2 CHRONICLES LESSON 22
We will begin this lesson in II Chronicles 22:1 "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."
Since Ahaziah was the only son left of Jehoram, it would be
understandable why the people would make him king. Now, we see that it
was the Arabians, who had killed all of the other sons of Jehoram.
II Chronicles 22:2 "Forty 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."
He was as evil as his father was. Athaliah was the granddaughter
of Omri. Omri was the father of Ahab, who was her father. The
Scripture in 2 Kings chapter 8 verse 26 says, that he was twenty-two
when he began to reign. It really does not matter how old he was. The
important thing is that he reigned one year.
II Chronicles 22:3 "He also walked in the ways of the house of
Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly."
Now, we see where the evil influence came from to Jehoram and
Ahaziah. His mother was of Ahab and Jezebel. They were very evil
people bringing all sorts of false worship into Israel. Now, their
daughter had brought it into Judah. His mother was not only his
counsellor, but acted as queen, as well.
II Chronicles 22:4 "Wherefore 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."
He had learned his evil ways from the house of Ahab. It appears
that he was even more evil than his father. He took advice from Ahab
and Jezebel, his grandparents.
II Chronicles 22:5 "He walked also after their counsel, and went
with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king
of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram."
He joined in with Israel in a battle against Hazael, king of
Syria. It appears, the Syrians were victorious in this battle.
II Chronicles 22:6 "And 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."
The king of Israel had been wounded in the battle with Syria.
Jezreel is the same as the valley of Megiddo, where many battles have
been fought. The confusing thing about this verse is that the king of
Judah, and the king of Israel, were called Jehoram. The Jehoram of
Israel was the one who was hurt.
II Chronicles 22:7 "And 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."
Ahaziah was the son of Joram of Judah. When he came to visit
Joram of Israel, and came against Jehu, he was defeated. God had
anointed Jehu to cut off the house of Ahab. Jehu killed all of the
house of Ahab in Israel.
II Chronicles 22:8 "And 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."
This is a case of being in the wrong place at the time of a
killing. They were guilty, because they were with Joram of Israel.
Jehu killed those of Judah, as well as those of Israel.
II Chronicles 22:9 "And 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."
It seems, that Ahaziah of Judah had gotten away, and the men of
Jehu found him, and brought him back to Jehu. He was slain with the
others. He had an honorable grave, because of the goodness of his
grandfather, Jehoshaphat.
II Chronicles 22:10 "But 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."
This very wicked queen mother, Athaliah, had all of her
relatives, that she could find, killed so that she could be queen. A
nurse hid one baby son by the name of Joash. In the eleventh chapter
of second Kings, we read of how the brave nurse saved Joash. He was
hidden in the temple, until he was crowned king.
II Chronicles 22:11 "But 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." II Chronicles 22:12 "And he was with them hid in
the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land."
Athaliah reigned as queen during this time. She was the most
wicked woman I have ever heard of. She killed her own grandchildren.
Joash was the only one saved. He was crowned king 7 years later.
2 Chronicles 22 Questions
1. Who reigned in Jehoram's stead?
2. Who had killed all of his brothers?
3. How old was Ahaziah, when he began to reign?
4. How long did he reign?
5. Athaliah was the ____________ of Omri.
6. Who was her father?
7. Whose ways did he walk in?
8. Who was his counsellor?
9. Who were his grandparents, who gave him terrible advice?
10. Who did he go to war with against Hazael, king of Syria?
11. Who returned to Jezreel to be healed?
12. What is another name for Jezreel?
13. What is so confusing about the leaders of Israel and Judah?
14. Who was Ahaziah?
15. Who had God anointed to cut off the family of Ahab?
16. Who did Jehu slay with the house of Ahab?
17. Where was Ahaziah hiding?
18. When they found him, what did they do to him?
19. Why was he buried honorably?
20. Who reigned in Judah now?
21. What evil thing did she do to remain queen?
22. Who was the only one saved alive?
23. Where was he kept in safety, until he was anointed king?
24. Who does the author believe is the most wicked woman in the Bible?
25. How many years, after he was hidden in the temple, was it before
Joash became king?
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