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Fall of the House of Ahab
101
of two years, ... he died in severe pain.” “Then Ahaziah [
Jehoahaz
]
[77]
his son reigned in his place.”
Verses 12-19
;
2 Kings 8:24
.
Ahaziah ruled only one year, and during this time, influenced
by his mother Athaliah, who “advised him to do wickedly,” “he
did evil in the sight of the Lord.”
2 Chronicles 22:3, 4
. Jezebel,
his grandmother, was still living, and he allied himself boldly with
Jehoram of Israel, his uncle.
The surviving members of the house of Ahab were indeed “his
counselors, to his ruin.”
2 Chronicles 22:4
, NRSV. While Ahaziah
was visiting his uncle at Jezreel, God directed the prophet Elisha to
send one of the sons of the prophets to Ramoth Gilead to anoint Jehu
king of Israel. At that time the combined forces of Judah and Israel
were engaged in a military campaign against the Syrians. Jehoram
had been wounded in battle and had returned to Jezreel, leaving Jehu
in charge of the armies. The messenger of Elisha solemnly gave
Jehu a special commission from heaven: “You shall strike down
the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My
servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord.
... For the whole house of Ahab shall perish.”
2 Kings 9:6-8
.
Jehu Takes the Kingship
After the army proclaimed him king, Jehu hurried to Jezreel,
where he began his work of execution. Jehoram of Israel, Ahaziah
of Judah, and Jezebel the queen mother, with “all who remained
of the house of Ahab in Jezreel,” were killed. “All his great men
and his close acquaintances and his priests” were put to the sword.
The temple of Baal was laid in ruins, the idolatrous images burned.
“Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel.”
2 Kings 10:11, 28
.
News of this general execution reached Athaliah, Jezebel’s
daughter, who still occupied a commanding position in the kingdom
of Judah. When she saw that her son, the king of Judah, was dead,
“she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs of the house of Judah.”
2
Chronicles 22:10
. This massacre killed all the descendants of David
who were eligible for the throne except one, a baby named Joash,
whom the wife of Jehoiada the high priest hid in the temple. For six
years the child remained hidden, while “Athaliah reigned over the
land.”
Verse 12
.