Genealogy of King Ahaz in the Book of Kings
The genealogy of King Ahaz in the Book of Kings is recorded in 2 Kings 15:38 and 16:1-20. Ahaz was the son of Jotham and became king of Judah at the age of twenty [5]. He reigned for sixteen years, a period marked by significant turmoil and idolatry [1, 3].
Ahaz's lineage is traced back to King David through his father Jotham, who was the son of Uzziah (also known as Azariah) [7]. The biblical account highlights Ahaz's wicked reign, characterized by his adoption of idolatrous practices and his failure to follow the Lord [4].
The genealogical records of Ahaz are found in multiple biblical sources, including 1 Chronicles 3:13 and Matthew 1:9. In 1 Chronicles 3:13, Ahaz is listed as the son of Jotham and the father of Hezekiah [2]. The New Testament genealogy in Matthew 1:9 also includes Ahaz in the lineage of Jesus Christ, underscoring his place within the messianic lineage [9].
Different traditions have noted discrepancies in the biblical account of Ahaz's age and family. For instance, Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for sixteen years, making him thirty-six years old when he died. However, his son Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he succeeded him, suggesting that Hezekiah was born when Ahaz was eleven years old [8]. This chronological issue has been addressed by various commentators, with some proposing a co-regency between Ahaz and his father Jotham to resolve the discrepancy [6].
The biblical narrative also highlights Ahaz's interactions with other nations, including his appeal to Tiglath-pileser, the king of Assyria, for help against the threats from Rezin, king of Damascus, and Pekah, king of Israel [4]. This episode is documented in 2 Kings 16:7-9 and Isaiah 7:1-17, demonstrating Ahaz's reliance on foreign powers rather than trusting in God.
The historical context of Ahaz's reign is further illuminated by the prophecies of Isaiah, who addressed the king and the people of Judah during this period [7, 10]. Isaiah's prophecies provide insight into the theological and political dynamics of Ahaz's reign, emphasizing the need for faith and trust in God amidst the challenges faced by Judah.
The various biblical and interpretive sources provide a comprehensive understanding of Ahaz's genealogy and reign, highlighting both the historical context and the theological significance of his kingship. Ahaz's legacy is marked by his failure to follow God faithfully, a theme that is woven throughout the biblical narrative [1, 4].
Sources
- II Kings “II Kings 16:19 (Rotherham) — Now, the rest of the story of Ahaz, what he did, is, it, not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?”
- I Chronicles “I Chronicles 3:13 (LEB) — Ahaz was his son, Hezekiah was his son, Manasseh was his son,”
- King James Version “[KJV] 2 Kings 16:19 — Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ahaz — Possessor. (1.) A grandson of Jonathan (1 Chr. 8:35; 9:42). (2.) The son and successor of Jotham, king of Judah (2 Kings 16; Isa. 7-9; 2 Chr. 28). He gave himself up to a life of wickedness and idolatry. Notwithstanding the remonstrances and warnings of Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah, he appealed for help against Rezin, king of Damascus, and Pekah, king of Israel, who threatened Jerusalem, to Tiglath-pileser, the king of Assyria, to the great injury of his kingdom and his own humilating subjection to the Assyrians (2 Kings 16:7, 9; 15:29). He also introduced among h”
- 2 Kings (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Kings 16:1: In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. Jotham began to reign in the second of Pekah, and he reigned sixteen years, and therefore his last year would fall in the eighteenth of Pekah; but as his first year might be at the beginning of the second of Pekah, his last was towards the end of the seventeenth of Pekah's, as here; see Kg2 15:32. . 2 Kings 16:2 kg2 16:2 kg2 16:2 kg2 16:2Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem,.... The same number of years his f”
- 2 Chronicles (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Chronicles 28:1: 28:1 After a co-regency with his father, Jotham, Ahaz became king in his own right and reigned . . . sixteen years, from 731 to 715 BC.”
- Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 7:1: And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah king of Judah,.... Here begins a new prophecy under the reign of another king; who, though a wicked king, had religious ancestors; and who are mentioned, not, as the Jewish writers (u) generally say, because it was owing to their worthiness that the enemies of Ahaz could not prevail against him; but because it was under these kings the prophet had prophesied: what is contained in the first five chapters were delivered in the times of Uzziah; and the vision in the sixth was in the times of Joth”
- 2 Kings (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Kings 16:2: Twenty years old was Ahaz - Here is another considerable difficulty in the chronology. Ahaz was but twenty years old when he began to reign, and he died after he had reigned sixteen years; consequently his whole age amounted only to thirty-six years. But Hezekiah his son was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and if this were so, then Ahaz must have been the father of Hezekiah when he was but eleven years of age! Some think that the twenty years mentioned here respect the beginning of the reign of Jotham, father of Ahaz; so that the passage should be thu”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 1:9: And Ozias begat Joatham,.... Called Jotham, Kg2 15:7 him Ozias begat of Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok, Kg2 15:33. And Joatham begat Achaz, or Ahaz, Kg2 15:38 to him the sign was given, and the famous prophecy of the Messiah, Isa 7:14. And Achaz begat Ezekias, or Hezekiah, Kg2 16:20 him Ahaz begat of Abi, the daughter of Zachariah, Kg2 18:2. He was a very religious king, and had that singular favour from God to have fifteen years added to his days, Isa 38:5.”
- Isaiah (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Isaiah 7 (introduction): As the following prophecies could not be understood apart from the historical circumstances to which they refer, the prophet commences with a historical announcement."It came to pass, in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah (Uziyhu), king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aramaea, and Pekah (Pekach) the son of Remaliah (Remalyhu), king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, and (he) could not make war upon it." We have the same words, with only slight variations, in the history of the reign of Ahaz in Kg2 16:5. That t”