Your observation does bring an important detail to light, but it doesn’t necessarily invalidate the Three Ahaziah Kings Theory entirely. Here’s how the theory could still hold, given that 2 Kings 8:16-18 describes Jehoram, Ahaziah’s father, as the son-in-law of Ahab:
Key Points of Clarification
While 2 Kings 8:16-18 clarifies Jehoram’s direct connection as Ahab’s son-in-law, the language could still imply Ahaziah’s significant alignment with Ahab’s house through his mother. This allows the theory to remain plausible by interpreting “son-in-law” in a broader, family-loyalty sense. The age discrepancies, separate descriptions of reigns, and differences in death circumstances still support the case for multiple Ahaziahs without suggesting error in the text.
....
Key Points of Clarification
- Jehoram as the Son-in-Law of Ahab:
- It’s correct that 2 Kings 8:16-18 identifies Jehoram, the father of Ahaziah, as Ahab’s son-in-law by marriage to Athaliah, Ahab’s daughter. This makes Ahaziah the grandson of Ahab, rather than a direct son-in-law.
- Ahaziah’s Relationship to Ahab’s House:
- While Jehoram is the direct son-in-law, Ahaziah, his son, is part of Ahab’s family lineage through Athaliah. 2 Kings 8:27 says Ahaziah “walked in the way of the house of Ahab,” which could imply that he was still significantly influenced by his connection to Ahab’s house.
- Reconsidering the “Son-in-Law” Terminology:
- Ancient texts sometimes use familial terms with broader meanings than we typically do today. In this context, “son-in-law of the house of Ahab” could be applied to Ahaziah due to his descent through his mother Athaliah, even though he was technically Ahab’s grandson.
- Why the Theory Can Still Hold:
- The distinctions between Ahaziah’s age (22 in 2 Kings and 42 in 2 Chronicles), familial connections, and the unique death circumstances of each Ahaziah (and the reactions of his mother Athaliah) still point to the possibility of multiple Ahaziahs with separate historical contexts.
- If “son-in-law of the house of Ahab” is viewed as a description of influence or family loyalty rather than a strict familial role, this can still support the idea of two or even three distinct individuals named Ahaziah in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles.
While 2 Kings 8:16-18 clarifies Jehoram’s direct connection as Ahab’s son-in-law, the language could still imply Ahaziah’s significant alignment with Ahab’s house through his mother. This allows the theory to remain plausible by interpreting “son-in-law” in a broader, family-loyalty sense. The age discrepancies, separate descriptions of reigns, and differences in death circumstances still support the case for multiple Ahaziahs without suggesting error in the text.
....
