Det delade kungariketQueenRulerUsurperQueen motherc. 900–835 B.C.
Athaliah, also known as Adaliah in Norwegian tradition, belonged to the Omride dynasty of the northern kingdom of Israel. Her exact family relationship is debated among scholars: the biblical texts alternately refer to her as the daughter of Ahab and as the granddaughter of Omri. Through a dynastic marriage with King Joram, she became connected to the royal house of Judah, and she introduced Baal worship into the southern kingdom. When her son Ahaziah was killed during Jehu's revolt against the Omride dynasty, Athaliah seized power and sought to wipe out the entire royal line of David to secure her position. For about six years (c. 841–835 BC), she ruled as the only woman ever to hold sole power over Israel or Judah. The secret rescue of her grandson Joash—hidden in the temple by his aunt Jehosheba, Ahaziah's sister, and the priest Jehoiada—ensured that David's dynastic line was preserved. When Jehoiada finally organized a coup, crowned Joash, and renewed the covenant between the Lord and the people, Athaliah was overthrown and executed outside the temple area. Her reign illustrates the destructiveness of foreign religious influence in Judah, but also God's faithful protection of His covenant promise to David regarding an enduring kingdom.
Athaliah married King Joram of Judah as part of a political alliance between the Omride dynasty in Israel and the royal house of Judah, bringing Baal worship into the southern kingdom.
6He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he had married a daughter of Ahab. He did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD.
After Joram's death, his son Ahaziah became king over Judah. Athaliah served as his advisor and led him to follow the ways of Ahab's house, which was evil in the Lord's sight.
2Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah, granddaughter of Omri. [Footnote: The parallel account and some ancient witnesses read twenty-two years old.]
King Ahaziah of Judah was killed by Jehu during his revolt against the house of Ahab in Israel. This change of power paved the way for Athaliah's takeover in Judah.
7Ahaziah's downfall came from God through this visit to Joram. For when he arrived, he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.
8While Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he came upon the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers, who served Ahaziah, and he killed them.
9Then he searched for Ahaziah, and they captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. They brought him to Jehu and put him to death, but they buried him, for they said, "He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart." And the house of Ahaziah had no one strong enough to hold the kingdom.
27When Ahaziah king of Judah saw what was happening, he fled up the road toward Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, shouting, "Shoot him down too!" They wounded him in his chariot on the way up to Gur near Ibleam. He fled to Megiddo and died there.
The young prince Joash was secretly rescued by Jehosheba, who was Ahaziah's sister, along with the priest Jehoiada, her husband. Joash was hidden in the temple for six years while Athaliah ruled over Judah.
11But Jehoshabeath, the king's daughter, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were being put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest—she was Ahaziah's sister—hid him from Athaliah, and Athaliah did not put him to death.
2But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were being put to death. She hid him and his nurse in a bedroom, out of Athaliah's sight, and so he was not killed.
After six years, the priest Jehoiada organized a coup and crowned the young Joash as the rightful king. Jehoiada ordered that Athaliah be led out between the ranks and not killed in the house of the Lord. She was executed at the horse gate of the king's house, and David's dynasty was restored.
13She looked, and there was the king, standing by his pillar at the entrance, with the officers and the trumpeters beside him. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers were leading the praise with their instruments. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, "Treason! Treason!"
14Jehoiada the priest brought out the commanders of hundreds who were in charge of the troops and said to them, "Take her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "Do not put her to death in the house of the LORD."
14There she saw the king standing by the pillar, as the custom was, with the officers and the trumpeters beside him, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, "Treason! Treason!"
15Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds who were in charge of the troops, "Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD."