How Did Queen Athalia Become One of the Bible's Most Notorious Rulers?

What would you be willing to do to fulfill your ambitions? Athalia was willing to do anything, which led her down a dark road and landed her a spot among the Bible’s most notorious rulers, just behind her famous parents. Or should I say infamous?

Like Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth, Athalia wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty to achieve her desire to rule, and like Lady Macbeth, her end was a direct result of her actions.

What Books of the Bible Mention Athalia’s Family History?

Queen Athalia was born into royalty and then married into it as well. In 2 Chronicles 21:6 and 2 Kings 8:18, we learn that Athalia was Ahab and Jezebel’s daughter and King Jehoram of Judah’s wife. Her ancestors were a string of kings known for following the sins of Jeroboam, but her father was the most infamous of them all:

“In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel; and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.” (1 Kings 16:29-30)

Ahab married Jezebel and followed her in worshipping Baal, building a temple, and raising a wooden image in Samaria. Ahab and Jezebel were the standard of evil throughout the rest of the Bible. For more information on the infamous couple, read Joel Ryan’s article “Was Queen Athalia Really as Bad as Her Mother Jezebel and Father Ahab?”

Athalia’s husband Jehoram, king of Judah, was not innocent either. As firstborn, he took the throne when his father Jehosophat died, but he wasn’t satisfied with the crown:

“Now when Jehoram was established over the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself and killed all his brothers with the sword, and also others of the princes of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 21:4)

Besides killing his six brothers, he also opened the doors to Baal worship in the southern kingdom, most likely through the influence of his wife’s family. Jehoram reigned eight years before being killed in battle, so Ahaziah, Athalia’s son, became king.

Ahaziah allied with Joram, Ahab’s son, and was killed when Jehu overthrew Joram to take the throne of Israel. He killed all of Ahab’s sons and Ahaziah’s brothers. With her parents, husband, and son all dead, Athalia decided to take the throne for herself.

How Did Athalia Make Herself Queen?

If there were any living male heirs, the throne would go to the next in line, so Athalia made a plan:

“When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed.” (2 Kings 11:1-2)

Athalia became queen by killing all her grandsons; however, Ahaziah’s sister, Jehosheba, hid the youngest and kept him safe. God had promised David that his line would continue. Joash was the last of the line. Because of Jehosheba’s bravery, David's messianic line was saved.

For further reading on Athalia’s rise to power, check out Britt Mooney’s article “Who Was Athalia in the Bible and Was She a Good or Bad Queen?”

When Did Athalia’s Reign End?

Queen Athalia reigned for six years while Joash grew up in hiding. When he was seven, Jehoiada called the captains of the army and made a covenant with them before showing them the king’s son in the house of the Lord. They planned to surround the young king and kill anyone who tried to come near as they anointed him king. When Athalia saw Joash and the people rejoicing over him as king, she screamed treason, but they were ready for her:

“And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, ‘Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.’ For the priest had said, ‘Do not let her be killed in the house of the Lord.’ So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’ entrance into the king’s house, and there she was killed.” (2 Kings 11:15-16)

So, Athalia’s deeds came full circle, and she was killed because of all the innocent lives she had taken.

What Can We Learn from Athalia’s Mistakes?

Everyone makes mistakes. What defines us is not our mistakes but what we do in response to our mistakes. If we keep making the same mistake, it has become part of our character. If we learn from those mistakes, they can become a means of growing to become healthier. It’s even better if we can learn from the mistakes of others. I see at least four things we can learn from Athalia’s mistakes:

1. Our family history doesn’t have to define us. Granted, Athalia did not win the lottery with her family. Before she came along, her mother and father were well on their way to becoming the standard for wickedness. However, she didn’t have to follow in their footsteps. Prophets and priests proclaimed the truth, and she was married off to the southern kingdom. She had a chance to break from her family’s idolatry. Instead, she brought it with her.
2. Consequences for our actions may not always come immediately, but they will come. Athalia may have thought she had gotten away with murder because there were no immediate consequences for her actions. She reigned for six years, so she had probably begun to relax. She was shocked to find Joash alive and well, as well as an anointed king. She paid for her actions with her life.
3. God’s plan will always be completed. Jehoram, Jehu, and Athalia all tried to wipe out potential threats to the throne, but God had made a promise to David that his line would endure. God had promised that the Messiah would come through his lineage. So, God placed Jehosheba so that she could save Joash from Athalia and hide him until he could be named king. The same is true for the promises God has made to each believer. We only need to wait on God and trust Him to lead us.
4. We can turn and repent at any time. Athalia could have repented at any time. When she saw Joash, she could have bowed to him as king, but she stuck to her path of rebellion against God. We have the same option. When we make a mistake, we can confess and repent, and God will forgive us and help us get back on the right path.

We always have choices. Sometimes, none of our choices seem desirable, but if we follow God, it will all come for good (Romans 8:28). Athalia intended to wipe out the royal lineage. Still, God stepped in to allow David’s line to continue through the choice of Jehosheba. Joash was a king who followed God and reigned for forty years. The line of David continued through him until the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

We can still get forgiveness even when we make mistakes or bad choices. When we choose Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we can access the throne of grace. 1 John 1:9 tells us that if we confess and repent, God will forgive us. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says we are made new. At any time, we can stop and make a new start. The consequences of our actions may not go away, but we can forge a new path that honors God. Let’s learn from our mistakes. Better yet, let’s learn from the mistakes of others, like Athalia, so that we can avoid the path of sin and destruction and keep on the right path through confession and repentance.

Photo Credit: Public domain (Jean Audran print of Antoine Coypel illustration)

Linda Lyle is a writer, teacher, knitter, and unintentional collector of cats. She has written articles for the Alabama Baptist, Open Windows, Refresh, as well as multiple novels and novellas. Her newest book, 5-Minute Prayer Plan for When Life Is Overwhelming, is set to release in October. She spins yarns on her blog The End of My Yarn at lindalyle.com. 

This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. We have compiled these articles to help you study those whom God chose to set before us as examples in His Word. May their lives and walks with God strengthen your faith and encourage your soul.

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