Original Word: אֲחַזְיָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Achazyah
Pronunciation: ah-khaz-YAH
Phonetic Spelling: (akh-az-yaw')
KJV: Ahaziah
NASB: Ahaziah, Ahaziah's to Ahaziah
Word Origin: [from H270 (אָחַז - seized) and H3050 (יָהּ - LORD)]

1. Jah has seized
2. Achazjah, the name of a Jewish and an Israelite king

Ahaziah

Or (prolonged) rachazyahuw {akh-az-yaw'-hoo}; from 'achaz and Yahh; Jah has seized; Achazjah, the name of a Jewish and an Israelite king -- Ahaziah.

see HEBREW 'achaz

see HEBREW Yahh

Word Origin
from achaz and Yah
Definition
"Yah has grasped," the name of several Isr.
NASB Translation
Ahaziah (36), Ahaziah's to Ahaziah (1).

יַחְזֵרָה proper name, masculine 1 Chronicles 9:12 compare אֲחַזְיָהוּ b.

חַח, חָח see below חוח

Overview

The name אֲחַזְיָה (“Yah grasps / Yah holds firm”) is borne by two principal kings—one of Israel and one of Judah—and a few incidental figures. Together their narratives appear about thirty-seven times in the Old Testament. Each occurrence underlines the sovereignty of the LORD in raising up and removing rulers, rewarding faith, and judging apostasy.

Occurrences in Scripture

Principal references span 1 Kings 22; 2 Kings 1, 3, 8–9; 2 Chronicles 20, 22; with the remainder appearing in parallel or summary statements. Allusions cluster around:
• The close of Ahab’s dynasty (1 Kings 22:40-53; 2 Kings 1:1-18; 3:1)
• Jehoshaphat’s maritime alliance (2 Chronicles 20:35-37)
• The brief reign and execution of Judah’s king (2 Kings 8:24-29; 9:16-29; 2 Chronicles 22:1-9)

Ahaziah King of Israel (Northern Kingdom)

1. Accession and Political Context

On Ahab’s death “Ahaziah his son reigned in his place” (1 Kings 22:40). His two-year reign in Samaria (circa 853–852 BC) coincided with the rising Aramean threat and Moab’s revolt (2 Kings 1:1).

2. Religious Apostasy

Scripture repeatedly links him to the sins of Ahab and Jezebel. “He served Baal and worshiped him. He provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done” (1 Kings 22:53).

3. Maritime Alliance with Judah

Ignoring the prophetic rebuke Jehoshaphat had received for earlier alliances, the Judean king again cooperated with Israel. Together they outfitted ships for Tarshish, but “the LORD has destroyed your works. So the ships were wrecked and were unable to sail to Tarshish” (2 Chronicles 20:37). God’s intervention demonstrated that compromise with idolatry brings loss, even when initiated by an otherwise godly king.

4. Fatal Accident and Elijah’s Oracle

After falling through a lattice in his upper chamber, Ahaziah sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub. Elijah intercepted them: “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to inquire of Baal-zebub…? Therefore… You will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die” (2 Kings 1:3-4). The fire-from-heaven episodes that followed (2 Kings 1:9-12) affirmed divine authority over pagan deities and royal power alike. The king died “according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken” (2 Kings 1:17).

5. Legacy

With no son to succeed him, Ahaziah left the throne to his brother Jehoram. His reign exemplifies the inevitable judgment that falls on leaders who persist in the sins of their fathers.

Ahaziah King of Judah (Southern Kingdom)

1. Royal Line and Upbringing

Son of Jehoram and Athaliah (daughter of Ahab), Ahaziah was spiritually shaped by the house of Omri. “Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year” (2 Kings 8:26). His mother’s influence proved decisive: “He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother counseled him to do wickedly” (2 Chronicles 22:3).

2. Military Entanglement with Israel

He joined his uncle Joram of Israel against Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead (2 Kings 8:28). Returning to Jezreel to visit the wounded Joram, Ahaziah placed himself inside the LORD’s crosshairs as Jehu advanced with a divine mandate to end Ahab’s line (2 Kings 9:6-10).

3. Death under Jehu’s Purge

When Jehu’s arrow struck Joram, Ahaziah fled but was fatally wounded near Gur. “So he died, and they buried him, for they said, ‘He was a grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart’” (2 Chronicles 22:9). Even amid judgment, God honored His covenant with David by sparing the royal corpse from disgrace.

4. Aftermath and Preservation of the Davidic Line

Athaliah seized the throne and attempted to exterminate the entire royal seed. Yet the priest Jehoiada and his wife Jehosheba hid Joash, Ahaziah’s infant son, for six years (2 Chronicles 22:10-12). The LORD thus preserved the messianic line despite murderous opposition.

Minor Bearers of the Name

A few genealogical lists (for example, 1 Chronicles 3:11 and associated parallel notices) mention an Ahaziah among royal descendants. These references simply confirm the name’s circulation within the wider Davidic house.

Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty over Kings

Both rulers illustrate Proverbs 21:1: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD.” Their coronations, alliances, and deaths unfold according to God’s foreordained timetable.

2. Accountability for Covenant Faithfulness

Each Ahaziah embraced idolatry and suffered swift retribution. The LORD’s consistency in judging both Israel and Judah underscores His impartial holiness.

3. The Peril of Unsanctified Alliances

Jehoshaphat’s repeated partnerships with the northern kingdom cost him materially and sullied his witness. The narrative warns believers against yoking themselves with ungodliness (compare 2 Corinthians 6:14 in principle).

4. Preservation of the Messianic Promise

Though Athaliah nearly erased the royal offspring, God’s covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:12-16) stood firm. The concealed Joash prefigures the ultimate preservation of the messianic line culminating in Jesus Christ.

Practical Applications

• Spiritual heritage does not guarantee personal faithfulness; each generation must choose obedience.
• Reliance on worldly powers or false religion invites divine discipline.
• God’s prophetic word is unfailingly accurate and demands a response of repentance and trust.
• Even in chaotic political transitions, the LORD continues His redemptive plan.

Through the intertwined accounts of the two Ahaziahs, Scripture reinforces the timeless truth that “the counsel of the LORD stands forever” (Psalm 33:11).

אֲחַזְיָ֔הוּ אֲחַזְיָ֖ה אֲחַזְיָ֖הוּ אֲחַזְיָ֗ה אֲחַזְיָ֗הוּ אֲחַזְיָ֙הוּ֙ אֲחַזְיָ֛הוּ אֲחַזְיָ֜ה אֲחַזְיָ֜הוּ אֲחַזְיָ֣ה אֲחַזְיָ֣הוּ אֲחַזְיָ֤הוּ אֲחַזְיָ֥הוּ אֲחַזְיָ֨הוּ אֲחַזְיָֽה׃ אחזיה אחזיה׃ אחזיהו וַֽאֲחַזְיָה֙ וַאֲחַזְיָ֤ה וַאֲחַזְיָ֨הוּ ואחזיה ואחזיהו לַאֲחַזְיָ֖הוּ לאחזיהו ’ă·ḥaz·yā·hū ’ă·ḥaz·yāh ’ăḥazyāh ’ăḥazyāhū achazYah achazYahu la’ăḥazyāhū la·’ă·ḥaz·yā·hū laachazYahu vaachazYah vaachazYahu wa’ăḥazyāh wa’ăḥazyāhū wa·’ă·ḥaz·yā·hū wa·’ă·ḥaz·yāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts