1Then the people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place, for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had killed all the older ones. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. 2Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri. 3He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. 4And he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father to his ruin.

5He also walked after their advice and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead. And the Syrians wounded Jehoram. 6And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel because he was sick.

7Now the downfall of Ahaziah was of God because, when he had come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

8And it came to pass when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab and found the princes of Judah and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah, the servants of Ahaziah, he killed them. 9And he looked for Ahaziah. And they caught him (for he was hidden in Samaria) and brought him to Jehu. And when they had killed him, they buried him because they said, "He is the son of Jehoshaphat who looked to the LORD with all his heart." And the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep the kingdom.

10Then Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, and she arose and destroyed all the royal seed of the house of Judah. 11But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king's sons who were killed. And she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. And Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah) hid him from Athaliah so that she did not kill him. 12And he was with them six years, hidden in the house of God. And Athaliah reigned over the land.