2 Chronicles

And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

1The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah king in place of his father Jehoram. Ahaziah was the youngest son. Raiders had come with the Arabs and killed all his older brothers. So Ahaziah, son of Jehoram, became king of Judah.

2Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.

2Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for one year. His mother was named Athaliah. She was a granddaughter of Omri, a king of Israel.

NoteThe KJV says Ahaziah was forty-two. That is a copying mistake in old handwritten copies. Other old copies say twenty-two, which fits, since his father died at forty.

3He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.

3Ahaziah lived the same wrong way that Ahab's family lived. His own mother told him to do wicked things.

4Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction.

4So he did what the LORD said was evil, just like Ahab's family did. After his father died, they told him what to do. Their advice ruined him.

5He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramothgilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.

5Ahaziah did what they told him. He went with Joram, son of Ahab and king of Israel, to fight Hazael, the king of Aram. They fought at a place called Ramoth-gilead. The soldiers of Aram wounded Joram there.

6And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick.

6So Joram went back to the town of Jezreel to get better. He had been hurt at Ramah while fighting Hazael, king of Aram. Then Ahaziah, son of Jehoram and king of Judah, went down to Jezreel. He went to visit Joram, because Joram was hurt.

7And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

7God let Ahaziah's fall happen through that visit to Joram. When Ahaziah got there, he rode out with Joram to meet Jehu, son of Nimshi. The LORD had chosen Jehu to put an end to Ahab's family.

8And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.

8Jehu was carrying out that punishment on Ahab's family. He found the leaders of Judah and Ahaziah's nephews, who worked for Ahaziah. Jehu killed them.

NoteThe KJV says "princes" and "the sons of the brethren." Those words mean the leaders of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers, which is his nephews.

9And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.

9Then Jehu looked for Ahaziah. Ahaziah was hiding in Samaria, and men caught him there. They brought him to Jehu, and he was put to death. They still buried him. They said, "He is a grandson of Jehoshaphat, who followed the LORD with his whole heart." After that, no one in Ahaziah's family was strong enough to rule.

10But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.

10Athaliah was Ahaziah's mother. When she saw that her son was dead, she began killing the whole royal family of Judah.

11But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.

11But Jehoshabeath, a daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash, the baby son of Ahaziah. She stole him away from the king's sons who were being killed. She hid him and the woman who cared for him in a bedroom. Jehoshabeath was Ahaziah's sister and the wife of Jehoiada the priest. She hid Joash from Athaliah, so Athaliah could not kill him.

12And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

12Joash stayed hidden with them in God's house for six years. During those years, Athaliah ruled the land.