¶ And the inhabitants¹ of Jerusalem made Ahaziah² his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain⁵ all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

Forty and two⁶ years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Athaliah⁷ the daughter of Omri.

He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother⁸ was his counsellor⁹ to do wickedly.

Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his¹⁰ counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction.

He walked¹¹ also after their counsel, and went with¹² Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramothgilead¹³: and the Syrians smote Joram.

And he returned¹⁴ to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were given him¹⁵ 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.

And the destruction¹⁸ of Ahaziah was of God¹⁹ by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out²⁰ with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had²¹ anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

And it came to pass, that, when Jehu²² 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.

And he sought Ahaziah²³: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria²⁴,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because,²⁵ said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat²⁶, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house²⁷ of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.

¶ But when Athaliah²⁸ the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.

But Jehoshabeath²⁹, 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 bedchamber³⁰. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada³¹ the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not³².

And he was with them hid in the house³³ of God six years: and Athaliah³⁴ reigned over the land.