Athaliah Queen of Judah

2022-05-24

A relative of King Ahab and mother of King Ahaziah, Athaliah daughter of Omri saw a power vacuum and usurped the throne of Judah. She saw that all her relatives in Israel were killed by Jehu, as well as the brothers of Ahaziah. She was the last of the family of Ahab, and perhaps this was a motivator for her ambition. If she did not take command, her life might be in danger. Therefore, whatever children were not killed by Jehu, she killed, and became the only queen of Judah in history.

The only remaining seed royal was Joash, who was hidden by his sister Jehoshabeath, wife to Jehoiada the priest, who secretly raised him. Jehoiada secured himself power over six years to reestablish the throne of David. When the godly priest did so, he gathered to himself Levites, made a covenant with the new young king Joash, and slew Athaliah. As she was captured, she ironically cried, “Treason, Treason” (1 Chronicles 23:13). She left a legacy of evil that her successors had to clean up after her: “For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim” (2 Chronicles 24:7).

This is a part of the Kings of Judah series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.