youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. [1]2Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Athaliah the [2]daughter of Omri. 3He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly. 4And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father, to his destruction. 5He walked also after their counsel, 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 Joram. 6And he returned to be healed in Jezreel [3]of the wounds which
to the camp] or to the host. The sense seems to be that the princes of the royal house were with the army in the field and were slain by a surprise attack of a party from the Philistine and Arabian forces (xxi. 16). The LXX. reads, Αραβες οἱ Ἀλειμαζονεῖς, i.e. apparently "the Arabians of Mazin"; but in all probability this reading is a mere error derived from a transliteration of the Heb. word rendered "to the camp" (see Torrey, Ezra Studies, p. 74).
2. Forty and two years old] The LXX. "twenty years old" is preferable, agreeing nearly with 2 Kin. viii. 26, "two and twenty years old" (Heb. and LXX.).
daughter of Omri] So 2 Kin. viii. 26, but more correctly "daughter of Ahab" (ibid. ver. 18).
4. after the death of his father] This phrase suggests that he acted as regent in his father's lifetime during his father's two years' illness.
5, 6 (= 2 Kin. viii. 28, 29). The Alliance with Jehoram of Israel.
5. Joram] or Jehoram. The variation is unimportant.
6. Jezreel] A city some distance to the north of Samaria, giving its name to the plain of Jezreel (Esdraelon). Ahab had a house there (1 Kin. xxi. 1), probably a country house judging from the incident of Naboth's vineyard. It is the modern Zer'in, a town situated on a hill commanding a wide view towards the west and the east, Bädeker, Pal.5, p. 244.
