And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab ,.... Worshipping the calves, and Baal also: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab ; he was the son of Jehoram, who was son-in-law to Ahab, having married his daughter, which accounts for his being guilty of the same idolatrous practices. read more
THE SEQUEL OF THE STORY OF THE SHUNAMMITE . THE KILLING OF BENHADAD BY HAZAEL ; AND THE WICKED REIGNS OF JEHORAM AND AHAZIAH IN JUDAH . read more
The power of bad women for evil. All the evil wrought, all the irreligion, all the licentiousness and depravity, and almost all the misery suffered during the reigns of Ahab, Ahaziah, and Jehoram in Israel, and of Jehoram and Ahaziah in Judah, were caused by the machinations and influence of two wicked women—Jezebel and her daughter Athaliah. Jezebel, a proud imperious woman, born in the purple, a "king's daughter;" and extraordinarily strong-minded and unscrupulous, obtained a complete... read more
Two kings of Judah. (On the chronology, see Exposition.) The reigns of Jehoram and Ahaziah are black spots in the history of Judah. I. JEHORAM , SON OF JEHOSHAPHAT . We may notice concerning this ruler: 1. He had a pious father . We may quote Thomas Fuller's quaint comments on this part of the Savior's genealogy: "Lord, I find the genealogy of my Savior strangely checkered with four remarkable changes in four immediate generations. I see, Lord, from hence, that my... read more
THE WICKED REIGN OF AHAZIAH IN JUDAH . The writer continues the history of Judah through another reign—a very short one-almost to its close. He describes the wickedness of Ahaziah, for the most part, in general terms, attributes it to his connection with the "house of Ahab ," and notes his alliance with Joram of Israel against the Syrians, and his visit to his brother monarch at Samaria, which led on to his death. read more
And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab. Compare what is said of Ahaziah of Israel in 1 Kings 22:52 , 1 Kings 22:53 , and of Jehoram of Judah in the present chapter ( 1 Kings 22:18 ). What is specially intended is that Ahaziah kept up the Baal-worship introduced by his father into Judah. And did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab ; literally, for he was related by marriage to the house of Ahab . צתן ... read more
2 Kings 8:26-27. Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign How this agrees with 2 Chronicles 22:2, see on that place. The daughter of Omri That is, his grand-daughter, 2 Kings 8:18. He walked in the way of the house of Ahab He not only worshipped the calves, but also Baal. For he was son-in-law of the house of Ahab And so was corrupted in his religion by his connection with that idolatrous and wicked family. He was the proper son of Athaliah, daughter of Ahab, and... read more
8:16-12:21 REMOVAL OF JEZEBEL’S BAALISMJezebel’s Baalism spreads to Judah (8:16-9:10)The writer now returns to his historical account of the kings of Judah and Israel. Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram, who was married to Athaliah the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, became king of Judah after his father’s death. Through Athaliah, Jezebel’s Baalism spread to Judah. Jehoram made sure that no one challenged his right to do as he pleased by killing all likely rivals. Because of this and his support for... read more
6. Ahaziah’s evil reign in Judah 8:25-9:29There were two King Ahaziahs as there were two King Jehorams, one of each in each kingdom. Both Ahaziahs reigned only one year each, but their administrations did not overlap. The administrations of the two Jehorams did overlap. Ahaziah of Israel reigned 11 years earlier than Ahaziah of Judah. In Judah, Jehoram (853-841 B.C) preceded Ahaziah (841 B.C.), but in Israel Ahaziah (853-852 B.C.) preceded Jehoram (852-841 B.C.).YearSouthern (Judean)... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 8:25-29
As among common persons there are some that we call little men, who make no figure, are little regarded, as less valued, so among kings there are some whom, in comparison with others, we may call little kings. This Ahaziah was one of these; he looks mean in the history, and in God's account vile, because wicked. It is too plain an evidence of the affinity between Jehoshaphat and Ahab that they had the same names in their families at the same time, in which, we may suppose, they designed to... read more