Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Chronicles 22
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Chronicles 22
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Chronicles 22
"Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother`s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri." — 2 Chronicles 22:2 (ASV)
For “42,” read “22” (see the marginal reference). Ahaziah’s father, Jehoram, was only 40 when he died (2 Chronicles 21:20).
"Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went unto Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom Jehovah had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab." — 2 Chronicles 22:7 (ASV)
The destruction of Ahaziah was of God - that is, his untimely end was a judgment upon him for his idolatry.
"And he sought Ahaziah, and they caught him (now he was hiding in Samaria), and they brought him to Jehu, and slew him; and they buried him, for they said, He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought Jehovah with all his heart. And the house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom." — 2 Chronicles 22:9 (ASV)
Compare the marginal reference. After remaining for a while at Megiddo, Ahaziah moved to Samaria, where his wounds could be better cared for and concealment might be easier. Jehu’s emissaries discovered him there; they took him to Jehu, who happened to be at Megiddo at the time; and then and there Jehu put him to death. This narrative is therefore supplementary to the one in 2 Kings and finds its proper place between the clause “He fled to Megiddo” and the words “and died there.”
And when they had slain him, they buried him — Jehu’s emissaries killed him but allowed his servants to bury him (see 2 Kings 9:28).
No power... — As Ahaziah was only twenty-three at his death (see the note on 2 Chronicles 22:2), he had no grown-up son to take the crown.
"Now 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. But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king`s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in the 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. And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land." — 2 Chronicles 22:10-12 (ASV)
Compare the reference and notes in the margin.
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