Who is…
Athaliah
Hebrew: עֲתַלְיָה —transliteration: Athalyah or Athlay —meaning: whom God afflicts —occurrences: 17 in Scripture
Latin: Athalia
This is the name of 2 biblical men and an evil queen.
Queen Athaliah
She is the murderous daughter of wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.
She was the wife of King Jehoram, who ruled the Kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 8:18), who “walked in the ways of the house of Ahab” (2 Chronicles 21:6).
Her life is recorded in 2 Kings 8:26; 11:1-20 and 2 Chronicles 21:6; 22:2; 22:9-23:21.
She is called “daughter” of Omri in 2 Kings 8:26; she was his grand-daughter.
After the death of her husband and of her son King Ahaziah, as Queen Mother she resolved to seat herself on the vacant throne and did so for several years.
She began by murdering all Ahaziah’s children, except Joash, the youngest (2 Kings 11:1-2) who was saved by Jehosheba (Jehoshabeath).
After a reign of 6 years, she was put to death in an insurrection (2 Kings 11:20; 2 Chronicles 21:6; 22:10-12; 23:15), stirred up among the people in connection with Josiah’s being crowned as king.
More information
- What is the Kingdom of Judah (Judea)?
- About idolatry and false gods in the Bible
- Who is King Ahab?
- Who is Queen Jezebel?
- Who is Omri?
- Who is King Jehoram?
- Who is King Ahaziah?
- Who are the Davidic kings?
- Who is Jehosheba (Jehoshabeath)?
Athaliah, the father of Jeshaiah
(Ezra 8:7)
He is one heads of households who went with Ezra to Jerusalem following their captivity in the Kingdom of Babylon.
Athaliah, a son of Jeroham
(1 Chronicles 8:26)
He along with his brothers were father’s of households and chief men of Jerusalem.
His brothers are Shamsherai, Shehariah, Jaareshiah, Elijah and Zichri.