Bible Questions and Answers

2 Kings 8:26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel.

2 Chronicles 22:2 Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri.

You are correct.

From the context, Ahaziah was the son of Jehoram who died aged 40.

Both 2 Kings 8:16 and 2 Chronicles 21:20 agree on this

2 Kings 8:16 Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat began to reign as king of Judah. 17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 21:20 He (Jehoram) was thirty-two years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and, to no one’s sorrow, departed...

Ahaziah could not therefore have been 42 years old.

Forty-two is probably a copyist’s error.

The Septuagint reads:

2 Chronicles 22:2 Ochozias began to reign when he was twenty years old, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem:

Darby, ESV, NETP, MSG, NIV and Young’s Literal Translation all read ‘twenty-two’.

I hope you find this helpful,

God bless,
Glenn