²⁵ Jehoram’s son Ahaziah began to reign as king of Judah during the twelfth year of the reign of Ahab’s son Joram, king of Israel. ²⁶ Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for one year.

His mother was named Athaliah. She was the granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel. ²⁷ Ahaziah lived his life following the example of Ahab’s household, practicing what the Lord considered to be evil, just like the household of Ahab, because he was a son-in-law to Ahab’s household. ²⁸ He joined Ahab’s son Joram in an attack on King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, and that’s where the Arameans wounded Joram. ²⁹ Then King Joram retreated to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramah during the battle against King Hazael of Aram. Jehoram’s son Ahaziah, king of Judah, went to visit Ahab’s son Joram in Jezreel because Joram was sick.^[a]

Joram (Also Known as Jehoram) is Assassinated^(A)

¹⁴ Meanwhile, Jehoshaphat’s son Jehu, the grandson of Nimshi, had been conspiring against Joram while Joram and all the army of^[a] Israel had been defending Ramoth-gilead against King Hazael from Aram. (¹⁵ But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from wounds he had sustained from the Arameans when he had fought against King Hazael from Aram.) So Jehu concluded, “Since this is what you’ve decided,^[b] then let no one get away, leave the city, and go report to Jezreel!” ¹⁶ Then Jehu rode by chariot to Jezreel, since Joram was recovering^[c] there. King Ahaziah from Judah had come to visit Joram.

King Ahaziah is Also Killed^(A)

²⁷ As soon as King Ahaziah of Judah observed this, he attempted to flee by the garden house road, but Jehu pursued him. At the ascent toward Gur which is near Ibleam, he ordered, “Shoot him in the chariot, too!”

Ahaziah fled to Megiddo, where he died. ²⁸ Ahaziah’s servants transported the king’s body^[a] by chariot to Jerusalem and buried it in his own sepulcher near his ancestors in the City of David. ²⁹ Ahaziah had begun to reign over Judah in the eleventh year of the reign of^[b] Ahab’s son Joram.