AHAZIAH (Heb., ‘Yahweh has grasped’).

1. Son and successor of Ahab, king of Israel, whose religious policy he continued unchanged (1 Ki. 22:51-2 Ki. 1:18). Consequently, the main interest in his 2-year reign for the biblical narrator is his clash with Elijah after he had sent to consult with Baalzebub, god of Ekron. At his accession, the revolt of Moab, which the Moabite Stone suggests may have started during the closing years of Ahab’s reign, was successfully concluded (2 Ki. 1:1; 3:5). Ahaziah also faced failure in his ill-fated attempt at a maritime alliance with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (2 Ch. 20:35-36; 1 Ki. 22:48-49). He died prematurely after a fall, and, having no son, was succeeded by his brother Jehoram.

2. Also called Jehoahaz (2 Ch. 21:17), a Variant form of the same name: the youngest son of Jehoram, king of Judah. Complementary accounts of his accession and assassination, based on independent sources which reflect differing interests, are found in 2 Ki. 8:25-29; 9:16-29; and 2 Ch. 22:1-9. He was placed on the throne by the inhabitants of Jerusalem as the sole surviving heir. His reign of less than a year was characterized by a close association with his uncle, Jehoram, king of Israel, no doubt under the influence of his mother, Athaliah. He was murdered during the purge of Jehu whilst visiting Jehoram, who was convalescing in Jezreel.