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.
Ahaziah, who was Ahab's son, became king of Israel in Samaria during the seventeenth year that Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, and he ruled over Israel for two years.
This verse records when Ahaziah became king of Israel and how long he ruled - just two years during Jehoshaphat's reign in Judah.
📚 Historical Context
This verse marks the beginning of Ahaziah's brief reign around 853-852 BC, following his father Ahab's death in battle. During this time, Israel and Judah were separate kingdoms, with Israel in the north (capital Samaria) and Judah in the south (capital Jerusalem). The writer uses Jehoshaphat's reign as a timeline reference, which was common practice for dating events in the divided kingdom period.
Ask the AI Assistant
Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.