Ahaziah (of Israel)
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Ahaziah was the son of Ahab and reigned two years over Israel from Samaria, serving Baal as his father and mother had done. When Jehoshaphat of Judah joined him in building ships at Ezion-geber to sail to Tarshish, a prophet condemned the alliance and the ships were broken. After Ahaziah fell through a lattice in his upper chamber and was injured, he sent messengers to ask Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether he would recover. Elijah met them with a question - 'Is it not because there is not a God in Israel?' - and the word that the king would die. Ahaziah sent three companies of fifty soldiers to seize the prophet, and fire from heaven consumed the first two. He died as Elijah had said and, having no son, was succeeded by his brother Jehoram (Joram).
Biography
- Occupation
- King of Israel
- Father
- Ahab
- Mother
- Jezebel
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
- Nationality
- Israelite
Family
Did You Know?
When his messengers described the man who met them as 'an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather,' Ahaziah knew at once: 'It is Elijah the Tishbite' (2 Kings 1:8).
Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron he tried to consult, is usually understood to mean 'lord of the flies'; by New Testament times Beelzebub had become a name for 'the prince of the devils' (Matthew 12:24).
1 Kings 22:49 records that Jehoshaphat refused Ahaziah's offer to send servants with his ships, while 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 tells of a joint fleet that was broken; read together, they may mean Jehoshaphat declined further partnership after the first ships were wrecked.
Key Chapters
Key Passages
Ahaziah's Evil Reign
1 Kings 22:51-53
Ahaziah carries on the worship of Baal, following both his father and his mother.
51haziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
Enquiring of Baal-zebub
2 Kings 1:2-4
In a crisis the king of Israel turns to a Philistine idol, and God answers through Elijah instead.
2nd Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.
Fire on the Captains
2 Kings 1:9-12
The king tries to command the prophet by force, but the God of Elijah cannot be summoned by royal order.
9hen the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
He Died According to the Word
2 Kings 1:15-17
Elijah delivers the sentence to the king's face, and it comes true exactly.
15nd the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
The Broken Ships
2 Chronicles 20:35-37
Jehoshaphat's partnership with Ahaziah, 'who did very wickedly,' ends in failure as a prophet had warned.
35nd after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly: