Contents
- New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. I: Aachen - Basilians
- New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge [Dictionary edition]
- Smith's Bible Dictionary
- Easton's Bible Dictionary
- Nave's Topical Bible.
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
| « Ahaz | Ahaziah | Ahijah » |
Ahaziah
AHAZIAH, ê´´hɑ-zɑi´ɑ̄: 1. Eighth king of Israel, son and successor of Ahab. He reigned about two years (856-855 B.C., according to Kamphausen; for other views, see the dates given for the close of his father’s reign in the article Ahab). Little is known of his reign. Doubtless he ended the war with Ben-hadad (see Ahab) by treaty. After Ahab’s death, the Moabites rebelled successfully; but Ahaziah seems to have undertaken no war against them. He had the misfortune to fall from a window and received serious injury; being a 98 worshiper of Baal, he sent to Ekron to seek counsel from Baal-zebub; and his messengers were met on the way by Elijah, who foretold a fatal issue of his sickness as a punishment for sending to Baal. His history is found in I Kings xxii. 49-II Kings 1.
The death of Ahab and accession of Ahaziah of Israel fell in 853 B.C. (see Ahab), as is now generally agreed. Jehu acceded in 842 B.C., for in that year he paid homage to Shalmaneser II. according to the statement of the latter on his Black Obelisk. But Joram, who comes between Ahaziah and Jehu, reigned “twelve years” (II Kings iii. 1). This term seems to fill up the whole time between 853 and 842, inclusive. Accordingly the sickness of Ahaziah and active regency of Joram began just after the accession of the former, whose very brief reign could have had no significance whatever.
2. Sixth king of Judah, son of Jehoram. He reigned one year (884 B.C., according to the older computation; 843, according to Kamphausen; 842, according to Hommel). He married a daughter of Ahab, and it is therefore not surprising that he was a Baal-worshiper. His relation with the house of Omri caused his early death. He joined his brother-in-law, Joram of Israel, in a campaign against Hazael of Damascus, and the two allies attacked Ramoth-gilead. Joram was wounded and returned to Jezreel, whither Ahaziah went to visit him, and there he fell into the hands of Jehu, who killed him as a member of the house of Omri. The accounts of his death in Kings and Chronicles can not be reconciled. His history is found in II Kings viii. 25-ix. 29; II Chron. xxii. 1-9.
Bibliography: Consult the works mentioned under Ahab.
| « Ahaz | Ahaziah | Ahijah » |