Athaliah

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the time of the Lord
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary


ATHALIAH.—1. The only queen who occupied the throne of Judah. She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and was married to Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat. On the accession of her son Ahaziah she became queen-mother, second only to the king in power and influence. When Ahaziah was slain by Jehu, she could not bring herself to take an Inferior position, and seized the throne for herself, making it secure, as she supposed, by slaying all the male members of the house of David so far as they were within her reach. One infant was preserved, and was successfully concealed in the Temple six years. The persons active in this were Jehosheba, sister of Ahaziah, and her husband Jehoiada, the chief priest. The story of the young prince’s coronation by the bodyguard is one of the most dramatic in Hebrew history. The death of Athaliah at the hands of the guard forms the logical conclusion of the incident. The destruction of the temple of Baal, which is spoken of in the same connexion, indicates that Athaliah was addicted to the worship of the Phœnician Baal, introduced by her mother into Israel (2Ki_11:1-21). 2. See Gotholias. 3. A Benjamite (1Ch_8:26).
H. P. Smith.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909

Daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, married Jehoshaphat's son Jehoram, king of Judah. It was a union (compare 1Co_15:33; 1Co_6:14-18) fatal to the cause of piety in Judah, a cause which the godly Jehoshaphat had so much at heart. She bore a hideous likeness to Jezebel her mother, as the history with such unstudied truthfulness brings out. By her influence Jehoram was led to walk in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab (2Ch_21:6). Baal worship through her was introduced into Judah, as it had been through her mother into Israel. Worldly policy, the hope of reuniting Israel to Judah, and concession to his son, whose reckless violence was afterward seen in the murder of his own brothers (2Ch_21:3-4), infatuated Jehoshaphat to sanction the union. The same bloodthirstiness, lust of dominion over husband and over the state, and unscrupulous wickedness in killing all that stood in the way of ambition, appear in the daughter as in the mother.
When her son Ahaziah was slain by Jehu, along with the brethren of Ahaziah and their sons (42 men), she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah (2Ch_22:10). As queenmother she was determined to keep the regal power which she exercised during Ahaziah's absence in Jezreel (2Ki_9:16). Ahaziah's youngest son Jonah alone escaped her murderous hand, secreted by Jehosheba, his aunt, daughter of Jehoram (probably not by Athaliah, but another wife) and wife of the priest Jehoiada (2Ch_22:11-12). For six years he was hid, but in the seventh year Jehoiada took into covenant with him for restoring the rightful king "the captains of hundreds," two Azariahs, Ishmael, Maaseiah, and Elishaphat; they next enlisted the cooperation of the Levites, gathered out of Judah, and the chief fathers of Israel who came to Jerusalem. Then they made a covenant with the king in the temple.
A third part of the soldiers of the guard usually guarded the palace, while two thirds restrained the crowds on the sabbath by guarding the gate Sur (1Ki_11:6), or "the gate of the foundation" (2Ch_23:5), and the gate "behind the guard," the N. and S. entrances to the temple. The two thirds in the temple were to guard the king with David's spears and shields, that the restoration of his descendant might be connected with his name. Any who should approach beyond the fixed limits were to be killed. Joash was duly anointed, crowned, and received the testimony or law, the statute book of his reign (Deu_17:18-20).
Athaliah, roused by the acclamations of the people, hastened to the temple, and there saw the king "by a pillar" or "upon" it, i.e. on a throne raised upon it (for "pillar" Gesenius translates "stage" or "scaffold," such as in 2Ch_6:18). In vain she (who herself was the embodiment, of treason) cried "Treason!" She was hurried out, and slain at the entering of the horse gate by the king's house. Mattan, Baal's priest, was the only other person slain. Her usurpation lasted 883-877 B.C. As she loved blood, blood was her own end; having lived as her mother, as her mother she died, slain at her own walls amidst the hoofs of the horses (compare Rev_16:5-6).
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
By Andrew Robert Fausset, co-Author of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's 1888.

Athali'ah. (afflicted of the Lord). Daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, married Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah and introduced into that kingdom, the worship of Baal. (B.C. 891). After the great revolution by which Jehu seated himself on the throne of Samaria, she killed all the members of the royal family of Judah who had escaped his sword. 2Ki_11:1.
From the slaughter, one infant, named Joash, the youngest son of Ahaziah, was rescued by his aunt, Jehosheba, wife of Jehoiada, 2Ch_23:11, the high priest. 2Ch_24:6. The child was brought up under Jehoiada's care, and concealed in the Temple for six years, during which period, Athaliah reigned over Judah. At length, Jehoiada thought it time to produce the lawful king to the people, trusting to their zeal for the worship of God and their loyalty to the house of David. His plan was successful, and Athaliah was put to death.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863

the daughter of Omri, king of Samaria, and wife to Jehoram, king of Judah. This princess, being informed that Jehu had slain her son Ahaziah, resolved to take the government upon herself, 2 Kings 11; which that she might effect, without opposition, she destroyed all the children that Jehoram had by other wives, and all their offspring. But Jehosheba, the sister of Ahaziah, by the father's side only, was at this time married to Jehoiada, the high priest; and while Athaliah's executioners were murdering the rest, she conveyed Joash the son of Ahaziah away, and kept him and his nurse concealed in an apartment of the temple, during six years. In the seventh year, his uncle Jehoiada being determined to place him on the throne of his ancestors, and procure the destruction of Athaliah, he engaged the priests and Levites, and the leading men in all the parts of the kingdom in his interest, and in a public assembly produced him, and made them take an oath of secrecy and fidelity to him. He then distributed arms among the people, whom he divided into three bodies, one to guard the person of the king, and the other two to secure the gates of the temple. After this, he brought out the young prince, set the crown on his head, put the book of the law into his hand, and with sound of trumpet proclaimed him; which was seconded with the joyful shouts and acclamations of the people. Athaliah, hearing the noise, made all haste to the temple; but when, to her astonishment, she saw the young king seated on a throne, she rent her clothes and cried out, “Treason!” But at the command of Jehoiada, the guards seized and carried her out of the temple, putting all to the sword who offered to rescue or assist her; and then taking her to the stable gate belonging to the palace, there put her to death. A.M. 3126.
Biblical and Theological Dictionary by Richard Watson
PRINTER 1849.

When Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, married Jehoram of Judah, the Baalism that Ahab and Jezebel had established in Israel spread to Judah. Athaliah was a strong influence on both her husband and their son, Ahaziah, who succeeded his father as king (2Ch_21:4-6; 2Ch_22:1-4). When Ahaziah was killed in Jehu’s anti-Baal revolution (2Ch_22:5-9; 841 BC), Athaliah seized the throne of Judah, killed all her grandchildren (except one who escaped) and established her mother’s Baalism in Judah (2Ch_22:10-12; 2Ch_24:7).
Six years later, Athaliah was killed in a fresh anti-Baal revolution, this one centred on Jerusalem (2Ch_22:12; 2Ch_23:1-15). The people then destroyed her Baal temple, Baal altars and Baal images, and restored the dynasty of David by placing her sole surviving grandson on the throne of Judah (2Ch_23:16-21).
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary by Don Fleming
PRINTER 1990.

ath-a-lı̄?a (עתליה, ‛athalyāh; meaning uncertain, perhaps, ?whom Yahweh has afflicted?; 2Ki_8:26; 11; 2Ch_22:1-12; 23):
1. Relationship
(1) Daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, grand-daughter of Omri, 6th king of Israel. In her childhood the political relations of the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel had, after many years of strife, become friendly, and she was married to Jehoram, eldest son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (2Ki_8:18). The marriage was one of political expediency, and is a blot on the memory of Jehoshaphat.
2. Athaliah as Queen
When Jehoram was 32 years of age, he succeeded to the throne, and Athaliah became queen of Judah. She inherited her mother's strength of will, and like her developed a fanatical devotion to the cult of the Zidonian Baal. Elijah's blow at the worship of Baal in Samaria shortly before her accession to power did nothing to mitigate her zeal. It probably intensified it. The first recorded act of Jehoram's reign is the murder of his six younger brothers; some princes of the realm, who were known to be favorable to the ancient faith of the nation, were also destroyed (2Ch_21:4). There can be little doubt that these deeds of blood were supported, and perhaps instigated, by Athaliah, who was a much stronger character than her husband.
3. Murder of Her Grandchildren
After eight years of royal life, Athaliah became a widow, and her son, Ahaziah, then 22 years of age (2Ki_8:26; not 42 as in 2Ch_22:2), ascended his father's throne. As queen-mother, Athaliah was now supreme in the councils of the nation, as well as in the royal palace. Within a single year, the young king fell (see JEHU), and the only persons who stood between Athaliah and the throne were her grandchildren. It is in such moments that ambition, fired by fanaticism, sees its opportunity, and the massacre of the royal seed was determined on. This was carried out: but one of them, Jehoash, a babe, escaped by the intervention of his aunt, Jehosheba (1Ki_11:2; 2Ch_22:11).
4. Her Usurpation
The palace being cleared of its royal occupants, Athaliah had herself proclaimed sovereign. No other woman, before or since, sat upon the throne of David, and it is a proof of her energy and ability that, in spite of her sex, she was able to keep it for six years. From 2Ch_24:7 we gather that a portion of the temple of Yahweh was pulled down, and the material used in the structure of a temple of Baal.
5. The Counter-Revolution
The high priest at this time was Jehoiada, who had married the daughter of Athaliah, Jehosheba (2Ch_22:11). His promotion to the primacy led to the undoing of the usurper, as Jehoiada proved staunchly, if secretly, true to the religion of Yahweh. For six years he and his wife concealed in their apartments, near the temple, the young child of Ahaziah. In the seventh year a counter-revolution was planned. The details are given with unusual fullness in Ki and Chronicles, the writings of which supplement one another. Thus, when the Chronicler wrote, it had become safe to give the names of five captains who led the military rising (2Ch_23:1). With the Book of Ki before him, it was not necessary to do more than extract from the ancient records such particulars as had not hitherto appeared. This it is which has chiefly given rise to the charge of variations in the two narratives. See JEHOASH.
6. Her Death
At the time of her deposition, Athaliah was resident in the royal palace. When roused to a sense of danger by the acclamations which greeted the coronation ceremony, she made an attempt to stay the revolt by rushing into the temple court, alone; her guards, according to Josephus, having been prevented from following her (Ant., IX, vii, 3). A glance sufficed. It showed her the lad standing on a raised platform before the temple, holding the Book of the Law in his hand, and with the crown upon his brow. Rending her robe and shouting, ?Treason! Treason!? she fled. Some were for cutting her down as she did so, but this was objected to as defiling the temple with human blood. She was, therefore, allowed to reach the door of the palace in flight. Here she fell, smitten by the avenging guards.
Athaliah's usurpation lasted for six years (2Ki_11:3; 2Ki_12:1; 2Ch_22:12). Her 1st year synchronizes with the 1st of Jehu in Israel, and may be placed 846 bc (some put later). See CHRONOLOGY OF OLD TESTAMENT. The statement of 2Ki_12:1 is here understood in the sense that Jehoash began his public reign in the 7th year of Jehu, and that he reigned 40 years counting from the time of his father's death. A modern parallel is the dating of all official records and legal documents of the time of Charles II of England from the death of Charles I.
The only other reference to Athaliah is that above alluded to in 2Ch_24:7, where she is spoken of as ?that wicked woman.?
(2) A Benjamite who dwelt in Jerusalem (1Ch_8:26, 1Ch_8:28).
(3) Father of Jeshaiah, who returned with Ezra (Ezr_8:7); called Gotholias in Apocrypha (1 Esdras 8:33).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.

Athali?ah (whom Jehovah afflicts), daughter of Ahab, king of Israel, doubtless by his idolatrous wife Jezebel. She is also called the daughter of Omri (2Ch_22:2), who was the father of Ahab; but by a comparison of texts it would appear that she is so called only as being his grand-daughter. Athaliah became the wife of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. This marriage may fairly be considered the act of the parents; and it is one of the few stains upon the character of the good Jehoshaphat that he was so ready, if not anxious, to connect himself with the idolatrous house of Ahab. Had he not married the heir of his crown to Athaliah, many evils and much bloodshed might have been spared to the royal family and to the kingdom. When Jehoram came to the crown, he, as might be expected, 'walked in the ways of the house of Ahab,' which the sacred writer obviously attributes to this marriage, by adding, 'for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife' (2Ch_21:6). This king died B.C. 885, and was succeeded by his youngest son Ahaziah, who reigned but one year, and whose death arose from his being, by blood and by circumstances, involved in the doom of Ahab's house [AHAZIAH]. Before this Athaliah had acquired much influence in public affairs, and had used that influence for evil; and when the tidings of her son's untimely death reached Jerusalem, she resolved to seat herself upon the throne of David, at whatever cost. To this end she caused all the male branches of the royal family to be massacred (2Ki_11:1); and by thus shedding the blood of her own grandchildren, she undesignedly became the instrument of giving completion to the doom on her father's house, which Jehu had partially accomplished, B.C. 884. One infant son of Ahaziah, however, was saved by his aunt Jehosheba, wife of the high-priest Jehoiada, and was concealed within the walls of the temple, and there brought up so secretly that his existence was unsuspected by Athaliah. But in the seventh year (B.C. 878) of her blood-stained and evil reign, the sounds of unwonted commotion and exulting shouts within the temple courts drew her thither, where she beheld the young Joash standing as a crowned king by the pillar of inauguration, and acknowledged as sovereign by the acclamations of the assembled multitude. Her cries of 'Treason!' failed to excite any movement in her favor, and Jehoiada, the high-priest, who had organized this bold and successful attempt, without allowing time for pause, ordered the Levitical guards to remove her from the sacred precincts to instant death (2 Kings 11; 2Ch_21:6; 2Ch_22:10-12; 2 Chronicles 23).
The Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
by John Kitto.

Athaliah
(Hebrews Athalyah, עֲתִלְיָה. 2Ki_11:1; 2Ki_11:3; 2Ki_11:13-14; 1Ch_8:26; 2Ch_22:12; Ezr_8:17; in the prolonged form Athalya'hu, עֲתִלְיָהוּ. 2Ki_8:26; 2Ki_11:2; 2Ki_11:20; 2Ch_22:2; 2Ch_22:10-11; 2Ch_23:12-13; 2Ch_23:21; 2Ch_24:7; afflicted by Jehovah), the name of two men and one woman.
1. (Sept. Γοθολία, and so Josephus, Ant. 9, 7, 1.) The daughter of Ahab, king of Israel, doubtless by his idolatrous wife Jezebel. She is also called the daughter of Omri (2Ch_22:2), who was the father of Ahab; but by a comparison of texts it would appear that she is so called only as being his granddaughter. Athaliah became the wife of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. This marriage may fairly be considered the act of the parents; and it is one of the few stains upon the character of the good Jehoshaphat that he was so ready, if not anxious, to connect himself with the idolatrous house of Ahab. Had he not married the heir of his crown to Athaliah, many evils and much bloodshed might have been spared to the royal family and to the kingdom. When Jehoram came to the throne, he, as might be expected, “walked in the ways of the house of Ahab,” which the sacred writer obviously attributes to this marriage by adding, “for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife” (2Ch_21:6). Jehoram died (B.C. 884) of wounds received in a war with the Syrians into which his wife's counsel had led him, and was succeeded by his youngest son Ahaziah, who reigned but one year, and whose death arose from his being, by blood and by circumstances, involved in the doom of Ahab's house. SEE AHAZIAH.
Before this Athaliah had acquired much influence in public affairs (comp. 1Ki_10:1; Pro_21:1), and had used that influence for evil; and when the tidings of her son's untimely death reached Jerusalem, she resolved to seat herself upon the throne of David at whatever cost (B.C. 883), availing herself probably of her position as king's mother, SEE ASA, to carry out her design. Most likely she exercised the regal functions during Ahaziah's absence at Jezreel (2 Kings 9), and resolved to retain her power, especially after seeing the danger to which she was exposed by the overthrow of the house of Omri, and of Baal- worship in Samaria. It was not unusual in those days for women in the East to attain a prominent position, their present degradation being the result of Mahommedanism. Miriam, Deborah, Abigail, are instances from the Bible, and Dido was not far removed from Athaliah, either in birthplace or date, if Carthage was founded B.C. 861 (Josephus, c. Apion. 1, 18). In order to remove all rivals, Athaliah caused all the male branches of the royal family to be massacred (2Ki_11:1); and by thus shedding the blood of her own grandchildren, she undesignedly became the instrument of giving completion to the doom on her father's house, which Jehu had partially accomplished. From the slaughter of the royal house one infant named Joash, the youngest son of Ahaziah, was rescued by his aunt Jehosheba, daughter of Jehoram (probably by another wife than Athaliah), who had married Jehoiada (2Ch_22:11), the high-priest (2Ch_24:6). The child, under Jehoiada's care, was concealed within the walls of the Temple, and there brought up so secretly that his existence was unsuspected by Athaliah. But in the seventh year (B.C. 877) of her bloodstained and evil reign, Jehoiada thought it time to produce the lawful king to the people, trusting to their zeal for the worship of God, and loyalty to the house of David, which had been so strenuously called out by Asa and Jehoshaphat. After communicating his design to five “captains of hundreds,” whose names are given in 2Ch_23:1, and securing the co-operation of the Levites and chief men in the country-towns in case of necessity, he brought the young Joash into the Temple to receive the allegiance of the soldiers of the guard.
It was customary on the Sabbath for a third part of them to do duty at the palace, while two thirds restrained the crowd of visitors and worshippers who thronged the Temple on that day, by occupying the gate of Sur (סוּר, 1Ki_11:6, called of the foundation, יְסוֹד, 2Ch_23:5, which Gerlach, in loco, considers the right reading in Kings also), and the gate “behind the guard” (Vulg. porta uce est post habitaculum scutariorum), which seem to have been the N. and S. entrances into the Temple, according to Ewald's description of it (Geschichte,3, 306-7). On the day fixed for the outbreak there was to be no change in the arrangement at the palace, lest Athaliah, who did not worship in the Temple, should form any suspicions from missing her usual guard, but the latter two thirds were to protect the king's person by forming a long and closely-serried line across the Temple, and killing any one who should approach within certain limits. They were also furnished with David's spears and shields, that the work of restoring his descendant might be associated with his own sacred weapons. When the guard had taken up their position, the young prince was anointed, crowned, and presented with the Testimony or Law, and Athaliah was first roused to a sense of her danger by the shouts and music which accompanied the inauguration of her grandson. She hurried into the Temple, but found Joash already standing “by a pillar,” or more properly on it, i.e. on the tribunal or throne apparently raised on a massive column or cluster of columns, which the king occupied when he attended the service on solemn occasions. The phrase in the original is עִלאּעִמּוּד, rendered ἐπί τοῦ στύλου by the Sept., and super tribunal in the Vulgate, while Gesenius gives for the substantive a stage or pulpit. (Comp. 2Ki_23:3, and Eze_46:2.) She arrived, however, only to behold the young Joash standing as a crowned king by the pillar of inauguration, and acknowledged as sovereign by the acclamations of the assembled multitude. Her cries of “Treason!” failed to excite any movement in her favor, and Jehoiada, the high-priest, who had organized this bold and successful attempt, without allowing time for pause, ordered the Levitical guards to remove her from the sacred precincts to instant death (2 Kings 11; 2Ch_21:6; 2Ch_22:10-12; 2 Chronicles 23). The Tyrians afterward avenged her death (Joel 2). The only other recorded victim of this happy and almost bloodless revolution was Mattan, the priest of Baal. (On its plan, see De Wette, Beiti Aige, p. 95 sq.; Gramberg, Chron. p. 135 sq.; Keil, Chron. p. 361 sq.; Ewald, Geschichte, 3, 574 sq. The latter words of 2Ki_11:6, in our version, “that it be not broken down,” are probably wrong: Ewald translates “according to custom;” Gesenius gives in his Lexicon “a keeping off.”) In modern times the history of Athaliah has been illustrated by the music of Handel and of Mendelssohn, and the stately declamation of Racine.
2. (Sept. Γοθολίας v. r. Γοθολία.) One of the “sons” of Jeroham and chieftains of the tribe of Benjamin, resident at Jerusalem (1Ch_8:27). B.C. apparently 536.
3. (Sept. Α᾿θελία v. r. Α᾿θλία) The father of Jeshaiah, which latter was one of the “sons” of Elam that returned with seventy dependents from Babylon under Ezra (Ezr_8:7). B.C. ante 459.



CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL
press 1895.

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