2 Kings 10 · a question people ask
Were the men Jehu met Ahaziah's brothers, or his brothers' sons?
In 2 Kings the men say, "We are the brothers of Ahaziah" (10:13), and 10:14 gives their number. 2 Chronicles tells it differently: Jehu "found the princes of Judah and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah serving Ahaziah, and killed them" (2 Chronicles 22:8). Chronicles also says that the Philistines and the Arabians (2 Chronicles 21:16) had earlier carried away the sons of Ahaziah's father Jehoram, "so that there was no son left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons" (2 Chronicles 21:17), and it calls Ahaziah "his youngest son" (2 Chronicles 22:1). Neither book explains the difference, and these notes don't settle it. Both books say Jehu came upon men of Ahaziah's family and that they were killed (10:13-14; 2 Chronicles 22:8).
The verses
“Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, “Who are you?” They answered, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah. We are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of the queen.” He said, “Take them alive!” They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, even forty-two men. He didn’t leave any of them.”
“The LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabians who are beside the Ethiopians; and they came up against Judah, broke into it, and carried away all the possessions that were found in the king’s house, including his sons and his wives, so that there was no son left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.”
“The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place, because the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the oldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.”
“When Jehu was executing judgment on Ahab’s house, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah serving Ahaziah, and killed them.”