What's In Your Bible?

Was Ahaziah 22 or 42 on the throne?

In a word?  BOTH!

This story is long and complicated to show all of the intricacies of kingly genealogies, who died, who was killed, etc.

King Ahaziah was proxy king at 22 to King Jehoshaphat while he and his son Jehoram were out of the country.

A proxy king sat on the throne to make sure no one would attempt to overthrow it while the real king was out of the country.

At 42 years old, Ahaziah reigned as the official King of Judah after Jehosaphat then his son Jehoram who were kings before him died.

Ahaziah was not the rightful king in God’s eyes because he was not a descendant of David.

(This is recorded in the genealogies of Matthew by the omission of his names)

Ahaziah was the son of Athaliah of Israel the wicked King Ahab’s sister.

If it had stayed that way, none of the descendants of David could have produced the Messiah. Let alone be in his line.

In 3 generations, God brought the line of David back to the throne of Judah.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God.