Who was King Jehoahaz in the Bible?

Jehoahaz was the son of Jehu and the eleventh king of the northern kingdom of Israel. He reigned for seventeen years in Samaria, and the Bible describes his reign as evil, as he continued in the idolatrous sins of Jeroboam (2 Kings 13:1-2).

What happened during King Jehoahaz's reign?

His reign was marked by military oppression by the Arameans under King Hazael. In his distress, Jehoahaz sought the Lord's favor, and God provided a deliverer for Israel, though the nation remained militarily weakened (2 Kings 13:3-7, 22-25).

Why is King Jehoahaz significant in the Bible?

His story illustrates God's enduring mercy and faithfulness to His covenant promises, despite the persistent sin of Israel's kings. God did not destroy Israel completely because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, showing patience even during a time of judgment (2 Kings 13:23).

Jehoahaz

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleKingSon

Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, was king of Israel and reigned for seventeen years.

Jehoahaz

Biography

Jehoahaz son of Jehu was the eleventh king of Israel's northern kingdom, reigning approximately 814–798 BC for seventeen years as recorded in 2 Kings 13:1–9. He continued the religious apostasy established by Jeroboam I, and consequently Israel suffered severe military subjugation under Hazael and Ben-Hadad of Aram. The Aramean oppression reduced Israel's army to a mere fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers (2 Kings 13:7). Nevertheless, when Jehoahaz sought the LORD's favor, God responded by raising a deliverer, though the text does not name this individual, demonstrating divine compassion even toward a persistently wayward king. His reign illustrates the recurring Deuteronomistic cycle of sin, judgment, repentance, and grace.

Significance

Jehoahaz's reign encapsulates the theological pattern of the Deuteronomistic History: apostasy invites divine judgment through foreign oppression, yet even partial repentance elicits God's mercy and deliverance. The unnamed deliverer God raised during his reign (2 Kings 13:5) reflects the consistent biblical motif that God does not abandon his people even when they persist in covenant unfaithfulness. Jehoahaz's story also testifies to the interplay of divine sovereignty and human prayer, though his repentance was incomplete, God still heard his plea. His reign thus functions as both a cautionary account of the consequences of idolatry and an affirmation of God's enduring covenantal compassion toward Israel.

Authority Records

Wikidata

FatherJosiahMotherHamutalSiblingZedekiahSiblingJehoiakim

Verse Appearances (14)

2Kgs

2Kgs 10:35 2Kgs 13:1 2Kgs 13:4 2Kgs 13:7 2Kgs 13:8 2Kgs 13:9 2Kgs 13:10 2Kgs 13:22 2Kgs 13:25 2Kgs 14:1 2Kgs 14:8 2Kgs 14:17

2Chr

2Chr 25:17 2Chr 25:25

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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