1 Kings 22 51

1 Kings 22:51 kjv

Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

1 Kings 22:51 nkjv

Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

1 Kings 22:51 niv

Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.

1 Kings 22:51 esv

Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel.

1 Kings 22:51 nlt

Ahaziah son of Ahab began to rule over Israel in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat's reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria two years.

1 Kings 22 verses

1 Kings 22 51 Meaning

This verse formally introduces Ahaziah, the son of King Ahab, as the new king of the northern kingdom of Israel. It states that his reign commenced in Samaria during the seventeenth regnal year of Jehoshaphat, who was the king of Judah, and that Ahaziah ruled for a duration of two years. It marks the transition of power in Israel and provides a crucial synchronism for biblical chronology.

1 Kings 22 51 Context

This verse is the formal beginning of King Ahaziah of Israel's brief reign, immediately following the lengthy and largely wicked rule of his father, Ahab, who had recently died in battle. It serves as a pivotal chronological marker within the book of 1 Kings, syncing the Israelite king's ascent to the throne with a specific year in the reign of Jehoshaphat, the king of the southern kingdom of Judah. This synchronism is vital for biblical chronology. The immediate literary context for Ahaziah's personal character and actions is found in the very next verses (1 Ki 22:52-53) and then more extensively in 2 Kings chapter 1, which details his idolatry, illness, and ultimate death at the hand of divine judgment via the prophet Elijah. The wider historical context is the divided kingdom period, where the two nations of Israel and Judah, despite their shared ancestry, often had volatile relationships, marked by shifting alliances, conflicts, and religious divergence. Samaria served as the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, a city notable for its prosperity and also for becoming a center of idolatrous worship under kings like Ahab.

1 Kings 22 51 Word analysis

• Ahaziah (אֲחַזְיָה - ʼĂḥazyâ): "Yahweh has grasped" or "Yahweh sustains." The name itself contains the divine name "Yahweh," but it stands in stark contrast to his ungodly character and ultimate divine judgment described in later verses. He follows his father's wicked ways, proving that a God-centered name does not guarantee a God-centered life.
• the son of Ahab: Directly links Ahaziah to his infamous father, King Ahab, and by extension, his mother, Jezebel. This lineage carries significant theological weight, suggesting the perpetuation of the wicked dynasty that had deeply entrenched Baal worship in Israel, bringing the kingdom further under divine displeasure. This familial identifier often portends a similar character.
• began to reign: (הָלַךְ וַיִּמְלֹךְ - hālak wayyimlōḵ): Lit. "he went and reigned." This phrase marks the commencement of his kingship, a formal inauguration. In the context of the Davidic covenant and the subsequent conditional covenants for Israel's kings, this act of "reigning" carried a heavy responsibility to uphold the law of God.
• over Israel: Specifically denotes the northern kingdom, distinct from Judah. This emphasizes the continued division of the twelve tribes into two separate entities after the time of Solomon.
• in Samaria: The capital city of the northern kingdom, built by Omri, Ahab's father. Samaria had become the epicenter of political power and, lamentably, idolatrous worship, particularly Baalism, during Ahab's reign. Its identification as Ahaziah's base highlights the deep-seated idolatry in the kingdom.
• in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah: This precise chronological synchronism is crucial for dating events in biblical history, especially during the Divided Monarchy. It links the history of Israel directly with that of Judah. This particular synchronism, when compared with other biblical dates (e.g., Jehoram of Israel begins reign in Jehoshaphat's 18th year, 2 Ki 3:1), has led scholars to consider possibilities such as a co-regency between Ahaziah and Ahab or different dating methodologies employed by the biblical authors, ensuring a meticulous and accurate record for the ancient reader.
• and he reigned two years over Israel: This indicates the brevity of his rule. A short reign for a king in Kings is often implicitly, and sometimes explicitly, linked to divine displeasure or judgment upon a wicked ruler or his dynasty. For Ahaziah, his two-year reign would soon be abruptly cut short, as elaborated in 2 Kings 1.

1 Kings 22 51 Bonus section

The seemingly short two-year reign of Ahaziah recorded here, coupled with the mention in 2 Kings 1:17 that his brother Jehoram succeeded him in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, has led biblical scholars to propose that Ahaziah may have ruled for some time as co-regent with his father Ahab before his independent two-year reign mentioned in this verse. Such co-regencies were not uncommon in ancient Near Eastern monarchies, providing a smoother transition of power and preparing the heir. This understanding helps reconcile the apparent discrepancy in the timeline and showcases the intricate nature of biblical chronology. Ahaziah's introduction here is critical not just for dating, but as a setup for his dramatic confrontation with Elijah in 2 Kings, confirming his alignment with his parents' idolatrous policies.

1 Kings 22 51 Commentary

1 Kings 22:51 succinctly introduces Ahaziah, King Ahab's successor, marking a continuation of a troubled dynastic line in Israel. The immediate mention of "son of Ahab" serves as a profound indicator of his expected character, echoing the deeply embedded wickedness and Baal worship propagated by his father. His brief two-year reign in Samaria, a capital steeped in idolatry, foreshadows the instability and divine judgment that would characterize his rule. The verse's primary function is historical, providing a critical chronological synchronism with Jehoshaphat of Judah, yet it implicitly carries theological weight, preparing the reader for a continuation of Israel's spiritual decline under a king whose actions would soon invite prophetic confrontation and swift divine consequence, further illustrating God's judgment against apostasy in leadership.