אֲחַזְיָ֫הוּ (a.chaz.yah)
a.chaz.yah
Ahaziah
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 27 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Ahaziah, meaning "Jehovah holds" or "Yahweh grasps," identifies two distinct kings in the divided monarchy period of Israel and Judah. The first was an Israelite ruler, son of Ahab and Jezebel, whose brief reign is recorded in 1 Kings 22:40 and 2 Kings 1. The second was a king of Judah, son of Jehoram, mentioned in passages such as 2 Kings 8:24 and 2 Chronicles 22.
Etymologically, the name combines the verb for seizing or holding with the divine short form Yahu. This creates an ironic contrast between the meaning of the name and the biblical narrative of these rulers. Both kings are portrayed as continuing the idolatrous policies of their fathers, failing to "hold" fast to the covenant despite their names suggesting divine support.
The sources note that the name appears frequently in historical accounts, particularly in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Its recurrence highlights the dynastic continuity of the house of Ahab and the subsequent line of Judah, serving as a literary marker for periods of spiritual decline rather than faithfulness to God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Ahaziah carries a heavy irony in Scripture. It means "Yahweh holds" or "God grasps," yet the two kings who bore this name are remembered for letting go of faithfulness. One looked to foreign gods when sick; the other aligned himself with wicked alliances. Their stories show that a religious title or a pious name does not guarantee a faithful life. We see here that true security comes not from our heritage or our labels, but from where we place our trust.
For you, this word serves as a gentle reminder to examine the foundations of your own life. It is easy to assume that being part of a church family or having a godly background keeps us safe. But Scripture calls us to actively hold fast to God’s word. When trials come, do we turn to worldly solutions or to the Lord? The narrative invites you to rest in the One who truly holds you, rather than relying on your own strength.
Even in the midst of failure and judgment, God’s plan continues. The line of David survived through the hidden rescue of Joash. This shows that God’s purposes are not stopped by human rebellion. You can find hope knowing that God is faithful even when people around you are not. His hold on your life is secure, regardless of the mistakes or alliances of those in your past.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 27 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Ahaziah28×
- and/ Ahaziah4×
- O Ahaziah1×
- <to>/ Ahaziah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אֲחַזְיָ֥הוּ5×
- אֲחַזְיָ֔הוּ4×
- אֲחַזְיָ֣הוּ3×
- אֲחַזְיָ֗הוּ3×
- אֲחַזְיָ֖הוּ3×
- וַ/אֲחַזְיָ֨הוּ2×
- אֲחַזְיָ֨הוּ2×
- אֲחַזְיָ֛הוּ2×
- לַ/אֲחַזְיָ֖הוּ1×
- וַֽ/אֲחַזְיָה֙1×
- וַ/אֲחַזְיָ֤ה1×
- אֲחַזְיָֽה\׃1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 1:2
Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper room that was in Samaria, and was sick. So he sent messengers, and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this sickness.”
This verse highlights the tragic irony of the name by showing Ahaziah seeking a false god instead of Yahweh when he was sick.
-
II Chronicles 22:7
Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went to Joram; for when he had come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom Yahweh had anointed to cut off Ahab’s house.
Here the text explicitly states that his destruction came from God because he associated with the house of Ahab.
-
II Kings 9:27
But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. Jehu followed after him, and said, “Strike him also in the chariot!” They struck him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. He fled to Megiddo, and died there.
This account describes his flight and death, illustrating the end of a reign marked by poor spiritual alliances.
-
II Chronicles 20:35
After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very wickedly.
This reference shows how joining with Ahaziah led to divine judgment on King Jehoshaphat’s works.