Chapter 11

We switch back to Judah.  We have seen this part of the history before, but it seems to have much additional information in 2Ki than it had before. 

In Judah, Athaliah kills all the kings (Ahaziah's) family upon hearing that Ahaziah himself is now dead at the hands of Jehu - who is a son of Jehoshaphat.  Joash though, one of the King's young sons, is secreted away by his sister Jehosheba  Perhaps the same mother and father, but in any case, she is Ahaziah's daughter and Joash is Ahaziah's son.  He is hidden in the Temple.  So here, in a very direct way, God is preserving the Davidic line of Southern Kings by saving the life of one and only one descendant that can be traced directly back to David...hmmm...not quite the one and only one.  Jehu, in the north, can also be traced directly back to David, and we know that Jehu will have at least 4 generations of sons that come after him to sit on the northern throne.  Even so, God has chosen and protected another of David's descendants in the South, despite the evil daughter of Ahab, Athaliah, the Queen mother.  Jehoiada, the high priest at the time, looks after Joash for six years.  We will see later that Joash is only seven when he becomes King.  So when he was hidden away he was an infant.  This probably made it easier to disguise his presence, and indicates that he was probably the very youngest of Ahaziah's sons.

This chapter is much like the story in 2 Kings of Jehoiada the priest advancing Joash, when he is only 7 years old, to the throne of Judah.  I note that the worshipers of Baal fare poorly in Judah at this time, only 7 years after Jehu destroys Baal worship in Israel.  So at this time Baal had taken one on the chin, but look at the cost.  So many murdered by Jehu, Athaliah murdered in Judah.  A bloody way for Kings to come to power. 

NOTE:  Jehoash is an alternate spelling of Joash.  These are the same person, the same King, lest I get confused yet again.

First notes, 8/30/18

Jehu is made king  and murders Ahab.  Ahab and Jezebel receive the deaths prophesied.  He  also kills Ahaziah.  Two kings killed the same day.  Jehu kills all 70  of Ahab's sons, his advisors, his friends and so on.  Then he tricks all the Baal worshipers in Israel into gathering in the same place and he  kills all of them.  He kills 42 of Ahaziah's sons.  Widespread murder.   The murders fulfill Elisha's prophesies.  God rewards Jehu for carrying  out these prophesies even though Jehu continues to worship the two golden calves, and his sons rule Israel to the 4th generation.  As a  reward.

Don't get too comfortable  with your life, especially if it is comfy because of who you're related  to, or who you know.  What was your comfort can in a day be your death sentence.