2 Kings 11:1-21

The Usurpation of Athaliah and Preservation of Joash

1. Athaliah] She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Kings 8:18; 2 Kings 8:26), possessed her mother's high courage, and, like her, was a devoted worshipper of Baal. Her position as queenmother she would naturally lose on the accession of Ahaziah's son, the deceased monarch's wife becoming queen-mother in her stead. She, therefore, took measures to place herself on the throne by removing all rivals, and then proceeded to make the worship of Baal predominant in the land: see 2 Chronicles 24:7.