2 Kings 8:26

2Ki 8:26 Two and twenty years old [was] Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name [was] Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.

Ver. 26. Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah.] Two and forty, saith another prophet, {2Ch 22:2} though the Septuagint there also have two and twenty: so have the Syriac and Arabic versions. Here, therefore, some say, but erroneously, that the text in the Chronicles hath been erroneously copied out, and ought to be corrected by this in the Kings. Others answer better, that those forty-two years are to be understood of the continuance of Omri’s pedigree, from whom Ahaziah descended by his mother Athaliah, as we here have it in this verse. Vide Sharpii Symphoniam, page 203.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 8:26-27. Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign — How this agrees with 2Ch 22:2, see on that place. The daughter of Omri — That is, his grand-daughter, 2Ki 8:18. He walked in the way of the house of Ahab — He not only worshipped the calves, but also Baal. For he was son-in-law of the house of Ahab — And so was corrupted in his religion by his connection with that idolatrous and wicked family. He was the proper son of Athaliah, daughter of Ahab, and the grandson-in-law of Ahab, his father Joram being properly Ahab’s son-in- law.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which is to be understood, that he was made king when his father reigned, but after his father’s death he was confirmed king when he was forty-two years old, as 2 Chron. 22:2.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 26. Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign] In 2Ch 22:2, it is said, forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; this is a heavy difficulty, to remove which several expedients have been used. It is most evident that, if we follow the reading in Chronicles, it makes the son two years older than his own father! for his father began to reign when he was thirty-two years old, and reigned eight years, and so died, being forty years old; see 2Kg 8:17. Dr. Lightfoot says, "The original meaneth thus: Ahaziah was the son of two and forty years; namely, of the house of Omri, of whose seed he was by the mother's side; and he walked in the ways of that house, and came to ruin at the same time with it. This the text directs us to look after, when it calleth his mother the daughter of Omri, who was indeed the daughter of Ahab. Now, these forty-two years are easily reckoned by any that will count back in the Chronicle to the second of Omri. Such another reckoning there is about Jechoniah, or Jehoiachin, 2Kg 24:8: Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign. But, 2Ch 36:9, Jehoiachin was the son of the eight years; that is, the beginning of his reign fell in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar, and of Judah's first captivity." - Works, vol. i., p. 87.

After all, here is a most manifest contradiction, that cannot be removed but by having recourse to violent modes of solution. I am satisfied the reading in 2Ch 22:2, is a mistake; and that we should read there, as here, twenty-two instead of forty-two years; see the note there. And may we not say with Calmet, Which is most dangerous, to acknowledge that transcribers have made some mistakes in copying the sacred books, or to acknowledge that there are contradictions in them, and then to have recourse to solutions that can yield no satisfaction to any unprejudiced mind? I add, that no mode of solution yet found out has succeeded in removing the difficulty; and of all the MSS. which have been collated, and they amount to several hundred, not one confirms the reading of twenty-two years. And to it all the ancient versions are equally unfriendly.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(26) Ahaziah.—Called Jehoahaz (2Ch_21:17). Ewald thinks he assumed the name of Ahaziah on his accession.

The daughter of Omri—i.e., granddaughter. Omri is mentioned rather than Ahab as the founder of the dynasty, and the notorious example of its wickedness. (Comp. Mic_6:16 : “The statutes of Omri are kept.”)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah] In 2Ch_22:2 his age is given as forty-two. This cannot be correct, but is due to a misreading of the Hebrew letters which were used as numerals. Jehoram, the father of Ahaziah, was thirty-two years old (see verse 17) when he began to reign and he reigned eight years. If Ahaziah was two and twenty at his father’s death, he was born when Jehoram was eighteen. This is not uncommon in the East. Indeed we find from 2Ch_22:1 that Jehoram had other children older than Ahaziah, but they were slain by the Arabian invaders.

Athaliah, the daughter of Omri] Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and so the grand-daughter of Omri. For this manner of speech cf. verse 20 of the next chapter, where Jehu is called the son of Nimshi, though he has been twice spoken of in previous verses (2, 14) as the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he went with Joram the son of Ahab,.... His mother's brother, and so his uncle:

to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramothgilead; which he went to recover out of the hands of the king of Syria, as his father Ahab had attempted in his time; in which he was assisted by Jehoshaphat, as now Joram was by a grandson of his:

and the Syrians wounded Joram; as they did his father Ahab at the same place, though his wound was not mortal, as his father's was.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Such names as Athaliah, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, indicate that the Baal-worshipping kings of Israel did not openly renounce the service of Yahweh. Athaliah is “the time for Yahweh;” Ahaziah “the possession of Yahweh;” Jehoram, or Joram, “exalted by Yahweh.”

The daughter of Omri - “Son” and “daughter” were used by the Jews of any descendants (compare Mat 1:1). The whole race were “the children of Israel.” Athaliah was the grand-daughter of Omri (see the margin). Her being called “the daughter of Omri” implies that an idea of special greatness was regarded as attaching to him, so that his name prevailed over that of Ahab. Indications of this ideal greatness are found in the Assyrian inscriptions, where the early name for Samaria is Beth-Omri, and where even Jehu has the title of “the son of Omri.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Twenty. In 2 Paralipomenon xxii. 2., we read forty, by mistake of the transcribers, as Ochozias, (Joachaz, or Azarias, 2 Paralipomenon xxi. 17.) would thus be older than his father, who died at the age of forty, 2 Paralipomenon xxi. 20. All the original versions, and many copies of the Septuagint read "twenty-two" in both passages; and those who would admit no mistake, are forced to have recourse to explanations which can give no satisfaction. De Dieu would include in the reign of Ochozias the six years of Athalia’s usurpation, and the thirteen of Joas, during his minority. Others would date from the separation of the two kingdoms, &c. But would the Holy Ghost cause the same fact to be recorded in two places in such a different manner? The best chronologists acknowledge a mistake in the Hebrew text of Paralipomenon. (Cajetan; Salien; Petau; Tirinus, &c.; Calmet) as the letters which denote these numbers are not unlike (Mariana:) c (20) might easily be exchanged for m (40.) (Haydock) --- Daughter. That is, grand-daughter; for she was daughter of Achab, son of Amri, ver. 18., (Challoner) unless she was only adopted by Achab. (Worthington)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

How this agrees with 2Ch 22:2, See Poole "2Ch 22:2" on that place.

The daughter of Omri, i.e. his granddaughter. See above 2Ki 8:18.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

26. Two and twenty years old — Not forty and two, as 2Ch_22:2, by some corruption, reads. His father died in his fortieth year, (2Ki_8:17,) so that he must have begotten his youngest son when he was eighteen years old. This fact shows the early marriage of Joram and Athaliah. Compare note on 2Ki_8:18.

Reigned one year — His reign and life were brought to an untimely end by his being involved with the house of Ahab. See 2Ki_9:16; 2Ki_9:23; 2Ki_9:27-29.

The daughter of Omri — She was the granddaughter of Omri, as is seen from 2Ki_8:18; but the word “daughter” is often thus used in the more general sense of female descendant.

Gen_28:8; Jdg_11:40; 2Sa_1:20. The name of Omri seems to be mentioned rather than that of Ahab to remind the reader once more of the origin of this wicked dynasty, which is soon to be cut off.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign. The writer of Chronicles says, "two and forty", (2Ch_22:2) which is absolutely impossible, since his father was but forty when he died (see ver. 17, and setup. (2Ch_21:5, 2Ch_21:20) Even "two and twenty" is a more advanced age than we should have expected, since Ahaziah was the youngest of Jehoram"s sons; (2Ch_21:17) he must therefore have been born in his father"s nineteenth year. Yet he had several elder brothers! (2Ch_21:17 2Ch_22:1) To explain this, we have to remember

(1) the early age at which marriage is contracted in the East (twelve years); and

(2) the fact that each prince had, besides his wife, several concubines. That Joram had several appears from 2Ch_21:17. And he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother"s Ares was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri King of Israel. There is something very remarkable in the dignity and precedence attached to Omri. He was, no doubt, regarded of a sort of second founder of the kingdom of Israel, having been the first monarch to establish anything like a stable dynasty. His "statutes" were looked upon as the fundamental laws of the kingdom, and were "kept" down to the time of its destruction. (Mic_6:16) Foreigners knew Samaria as Beth. Khumri, or "the house of Omri." He is the only Israelite king mentioned by name on the Moabite Stone (line 5), and the earliest mentioned in the inscriptions of Assyria. Even Jehu, who put an end to his dynasty, was regarded by the Assyrians as his descendant, and known under the designation of" Yahua, the son of Khnmri" (Black Obelisk, epig. 2.). Athallah, the daughter of Ahab, is called "the daughter of Omri," not only in the present passage, but also in 2Ch_22:2.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.