2 Chronicles 22
A Mother Who Destroyed the Royal Seed
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Ahaziah King of Judah
22:1Jerusalem’s inhabitants made his younger son Ahaziah king in his place, because the raiding band that had come against them, the Arabs and the Alimazonians, had killed all the older ones. Ahaziah son of Joram king of Judah reigned.
22:2Ahaziah was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah daughter of Omri.
22:3He too walked in the way of Ahab’s house, because his mother was his counselor in sinning.
22:4He did what was evil before the Lord, like Ahab’s house, because after his father died they were counselors to him, to destroy him.
22:5He followed their counsels and went with Joram son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Rama-galaad. The archers struck Joram.
22:6Joram returned to Jezrael to be healed of the wounds the Syrians had inflicted on him at Rama when he fought Hazael king of Syria. Ahaziah son of Joram king of Judah went down to see Joram son of Ahab in Jezrael, because he was ill.
The Downfall of Ahaziah
22:7Ahaziah’s downfall came from God through his going to Joram. When he arrived, Joram went out with him to Jehu son of Namessi, the Lord’s anointed—Ahab’s house.
22:8When Jehu took vengeance on Ahab’s house, he found Judah’s rulers and Ahaziah’s brothers ministering to Ahaziah, and he killed them.
22:9He ordered a search for Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was receiving treatment in Samaria. They brought him to Jehu, and he killed him. They buried him, for they said, “He is a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with his whole heart.” There was no one in Ahaziah’s house able to hold power over the kingdom.
Athaliah Destroys the Royal Seed
22:10Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, saw that her son was dead. She rose and destroyed all the royal offspring in Judah’s house.
22:11Jehoshabeath the king’s daughter took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being killed. She put him and his nurse in the chamber of beds. Jehoshabeath, daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, and wife of Jehoiada the priest, hid him; she hid him from Athaliah, and Athaliah did not kill him.
22:12He remained hidden with her in God’s house for six years, while Athaliah ruled over the land.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.