house of Omri and Ahab, the Baalite kings of Israel. ‘Daughter of’ need only mean ‘descended from’, for she was in fact Ahab’s daughter (2Ki 8:18). It may be that Omri is mentioned here because of his recognised status as founder of the dynasty. Even Assyria thought of Israel as ‘bit-Omri’, the house of Omri for centuries to come. Athaliah would shortly become even more notorious when she seized the throne on the death of her son and tried to destroy all Azariah’s heirs (2Ki 11:1). She was no doubt filled with anguish at the death of her son and seemingly could not bear the thought of being thrust into the background by the new queen mother. It was also possibly partly because of her zeal for Baal, and her desire to make Judah a country which worshipped Baal. By being ‘unequally yoked with unbelievers’ the kings of Judah brought on Judah unimaginable consequences.

2Ki 8:27

‘And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did what was evil in the sight of YHWH, as did the house of Ahab, for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.’

As a result of the influence of his mother Ahaziah was also a worshipper of Baal, walking in the ways of the house of Ahab, and thus the verdict on his reign was that, like his father, he did what was evil in the eyes of YHWH, with his influence certainly affecting the court, and permeating through to those over whom he ruled. When the king was slack with regard to God’s covenant, it filtered through to the people. It was not a situation which YHWH would allow to continue.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

I bring all these verses within one point of view, as they only relate to us the short, but wicked reign, of another of Judah’s kings. And I only detain the Reader with a single observation upon this man’s history, that it was in mercy not suffered to be lengthened out to any great period. It was but a year. And oh! the sad thought to sinners when the year of grace is over, and all the years of iniquity, be they ever so many, consumed; what a dreadful barter have they made, if, though gaining the whole world, they have lost their own soul!

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

XII

THE REIGNS OF AHAZIAH (OF JUDAH),

JEHORAM (OF ISRAEL) AND THE RISE OF THE HOUSE OF NIMSHI

2Ki 8:25-10:17 ; 2Ch 22:1-8

In the scriptures cited for this chapter there are some apparent discrepancies which first claim our attention. 2Ki 8:25 says, “In the twelfth year of Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign,” while 2Ki 9:29 says, “And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.” There are two possible solutions of this difficulty: (1) it may be accounted for by their method of reckoning in which they counted the king’s “first year” twice; first, from the accession to the end of the civil year and second, from the accession to the same day of the next year; (2) he may have begun to reign with his father as viceroy in the eleventh year and as full king in the twelfth year. Either of these explanations relieves us from the difficulty of an apparent discrepancy.

A second apparent discrepancy occurs in 2Ki 8:26 and 2Ch 22:2 . The Kings passage says that Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, while the Chronicles passage says that he was forty-two. The latter statement is impossible because his father was only forty years old when he died. So the only explanation of this difference in statement is that it must be an error of the copyist. Twenty-two is more advanced than we would ordinarily expect but it is probable in view of the early marriages in the Orient and also that each prince had, besides his wife, several concubines. That Jehoram had several appears from 2Ch 21:17 .

The character of Ahaziah is set forth in the record with the author’s accustomed clearness showing some of the antecedent forces that operated in his life. The first thing mentioned is the fact that his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter (granddaughter) of Omri, who is here mentioned because of his prominence. She was a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, passing on to this king the full benefit of the law of heredity. So we are not surprised that the record says that he walked in the ways of the house of Ahab. The Kings account says, “for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab,” i.e., he was related to the house of Ahab by marriage. An added reason for this course of Ahaziah is given by the Chronicles account: “for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly . . . for they [the house of Ahab] were his counsellors after the death of his father, to his destruction.” Our sympathy goes out to Ahaziah in view of these conditions. How could he, in view of these hereditary traits and special maternal instruction) have done otherwise than to walk in the “ways of the house of Ahab”? Only by the grace of God which is able to overcome all the forces of the past, whether they be hereditary or environmental.

On Elisha’s interview with Hazael we need to note: (1) this visit of the prophet to Damascus was perhaps for protection, but it is not definitely known as to why he went there; (2) that Elisha, whatever his reason for going, did not hide himself but was recognized upon his arrival; (3) that in his answer to Hazael he sarcastically told him to tell his master just what Hazael wanted to tell him and then gave him the true revelation of the case; (4) that Hazael did not tell his master all that Elisha said and thus falsified to him, but it was not the fault of the prophet; (5) that Elisha here showed his great heart of sympathy for his people in their sufferings, and (6) that God revealed the future of Benhadad, Hazael and Israel to Elisha, a clear proof of predictive prophecy.

The next topic for our discussion is the aid rendered Jehoram by Ahaziah in the defense of Ramothgilead; then follows the other events leading up to the anointing of Jehu as king over Israel. In the defense of Ramothgilead Ahaziah and Jehoram co-operate, uniting their forces against Hazael, king of Syria. Here Jehoram was wounded. Then the two kings withdrew Ahaziah to Jerusalem and Jehoram to Jezreel to be nursed. Soon after this Ahaziah visited Jehoram there and Just at this time Elisha appears upon the scene and commissions a son of the prophets to anoint Jehu. Thus the events pass in rapid succession leading to the destruction of the house of Ahab. We should note in this connection the striking fact that Jehu was not in the regular line of succession and was one of the two kings of Israel selected by Jehovah.

The circumstances and events of his anointing are graphically told by the author of Kings. The prophet who had been commissioned by Elisha went to Ramothgilead, found the captains sitting, called out Jehu, anointed him, gave him his commission, outlined his work and fled. According to this prophecy Jehu was to avenge the blood of the prophets against the house of Ahab by destroying every man child, as in the case of Jehoram and Baasha, and the dogs were to eat Jezebel in Jezreel. Immediately Jehu returned to the servants, his fellow captains, and made known unto them the prophet’s message and they arose at once and proclaimed him king. This involved the duty of preaching righteousness and executing God’s orders as sheriff, a very great responsibility and no small task. Later we see that Jehu was equal to the task thrust upon him, and God is abundantly vindicated in making this selection.

The chief characteristic of Jehu’s work is, that it is iconoclastic. He was an image smasher, a great revolutionist. Was he pious? Not very pious, i.e. in the sense of reverencing the traditions of the past. He was, perhaps, filial toward his parents; we don’t know, but he had full regard for his mission under God. If he was not pious he was religious in that he executed the program that God handed to him through the prophet. To be sure he was not a “sissy” but was a kind of “dare-devil” in spirit, a stern, John the Baptist sort of fellow. Such are the characteristics of the men who have led great revolutionary movements.

The first act of his reign was the slaying of Jehoram which is vividly presented in 2Ki 9:14-26 . The salient points in this story are: (1) Jehu’s journey to Jezreel and his approach recognized by the watchman in the tower; (2) Jehoram’s messengers to Jehu and his disposition of them; (3) Jehoram and Ahaziah’s advance to meet Jehu, Jehoram’s greeting and Jehu’s reply; (4) Jehu’s execution of Jehoram and Ahaziah’s escape, and (5) the disposition of the body of Jehoram and the fulfilment of prophecy. The second act of his reign was the slaying of Ahaziah. After the death of Jehoram Jehu pursued Ahaziah who had fled by the way of the “garden house” or perhaps a better translation would be, “Beth-Gan,” a town at the foot of the hills bounding the plain of Esdraelon, south of Jezreel, and on the road to Samaria. It is somewhat difficult, but not impossible, to harmonize the Kings account with the Chronicles account of this episode. Omitting the italics in 2Ki 9:27 and inserting 2Ch 22:9 a just after “and he fled to Megiddo,” we may conceive of this transaction as follows: Jehu ordered Ahaziah to be smitten at the ascent of Gur, but he fled to Megiddo where he was wounded, then carried to Samaria and concealed but was discovered by the emissaries of Jehu who carried him to Megiddo where Jehu was at this time; then and there Jehu put him to death. Such is a possible combination of the two accounts and removes the difficulty so far as a contradiction is concerned. 2Ch 22:7 explains Ahaziah’s death as the direct cause of his alliance with Jehoram and his untimely death was a judgment upon him for his idolatry. Murphy (Handbook on Chronicles) explains his hiding in Samaria thus, “And he was about to hide in Samaria,” but he was turned aside by his pursuers, was wounded and went to Megiddo where he died. There is one fault with this explanation: it does not provide for the expression, “they caught him and carried him to Jehu,” etc. So withal the method of combining, as given above, is more satisfactory.

Here may be raised the question of the morality of the action of Jehu in killing Jehoram and Ahaziah. The answer is simple and easy. It was clearly God’s execution, and was therefore nothing more than the stroke of the law. The Jehovah religion was very much endangered by the house of Ahab and these kings, one of Israel and the other of Judah, were branches of that house. If Jehu sinned, it was in the method or spirit in which he did the work, rather than in the taking of the life of these men. That was clearly his commission from Jehovah. He did not sin in this transaction any more than a sheriff does who executes a criminal under the penalty of the law. God had rendered the verdict and appointed Jehu the executioner. But if he used unnecessary cruelty in this execution, or did it in the spirit of vengeance, then we would admit that he sinned, because God has said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay” and no man, mob, or court of men has the right to execute a criminal in the spirit of vengeance. The cruel fate of Jezebel is horrifying and bloodcurdling. Her cunning attempt to thwart her predicted fate is repulsing and disgusting. Upon learning of Jehu’s approach, Cleopatra-like, she painted her eyes, attired her head, and from a window saluted her executioner with, “Is it peace?” From Jehu came the prompt and decisive response, “Who is on my side? Throw her down,” and down she came with a crash, spattering her blood upon the wall and upon the horses. Then Jehu drove right over her body trampling her underfoot. She was so mangled that the dogs found her body an easy prey and when they went to take her up to bury her there was nothing left except the skull, the palms of her hands and her feet. What a horrible picture, but it was the just recompense for sin. She was the greatest enemy of the Jehovah religion after the days of Pharaoh, and God made Pharaoh an example to the world; so did he make Jezebel, and in Revelation we find her followers given space to repent and then sternly threatened with eternal destruction. All this was according to the prophecy of Elijah, 1Ki 21:17 ff. How definitely and surely God forecasts the fate of the wicked. We should not be deceived. “God is not mocked, whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” When one walks the streets of a modern city and beholds the painted faces of our own American women, he is constrained to ask, “Have all our women become Jezebels, and what will the harvest of this generation be?”

Jehu did not stop with the execution of Jehoram, Ahaziah and Jezebel but pursued his destructive work in the judgment on the house of Ahab. The record says that Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria, meaning descendants, sons and grandsons, whom Jehu ordered the elders or rulers of Jezreel to slay. He first challenged them to select one for a king and “put up” their fight, but they declared their allegiance to Jehu. Then he wrote them to execute these sons at once and bring him their heads. This they did, upon which Jehu justified his course by citing a prophecy (1Ki 21:17 ff), and then extended his destructive course so as to include the rest of Ahab’s house at Jezreel: his great men, his familiar friends and his priests. What a sweep of destruction in human life! But he did not stop there. The princes of Judah were a menace to his reign and therefore he must dispose of them. This he did in wholesale massacre at the shearing house of the shepherds. These princes royal of Judah were on their way to see their relatives at Samaria when they met Jehu who took them in charge at once and put them to death. Pursuing his course, Jehu met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him, and after an exchange of greetings he found in this man a suitable companion and associate in his “zeal for the Lord,” as Jehu called it.

With Jehonadab originated the Rechabites, taking the name from Rechab, Jehonadab’s father. They were descended from a family of the Kenites and were a very sturdy people, with some remarkable characteristics. They drank no wine, built no permanent dwelling houses, planted no vineyards, sowed no seed, but lived in tents and followed the most simple habits of life. In Jeremiah’s day they were still holding to the tenets of Jehonadab in teaching and practice and because of their faithfulness in obeying the commandments of Jehonadab, Jehovah promised that Jehonadab should never want a man to stand before him. This promise is being fulfilled to this day. In the vicinity of Medina are to be found today the descendants of the Rechabites with the same characteristics and habits. This is a remarkable fulfilment of promise, but it is just what may come to any people who will keep the commands of Jehovah. He will not suffer his faithfulness to fail, and consistent with his holy nature, “He never denies himself, but he abideth faithful.”

Jehonadab’s character is not hard to determine in the light of his affiliations. Two cannot walk together except they be agreed. Jehu was a “dare-devil” sort of character, and he found his match in Jehonadab. They were partners and coworkers from this time on and the work of Jehu was the work of Jehonadab.

Jehu’s last act of establishing himself on the throne of Israel is recorded in 2Ki 10:17 , and refers, perhaps, to the destruction of the female descendants of Ahab. Thus was finally completed the political revolution which transferred the throne from the house of Omri to that of Nimshi, the fifth of the royal families of Israel.

QUESTIONS

1. How do you harmonize the apparent discrepancies in 2Ki 8:25 and 2Ki 9:29 ; 2Ki 8:26 and 2Ch 22:2 ?

2. What was the character of Ahaziah and what were the examples of a mother’s influence here?

3. Describe the interview of Elisha with Hazael and explain the difficulty of this passage.

4. What were the events which led to the anointing of Jehu as king over Israel? . .

5. What striking fact with reference to Jehu’s anointing?

6. Recite the circumstances and events of his anointing.

7. According to this prophecy what was Jehu to do and what was to be the fate of Jezebel?

8. How was he made king and what involved in his call to be king?

9. What were the chief characteristics of his work, was he pious, what is the meaning of piety and what kind of character necessary to a resolution.

10. What was the first act of his reign and how was this accomplished?

11. What was the second act of his reign and how was this accomplished?

12. How does Chronicles explain Ahaziah’s death?

13. What question of ethics relative to Jehu’s slaying Jehoram and Ahaziah and what the explanation?

14. What was Jezebel’s fate and what prophecy was fulfilled in her death?

15. What was the judgment on the house of Ahab?

16. What prophecy was fulfilled in the judgment on the house of Ahab?

17. What was the judgment on the princes Royal of Judah?

18. Whom did Jehu attach to his support, and what is the origin of the Rechabites and what were their practices?

19. What was the character and work of Jehonadab?

20. What was Jehu’s last act in establishing himself on the throne of Israel?

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

2Ki 8:25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.

Ver. 25. In the twelfth year. ] In the end of the eleventh, 2Ki 9:29 and beginning of the twelfth.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

2Ki 8:25-29

2Ki 8:25-29

SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE LIQUIDATION OF AHAB’S HOUSE

“In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, as did the house of Ahab, for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab. And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael the king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram. And king Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.”

“The reign of Ahaziah was very brief, lasting only about a year in 841 B.C.” The purpose of this paragraph is that of bringing to one place the final posterity of Ahab for the execution of God’s judgment upon that wicked monarch and the prophecy that his dynasty would end.

This could not have been viewed as an ordinary accomplishment, because the house of Ahab was now on the thrones of BOTH Israel and Judah, but God used Joram’s illness in Jezreel to bring Ahaziah from Jerusalem, thus bringing together both branches of Ahab’s house and enabling the termination of both of them at once!

Appropriately, the final settlement of God’s account with the house of Ahab would take place at Jezreel, at that very vineyard of Naboth, where through Ahab’s murder of that righteous man, the dogs licked his blood, and, in the next chapter, we shall see how the dogs indeed licked the blood of Ahab in the person of his grandson Ahaziah in the very same place. None of God’s prophecies ever failed!

Regarding that war in which the two kings had jointly opposed Hazael at Ramoth-Gilead, “It was apparently successful. It was recovered by Israel (2Ki 9:14) and remained thenceforth in the hands of Israel.”

Josephus gives us a little more complete information on what took place in that battle. “Joram was struck by an arrow in the course of the siege, but remained until the place surrendered. He then withdrew to Jezreel, leaving his army under Jehu within the walls of the town.”

Thus, the stage was set perfectly for the liquidation of the house of Ahab. His total posterity were gathered together at Jezreel, and Jehu who was destined to be the executioner of God’s purpose was left in charge of the military force that was needed to accomplish it.

To all intents and purposes, the Syrians killed Joram the king of Israel, although, of course, they only wounded him. “His convalescence at Jezreel became the occasion for the visit of Ahaziah thus providing the occasion when Jehu’s bloody purge terminated the dynasty of Ahab.”

E.M. Zerr:

2Ki 8:25-26. The preceding verse had said merely that Ahaziah took the throne after the death of his father. This one gives us the date, based on the reign of the king then on the throne of Israel. He reigned one year only, and it was a turbulent time for him. The mother’s name is given according to the thoughts at 1Ki 14:21.

2Ki 8:27. Son-in-law of the house of Ahab means he married into that line. The fact is mentioned as an explanation, in part at least, of his wicked reign.

2Ki 8:28. Ramoth-gilead was an important city east of the Jordan, and had been in the control of the Syrians for several years. The kings of Israel and Judah joined in an expedition to wrest the city from Hazael, the king then on the throne of Syria. The action was successful although Joram was wounded.

2Ki 8:29. Jezreel was a city that became noted in the days of Ahab. To this place Joram went for treatment of the wounds inflicted on him by the Syrians. Ramah was another name for Ramoth-gilead. The close of the verse is merely an incidental mention of the sick call of one king upon another.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

am 3119-3120, bc 885-884, 2Ki 8:16, 2Ki 8:17, 2Ki 9:29, 2Ch 21:20

Reciprocal: Dan 5:2 – father

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

THE OVER-ZEALOUS JEHU

PRELIMINARY EVENTS (2Ki 8:25-29)

The last lesson should have spoken of the chronological difficulties in the history of the kings of this period. (Compare especially 8:16 with 1:17.) But all our space will permit is to say that all such difficulties are satisfactorily solved, without doing violence to the text, in The Romance of Chronology, by Anstey; who in turn quotes Dr. John Lightfoot, of the seventeenth Century, Beechers Dated Events of the Old Testament, and The Companion Bible, published by the Oxford Press.

The story of blood and awful judgment from God begins at 8:25, where Ahaziah succeeds Jehoram as king of Israel. This is not the earlier Ahaziah

of Israel (l Kings 22:51) any more than the two Jorams or Jehorams were the same persons, of whom we studied in the last lesson. He is called Jehoahaz in 2Ch 21:17, and in 22:2, he is said to have been forty-two when he began to reign. This is an intentional variation intended to teach a divine truth. On its face it makes him two years older than his father, but it should read, a son of forty-two years was Ahaziah when he began to reign …. and his mothers name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri.

The Holy Spirit will not have him for a son of David. He is an imp of the house of wicked Omri, and as such a son of forty-two years, which was exactly the age of that dynasty. (Compare to Psa 109:13-15.) Note, too, that this interpretation is confirmed by Matthew (Mat 1:8), who omits him from the Kings of Judah, saying that Jehoram his father begat Uzziah, his great, great grandson, the fourth in the direct line of descent. (Compare Exo 20:5.) Like his father, he was a wicked man (2Ki 9:16-18), and the fruit of his grandfather Jehoshaphats compromising attitude towards Israel. (Compare 2Ki 9:18.) The reference to his mother (2Ki 8:26) is not contradictory, as daughter may sometimes be rendered granddaughter in translating the Hebrew. He was closely affiliated with his uncle, king of Israel (2Ki 8:28-29) and this led ultimately to his unnatural death in the next chapter.

JEHU ANOINTED AND PROCLAIMED KING (2Ki 9:1-13)

Elijah received the commission from God to anoint Jehu (1Ki 19:16), but he was fulfilling it in his successor, as the latter was doing so in the representative of the school of the prophets whom he sent on the divine errand (2Ki 9:1-2). Jehus father is not the Jehoshaphat of Judah (1Ki 22:4).

This Jehu is a military commander in Israel, perhaps next to the king and, as the sequel shows, a bold and popular one. He is now in the company of his fellow captains near the scene of battle where Joram left them when he went to Jezreel wounded. These captains recognize the validity of his anointing and by laying their garments on the steps for him to mount on, do him obeisance as they sound the trumpets of proclamation (2Ki 9:11-13).

HIS CONSPIRACY AGAINST JORAM (2Ki 9:14-16)

The army is not informed of what is transpiring (2Ki 9:15), but Jehu and a few followers advance upon Jezreel and the king (2Ki 9:16). The latter thinks he is bringing news of the battle after he had left (2Ki 9:17-21), but he is soon undeceived (2Ki 9:22-23). The whoredoms of thy mother (Jezebel) doubtless meant her idolatry with Baal. The Lord laid this burden upon him (2Ki 9:25), means the Lord uttered this prophecy against him (see 1 Kings 21). Be not deceived by the thought that Jehu is doing all this out of zeal for God, as the sequel shows that zeal for Jehu was the stronger motive.

THE MURDER OF AHAZIAH AND JEZEBEL (2Ki 9:27-37)

2Ch 22:8 gives other details of Ahaziahs death which, for want of light, are difficult to reconcile with the record, and which therefore must be passed over. Another difficulty is the discrepancy as to the date when he began to reign, whether it was the eleventh year to Joram (1 Kings 9:29) or the twelfth as stated previously (2Ki 8:25); but the explanation may be that he reigned with his father for one year before the latters death. (The probable reason for this is in 2Ch 21:20.) For the significance of Jezebels challenge to Jehu (2Ki 9:31) see 1Ki 16:9, which details previous actions of Zimri, one of Jehus officials.

THE SLAUGHTER OF THE FAMILIES OF AHAB AND AHAZIAH (2Ki 10:1-14)

The seventy sons of Ahab (2Ki 10:1) mean doubtless his grandsons and all who might have any pretense to the throne. Jehu asks the men in authority at the capital (Samaria) and the summer palace (Jezreel) to place any of these on the throne, and rally to his support if they chose (2Ki 10:2-3); but they are afraid to do so, and instead surrender to Jehu (2Ki 10:4-5). Then he bids them go further (2Ki 10:6-7); and subsequently uses their deed as an argument before the people that the leaders are on his side, and that the word of the Lord is fulfilled in his accession (2Ki 10:8-10). The slaughter of the relatives of Ahaziah follows (2Ki 10:12-14).

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PROPHETS OF BAAL (2Ki 10:15-28)

Of Jehonadab we read in Jeremiah 34. He seems to have been an honorable man in Israel, a worshipper of the true God, whose presence with Jehu contributed to the latters influence with the people (2Ki 10:15-16). This part of our story shows that, although Baals worship received a serious setback in the days of Elijah, yet it had been restored to practically its former power in the kingdom (2Ki 10:18-28).

Jehus real character is shown in 2Ki 10:29, in the face of which one is astonished to read 2Ki 10:30. But God was dealing with him as one who was hired for what he did. Had his heart been right with God his kingdom might have been established for generations, but as it was he could not complain.

God now begins His final work in Israel (2Ki 10:32-33). The time is coming when the axe will fall at the root of the tree and the whole nation be carried away for its iniquity; but intimations of this are sent to warn and, if possible, bring them to repentance.

QUESTIONS

1. can the chronological difficulties be solved in the history of the Kings of Judah?

2. How would you explain the difficulty as to the age of Ahaziah?

3. What kings of similar names are met with in Israel and Judah?

4. What have you learned of Jehus history?

5. What are the circumstances under which he is proclaimed king?

6. What prophecies are fulfilled in this lesson?

7. What are some of the difficulties found in it?

8. What record has Jehonadab in Jeremiah?

9. How is Jehus real character revealed?

Fuente: James Gray’s Concise Bible Commentary

Ahaziah’s wickedness 8:25-29

Ahaziah of Judah continued the policies and preferences of his great-grandfather Omri that his grandfather Ahab and his uncle Joram had perpetuated (2Ki 8:27). Israel and Judah were at this time still allies. The battle of Ramoth-gilead in which Ahaziah fought took place 12 years after the one in which Ahab and Jehoshaphat engaged the Arameans and in which Ahab died (1Ki 22:3; 1Ki 22:29). In the second battle of Ramoth-gilead the Israelite king Joram was wounded. He returned to his winter capital to convalesce (2Ki 8:29). Ahaziah then visited his uncle, the Israelite king, there (2Ki 8:29).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

6. Ahaziah’s evil reign in Judah 8:25-9:29

There were two King Ahaziahs as there were two King Jehorams, one of each in each kingdom. Both Ahaziahs reigned only one year each, but their administrations did not overlap. The administrations of the two Jehorams did overlap. Ahaziah of Israel reigned 11 years earlier than Ahaziah of Judah. In Judah, Jehoram (853-841 B.C) preceded Ahaziah (841 B.C.), but in Israel Ahaziah (853-852 B.C.) preceded Jehoram (852-841 B.C.).

Year	Southern (Judean) King	Northern (Israelite) King
853		Ahaziah
852
851
850
849
848	Jehoram
847
846		J(eh)oram
845
844
843
842
841
	Ahaziah

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)