Page:Light and truth.djvu/176

174 met in the portion of Naboth, with which one of Ahab's daring crimes was so closely associated. Jehu reminded Jorain of the iniquities of his house, and he, suspecting treachery, warned Ahaziah to flee. Jehu then smote Joram through the heart with an arrow. He pursued and slew Ahaziah also, though he had strength to reach Megiddo, where he died, and was carried thence to Jerusalem, and buried, from respect to the memory of Jehoshaphat his ancestor. In 2 Chron. xxii., the circumstances of the death of Ahaziah are stated differently, but the variation is not substantial, and therefore requires no particular notice. Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, usurped the kingdom after his death: she was a cruel and ambitious woman, and endeavored to destroy all the children of the royal house of Judah. Jehoahash, daughter of the late king, and wife of Jehoiada the priest, took Joash, then an infant, and concealed him from the knowledge of Athaliah, who was slain, after a cruel usurpation of seven years.

, (2 Kings xxiv. 8,) or Jeconias, (Matt. i. 12,) son and successor of Jehoiakim king of Judah. It is supposed by some that when he was only eight years old he was associated with his father in the administration of the government. This supposition is adopted in order to reconcile the apparent inconsistency of 2 Kings xxiv. 8; and 2 Chron. xxxvi. 9; but it seems hardly necessary to resort to such meass to account for a very natural error or omission of a transcriber, especially in an immaterial chronological fact of such remote date. The reign of Jehoiachin terminated at the end of three months, at which time, the city of Jerusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar.

. (2 Kings xiv. 1 — 20,) the eighth king of Judah, the son and successor of Uzziah, or Azariah, king of Judah. He actually reigned forty-one years, being associated with his father for twenty-five years before his death. His sole administration of the government was only for sixteen years. His example was holy; his reign was peaceful and prosperous, and of course beneficial to the kingdom. His character is peculiarly described. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. (2 Chron. xxv. 2; 2 Kings xiv. 3.)