2 Chronicles 22

ANd the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son, king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians Either 1. A cruel fort of Men who came along wich the Arabians, and therefore slew those whom the Arabians had spared and only carried into Captivity. Or 2 The Philistins, who did accompany the Arabians in this Expedition, ch. 21. 16. who lived near the Kingdom of Judah, and therefore thought to make as sure work as they could in destroying all the Branches of the Royal Family who otherwise, they expected, would recover Strength and revenge themselves upon them. to the camp, had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign Obj. He was then only 22 years old, as is affirmed, 2 King. 8. 26. Besides, Joram his Father, died in his fortieth year, as is twice noted, ch. 21. 5, 20. how then can this be true? Ans. 1. In the Hebrew it is, A son of 42 years, &c. which is an ambiguous Phrase, and though it does for the most part, yet it does not always signifie the Age of the Person, as is manifest from 1 Sam. 13. 1 where see the Notes. And therefore it is not necessary that this should note his Age, (as it is generally presumed to do, and that is the only ground of the difficulty) but it may note either 1. The Age of his Mother Athaliah; who being so great, and infamous, and mischievous a person to the Kingdom and Royal Family of Judah, it is not strange if her Age be here described, especially seeing she her self did for a season sway this Scepter. Or, rather 2. Of the Reign of that Royal Race and Family from which by his Mother he was descended, to wit, of the house of Omri, who reigned 6 years, 1 King. 16. 23 Ahab his son reigned 22 years, 1 King. 1.... 29. Ahaziah his Son 2 years, 1 King. 22. 51.... oram his Son 12 years, 2 King. 3. 1. All which put together make up exactly these 42 years. For Ahaziah began his Reign in Jorams 12th. year, 2 King. 8. 25. And such a kind of Computation of the years not of the Kings Person, but of his reign or Kingdom we had before, ch. 16. 1. where see the notes. And so we have of the Persons Age, in 2 King. 8. 26. and here of the K... to which he belonged. Ans. 2. Some acknowledge an in the Transcribers of the present Hebrew Copies, in which Language the num... l Letters for 22 and 42 are so like, that they might easily be mistaken. For that it was read 22 here, as it is in the Book of Kings, in other Hebrew Copies, they gather from hence, that it is at this day so read in divers ancient Greek Copies, as also in those two Ancient Translations, the Syriack and the Arabick, and particularly in that Famous and most Ancient Copy of the Syriack which was used by the Church of Antioch in the Primitive Times, and to this day is kept in the Church of Antioch, from which that most Reverend, Learned, Pious, and Publick-spi... ted Archbishop Usher did at his own great Charge get another Copy transcribed, in which he has published to all the World that he found it here written, Twenty and two years old, &c. Nor does this overthrow the Authority of the Sacred Text, as Infidels would have it, partly because it is only an Historical Passage of no Importance to the Substantial Doctrines of Faith and a good Life; and partly because the Question here is not whether this Text be true, but which is the true Reading of the Text, whether that of the generality of present Copies, or that which was used in the Ancient Copies, which the Ancient and Venerable Translators above mentioned did follow: For it seems unreasonable and uncharitable to think that all of them would have conspired to have changed the Text, and put in twenty and two, for forty and two, if they had so read it in their Hebrew Copies. Nor can this open any great Door to those innumerable Changes which some have boldly and rashly made in the Hebrew Text without any such pretence of Authority, as there is for this, which as they are affirmed without reason, or authority, or necessity, so they may as easily be rejected. If all this will not satisfie our present Infidels, I desire them only to consider what has been hinted before upon such Occasions, that many Difficulties which did seem unanswerable, being now fully cleared by later Writers, it is but reasonable to think that this may be so in after times, either by finding of some Hebrew Copies in which it may be Twenty and two years, &c. or by some other way., and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: his mothers name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri i. e. Of Omri's Family: Or of Ahab Omri's Son. Grandchildren are oft called Sons and Daughters, as Mat. 1. 1. Luk. 3. 26..

He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counseller Being a Crafty and an Imperious Woman. to do wickedly.

Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellers after the death of his father Who, whilest he lived, seduced his Son by his Counsel and Authority, and made other Evil Counsellers then unnecessary., to his destruction.

He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel, to war against Hazael Following the Evil Example of Jehoshaphat therein. ch. 18. though he would not follow him in what was good. But of this and the following verses see 2 King. 8. 28, 29. & 9. 21, 27. king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.

And he returned to be healed in Jezreel, because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he sought 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 destruction of Ahaziah was of God By his Providence so disposing Occasions and Ahaziah's Inclinations, that he should come at that season to receive his deserved Judgment. 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.

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 Either properly so called: Or the Sons of his Cousins or near Kinsmen, who are oft called Brethren: for his Brethren were slain, v. 1. of Ahaziah, that ministred to Ahaziah, he slew them That came thither to wait upon their King Ahaziah, as is here implyed, and withal to visit Joram and his Children, as is noted, 2 King. 10. 13..

And he sought Ahaziah Who, though wounded, had made an escape, 2 King 9. 27.: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria Either 1. In the Kingdom of Samaria, to wit, in Megiddo: Or, 2. In the City of Samaria: and so he fled first to Megiddo; and, not thinking himself safe there, he fled to Samaria, where he was taken and sent thence by Jehu's Order to Samaria, where he received the Sentence of Death. See more of this matter upon 2 King. 9. 27. and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him They gave his Servants leave to carry him away to Jerusalem and bury him there, 2 King. 9. 28. Both God and Men are oft times said to do what they and others do by their permission when they could hinder them., because (said they) he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah i. e. His Posterity, because they were young and feeble, being ground between two Milstones, the great and growing power of Jehu; and the craft and tyranny of Athaliah. had no power to keep still the kingdom.

But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah This, and v. 11, 12. are explained on 2 Kings 11. 1, 2, 3., saw that her son was dead, she arose, and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.

But Jehoshabeath the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the kings sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bed-chamber. So Jehoshabeath the daughter of king Jehoram, the wise of Jehojada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.

And he was with them hid in the house of God six years, and Athaliah reigned over the land.