Athaliah

Technical Profile

• Name Meaning: Hebrew ‘Ăṯalyâ (“Yahweh is exalted”)
• Period/Era: Divided Kingdom
• Main References: 2 Kings 11; 2 Chronicles 22:10–23:15
• Key Connections: House of Ahab (daughter of Ahab and Jezebel); Judah’s Davidic dynasty (mother of Ahaziah; grandmother of Joash); Jehoiada the priest

Who was Athaliah?

Athaliah was a queen mother in Judah who took royal power after the death of her son Ahaziah.
She ruled in Jerusalem for about six years as a usurping monarch.
Her reign is portrayed as a threat to the continuation of the Davidic royal line.
She was ultimately removed through a priest-led action centered at the temple.

Key Events & Achievements

• Seizure of power: After Ahaziah’s death, she took the throne and moved against the royal offspring (2 Kings 11:1–3).
• Hidden heir preserved: Joash was rescued and kept concealed in the house of the LORD during her reign (2 Kings 11:2–3).
• Overthrow and death: Jehoiada organized a covenantal enthronement of Joash, leading to Athaliah’s execution (2 Kings 11:12–16).

Life Lesson & Legacy

Athaliah’s brief rule illustrates how royal power struggles in Judah could endanger dynastic continuity and temple-centered governance.

Key Verse

"And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family." — 2 Kings 11:1, ESV