1And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of robbers that came against them, even the Arabians and the Alimazonians, had slain all the elder ones. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

2Ahaziah began to reign when he was twenty years old, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri.

3And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab; for his mother was his counselor to do evil.

4And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord as the house of Ahab had done: for they were his counselors after the death of his father to his destruction.

5And he walked in their counsels, and he went with Joram son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria to Ramoth-gilead: and the archers smote Joram.

6And Joram returned to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds wherewith the Syrians smote him in Ramoth, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Joram the son of Ahab at Jezreel because he was sick.

7And destruction from God came upon Ahaziah in his coming to Joram; for when he had come, Jehoram went out with him against Jehu the son of Nimshi, the anointed of the Lord against the house of Ahab.

8And it came to pass, when Jehu was taking vengeance on the house of Ahab, that he found the princes of Judah and the brethren of Ahaziah ministering to Ahaziah, and he slew them.

9And he gave orders to seek Ahaziah: and they took him while he was healing his wounds in Samaria, and they brought him to Jehu, and he slew him; and they buried him, for they said, He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart. So there was none in the house of Ahaziah to secure their power in the kingdom.

10And Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, and she arose and destroyed all the seed royal in the house of Judah.

11But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and rescued him secretly out of the midst of the sons of the king that were put to death, and she placed him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath daughter of King Jehoram, sister of Ahaziah, wife of Jehoiada the priest, hid him, and she even hid him from Athaliah, and she did not slay him.

12And he was with him hidden in the house of God six years; and Athaliah reigned over the land.