The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 185

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XL was prevailed upon to introduce the Baal• worship into Judah (oh. viii. 18; 2 Ohron. Ve!'ll. 1-21.-REVOLUTION IN JUDAll, FOL- x.xi. 5, 11), and Ahaziah prevailed upon to LOWING THE REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS Ill' maintain it (oh. viii. 27; 2 Chron. xxii. 3, lsR.u:L, REIGN OF ATllALlill OVER JUDAH. " He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab : for his mother wa, his counsellor 0oNBPm.&.OY OF JEROIAD.A., AND DEATH OF to do wickedly "). Ou the death of Ahazio.h, ATR.A.LlilL she found her position seriously imperilled. Vere. 1-3.-On learning the death of The crown would ho.ve pe.ssed naturally to one of her grandchildren, the eldest of the A.ha,ziah (oh. ix. 27), Athalia.h, daughter sons of Ahaziah. She would have lost her of Ahab and Jezebel, the queen-mother, position of gebirah, or queen-mother, which murders all her grandchildren (except the would have passed to the widow of Ahaziah, youngest, Joash, who is secreied. by his the mother of the new sovereign. If she annt, Jehosheba) and seizes the kingdom. did not at once Jose all infiueuoe, at any rate a oounter-influeuce to hers would have No resistance is made to her, and she retains been established ; and this might well he.ve the sole authority for six years. The wor- been that of the high priest, who we.a closely ship of Beal, introduced by Jehoram into connected by marriage with the royo.l family, J uda.h, and supported by Ahaziah ( oh. viii Un<ler these circumstances, she took the bold 27), is maintained by her (oh. :ri. 18). resolution described in the next clause. She arose and destroyed all the seed roye.l. She Ver. 1.-A.nd when Atha.lia.h the mother issued her orders, and had all the members of Ahazi&h 118.W that her son was dead. (On of the house of David on whom she could Athalii.h, set> the comment upon eh. viiL lay her hands put to death. The royal 18.) She we.a married to Je\Jomm, son of house had al.ready been gree.tly depleted by Jehoshaphat, probably in the lifetime of his Jehoram's murder of his brothers (2 Chron, father, to cement the alliance concluded be- x:ri. 4), by Arab mamuders (2 Chron. :u:i. tween Ahab and Jehoshaphat against tl.ie 17), and by Jehu's murder of the" brethren Syrians (1 Kings =ii. 2-4). She inl.ieriteJ of Ahaziah" (eh. x. 14); but it is olee.r that much of her mc,ther Jezebel's character, ob- Ahaziah had left severe.I sons behind him, tained an unlimited ascendancy over her and some of his "brethren " he.d e.lso, in husband, Jehora.m, and kept her son Aha- e.11 probability, loft issue. There may also zia.h in leading-strings. It we.s unquestion- have been many other descen<le.nts of David a.bly through her influence tha.t Jehoram in J udoh, belonging to other branches of the OH, XI, 1-21.] THE SECOND BOOK OF 'lHE KINGS. 227