Study Desk

Every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had helped them to rejoice over their enemies.

So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God gave him rest on all sides.

Now Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem.

He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for Ahab's daughter was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

Now it came about in the course of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels came out because of his sickness, and he died in great pain. And his people did not make a funeral fire for him like the fire for his fathers.

He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years; and he departed with no one's regret, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the band of men who came with the Arabs to the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.

Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri.

He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to act wickedly.

So 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 own destruction.

Now the destruction of Ahaziah was from God, in that he went to Joram. For when he arrived, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to eliminate the house of Ahab.

He also searched for Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was hiding in Samaria; they brought him to Jehu, put him to death, and buried him. For they said, "He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart." So there was no one of the house of Ahaziah to retain the power of the kingdom.

But Jehoshabeath the king's daughter took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons who were being put to death, and placed him and his nurse in the bedroom. So 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 would not put him to death.

He kept himself hidden with them in the house of God for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

"But no one is to enter the house of the LORD except the priests and the ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy. And all the people are to keep the command of the LORD.

The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of the divisions.

And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army, and said to them, "Bring her out between the ranks, and whoever follows her is to be put to death with the sword." For the priest said, "You shall not put her to death in the house of the LORD."

So all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was at rest. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.

Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Zibiah from Beersheba.