Ahaziah

Ahaziah ("held by Jehovah") was the name of two kings.

1. King of Israel and the son of Ahab and Jezebel. Albright has dated his reign to 850 - 849 BC, while Thiele offers the dates 853 - 852 BC.

The authors of the Books of Kings criticized him for following the ways of his father. During his reign the Moabites revolted from under his authority (2 Kings 3:5-7). He united with Jehoshaphat in an attempt to revive maritime trade by the Red Sea, which proved a failure (2 Chronicles 20:35-37). His messengers, sent to consult the god of Ekron regarding his recovery from the effects of a fall from the roof-gallery of his palace, were met on the way by Elijah, who sent them back to tell the king that he would never rise from his bed (1 Kings 22:51; 2 Kings 1:18).

2. King of Judah, and the son of Jehoram. He is also called Jehoahaz (2 Chr. 21:17; 25:23). Albright has dated his reign to 842 BC, while Thiele offers the date 841 BC.

Guided by his idolatrous mother Athaliah, his reign was disastrous (2 Kings 8:24-29; 9:29). He joined his uncle Jehoram, king of Israel, in an expedition against Hazael, king of Damascus; but was wounded at the pass of Gur when attempting to escape, and had strength only to reach Megiddo, where he died (2 Kings 9:22-28). He is said to have reigned only one year.

Ahaziah, son of Jehoram, is mentioned in the Dan Stele, found in 1993 and 1994 during archeological excavations of the site of Laish.

This article uses text from Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)