The Skeptics Annotated Bible (389 page)

18 And after all this
the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

19
And
it came to pass, that in process of time,
after the end of two years, his bowels fell out
by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.

(21.18-19) “The LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. And … after the end of two years, his bowels fell out.”
God’s 122nd Killing

20
Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years
, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

(21.20) “Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years.” Jehoram was 32 years old when he began to reign and he reigned for eight years and then died. After his death, his youngest son Ahaziah began to reign at the age of 42 (2 Chr 22.1-2). So the son (Ahaziah) was two years older than his father!

22
And
the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his 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.

(22.1) “The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for … the Arabians … had slain all the eldest.” In 2 Chr 21.14, God told Jehoram (via Elijah’s letter) that he would smite his sons, which he did by getting the Arabians to do it for him.
God’s 123rd Killing

2 Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.

(22.2) “Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign.” See note 21.20.

3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.

4 Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction.

5 He 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 smote Joram.

6 And 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 Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick.

(22.7-9) God approved of Jehu’s massacre of the families of Ahab and Ahaziah. God’s 124th Killing

7 And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

(22.7a) “The destruction of Ahaziah was of God.”

(22.7b) “Jehu … whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.” God told Jehu to kill everyone in the house of Ahab [and then later condemned him for it (Hosea 1.4)].
245 Did God commend or condemn Jehu for the killings at Jezreel?

8 And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.

(22.8)
“When Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.”

9
And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him
: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.

(22.9)
“And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him.”

10 But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.

11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. 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 slew him not.