King Ahaziah of Judah - Biography

King Ahaziah's story is filled with tragedy and wickedness. The son of a brutal couple, King Jehoram and Queen Athaliah, and grandson of Israel's idol-addicted King Ahab, Ahaziah followed the evil path of his forbears during his one year as Judah's king.

He ascended to the throne upon the death by disease of his father Jehoram. The youngest son, only 22, he was chosen by default, all his brothers and his father's cabinet having been kidnapped and killed by an invading army, and his uncles having been slain by his father as rivals to the throne. His own family and friends thus absent, he turned to his mother's family for friendship and counsel. Ahaziah was the nephew, through his mother, of Israel's evil King Jehoram (brother-in-law of the other King Jehoram, Ahaziah's father), and the two became close confidants.

The only incident the Bible relates about Ahaziah involves his death. Ahaziah accompanied Jehoram in battle against Syria. Jehoram was wounded, and retired to his palace at Jezreel to recuperate. Ahaziah accompanied him there. As the two kings rested, Jehoram's general Jehu approached the city by chariot, having been sent by the LORD's prophet Elisha to kill all the descendents of evil King Ahab, and assume the throne of Israel. Both Jehoram and Ahaziah were descendents of Ahab. As Jehu's chariot approached, the two kings went together to meet Jehu, and he killed them both.

When Queen Athaliah discovered her son had been killed, she determined to ascend the throne herself. To this end, she killed the entire royal family. However, Ahaziah's baby son Joash was rescued by Ahaziah's sister Jehosheba, and later Athaliah's crime was capitally punished, and Joash made king.