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Portrait of Jehoahaz (of Israel)

Jehoahaz was the son of Jehu and reigned seventeen years over Israel from Samaria. He kept the golden-calf worship of Jeroboam, and during his reign the LORD gave Israel into the hand of Hazael king of Syria and his son Ben-hadad, who reduced Israel's army to fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen. Yet when Jehoahaz 'besought the LORD,' God heard him and gave Israel 'a saviour' who brought relief from the Syrians. He was buried in Samaria and succeeded by his son Jehoash.

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Biography

Occupation
King of Israel
Father
Jehu (King)
Children
Jehoash (of Israel)
Era
Divided Kingdom
Nationality
Israelite

Family

Parents
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Jehoahaz (of Israel)
↓
Children
Jehoash (of Israel)
Old Testament Divided Kingdom King 2 Kings

Did You Know?

1

Scripture does not name the 'savior' God sent to Israel in his day (2 Kings 13:5); suggestions include his son Jehoash, his grandson Jeroboam II, or an Assyrian king whose campaigns weakened Damascus.

2

Though he did evil, his prayer was heard: 'the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel' (2 Kings 13:4).

3

He was the first of the four generations of Jehu's descendants promised the throne of Israel in 2 Kings 10:30.

Key Chapters

Key Passages

Jehoahaz Begins to Reign

2 Kings 13:1-3

Israel's continued idolatry brings years of oppression under Syria.

I1n the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. 3 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days.

Read full chapter: 2 Kings 13 →

Jehoahaz Besought the LORD

2 Kings 13:4-6

Even an unfaithful king's prayer is heard, a striking picture of God's compassion toward His suffering people.

A4nd Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.

5 (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime. 6 Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)

Read full chapter: 2 Kings 13 →

An Army Like Dust

2 Kings 13:7-9

Israel's military strength is reduced to almost nothing, a measure of how far the nation had fallen.

N7either did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.

8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.

Read full chapter: 2 Kings 13 →