Are There Possible Inconsistencies in 2 Chronicles 20, 21, and 22 that Disprove that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?
[I am doing this Biblical Research Project, since there are some people who say that there are inconsistencies in the Bible, and they call them lies. They use faulty circular reasoning to confuse people. They tell those who believe in Christ or those still questioning their faith in Christ, that since there are lies in the Bible, this disproves that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but is that really true? I will thoroughly examine any potential Inconsistencies in 2 Chronicles 20, 21, and 22. If it is determined that there are inconsistencies, they will be analyzed to see if they are even significant or not, and whether they disprove that Jesus Christ is God’s Son.]
[To do this research, I will use the King James Version of the Bible, also known as KJV, and internet resources, as needed. Since the Bible sometimes uses the word “him” and the word “he” within the same verse, I will include who is speaking and who is being spoken to within brackets if I determine it’s beneficial for clarity. At times, I will put more current terms or additional info within [brackets] to add possible clarity or meaning when reading the text.]
[Additionally, I will put my analysis, comments, observations, and conclusions within brackets, as well. For those who would like to read this research or previous Biblical Research Projects in their entirety, you can go to either of these two blogs I felt led to create: Biblical Proof! found at https://BiblicalProof.blogspot.com or Do Biblical Inconsistencies Really Matter? at https://Biblicalinconsistencies.blogspot.com/ ]
[In order to lay out my major concerns related to potential inconsistencies, I will list, number, underline, and color code the initial concerns related to briefly listed Bible verses that led to the concerns. That should make it easier to research these and to convey my findings to viewers, since they are somewhat interrelated. At times, Bible verses may be used more than once to clarify different aspects of potential inconsistencies.]
[Additionally, I include passages that are similar from other books of the Bible that say the same basic things. These passages help to corroborate the truth. In fact, it’s one of the many ways of knowing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, in that Jesus’ birth, life, betrayal, death and resurrection were predicted 100’s of years before His actual birth. Additionally, there are many eye witnesses who saw and heard the same things Jesus did and said and attest to it. Sure, at times, they say it somewhat differently from one another, the same way any two people might put an event in their own words. I have researched lots of potentially conflicting information, and have yet to find any significant inconsistencies in the Bible, although I approach all Biblical Research Projects with an open mind, prepared to put whatever my findings are.]
[Since, I think it’s important to not take Bible verses out of context, I will also include the whole Bible verse listed. I will use a black font to include any related verses I find to clarify these potential inconsistencies. After that, I will analyze them further, and share my findings in purple. Also, almost all the underlining or highlighting is done by me, to draw focus to particular aspects of the research and/or its process.]
#1) Who was Jehoram’s youngest son, Ahaziah, Azariah or Jehoahaz?
2 Chronicles 21:16-17 says that Jehoram’s youngest son is Jehoahaz, but
2 Chronicles 22:1 says Ahaziah was Jehoram’s youngest son. Yet, 2 Chronicles 22:6 says Azariah, son of Jehoram, king of Judah.
2 Chronicles 21:16-17 Moreover the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians. And they came up into Judah, and brake [broke] into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never [wasn’t] a son left him, save [except] Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
2 Chronicles 22:1 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest [sons]. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.
2 Chronicles 22:6 And he [Joram] returned to be healed in Jezreel, because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael, king of Syria. And Azariah, the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram, son of Ahab, at Jezreel, because he was sick.
[I decided to compare 2 Chronicles 21:16-17 in the NIV [New International Version] Bible. It says:]
2 Chronicles 21:16-17 (16) The Lord aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs who lived near the Cushites. (17) They attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah [b] the youngest.
[Footnote [b] for verse 17 said: 2 Chronicles 21:17 Hebrew Jehoahaz, a variant of Ahaziah
[This seems extremely significant in this portion of the research. In my opinion, this clarifies that Ahaziah and Jehoahaz are the same person, Jeroham’s son. Now, I need to research about Azariah.]
[This is the KJV passage says that Azariah is the son of Jeroham not Jehoram.]
2 Chronicles 23:1 and in the seventh year, Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took captains of hundreds, Azariah, the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael, the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah, the son of Obed, and Maaseiah, the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat, the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.
[I compared 2 Chronicles 23:1 in the NIV Bible.]
In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength. He made a covenant with the commanders of units of a hundred: Azariah, son of Jeroham, Ishamael, son of Jehohanan, Azariah, son of Obed, Maaseiah, son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat, son of Zikri.
[Although Azariah appears to be a popular name during that period, comparing this passage in two different Bibles indicates, there are two different Azariah’s. One Azariah is the son of Jeroham and the other is the son of Obed. Neither of the two Azariah’s are the son of Jehoram or Joram, although it looks similar.[
[I also looked up 2 Chronicles 22:5-6 in the NIV Bible to see if it adds clarity to this research. It says:]
(5) He [Ahaziah] also followed their counsel when he went with Joram [b] son of Ahab, king of Israel, to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram (6), so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they had inflicted on him in Ramoth [c] Gilead in his battle with Hazael, king of Aram. Then Ahaziah [d] son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to Jezreel to see Joram, son of Ahab, because he[Joram] had been wounded.
[2 Chronicles 22:5-6 in the NIV Bible have these footnotes:]
[b] 2 Chronicles 22:5 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant of Joram; also in verses 6-7.
[c] 2 Chronicles 22:6 Hebrew Ramah, a variant of Ramoth
[d] Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac (see also 2 Kings 8:29), most Hebrew manuscripts Azariah]
[The NIV Bible lists Ahaziah as Jehoram’s son in verse 2 Chronicles 22:6, but the KJV Bible didn’t, although it did say it was Ahaziah in 2 Chronicles 22:1, 2, 9, 10, 11. This warrants more investigation.
2 Chronicles 22:1And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah, the son of Jeroham, king of Judah reigned.
2 Chronicles 22:2 Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah, the [grand]daughter of Omri.
2 Chronicles 22:6 And he [Joram] returned to be healed in Jezreel, because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael, king of Syria. And Azariah, the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram, son of Ahab, at Jezreel, because he was sick.
2 Chronicles 22:9 And he [Jehu] sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, [they] said they, he is the [grand]son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to [still] keep still the kingdom.
2 Chronicles 22:10 But when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal seed [heirs] of the house of Judah.
2 Chronicles 22:11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash, the son of Ahaziah [king of Judah], and stole him from among the king’s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada, the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah [king of Israel],) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.
[In that this is an inconsistency, is it even significant? Well, at a particular point of doing this research, I started jotting down similar names in Chronicles. There was: Ahaziah, Azariah, Amaziah, Amariah, Azaziah, Azaliah. After analyzing this further, and realizing that the KJV Bible had Ahaziah in all these 2 Chronicles 22 verses: 1, 2, 9, 10, 11. But Azariah was only used once in 2 Chronicles 22:6. Since, 7 out of the 8 times Jehoram’s son’s name is spelled Ahaziah, it is assumed it is an Orthographic error: substituting a different spelling for a word that deviates from the normal spelling of that word. In my opinion, this explains what happened in verse 5. This inconsistency is considered very minor, and it most definitely isn’t significant.]
#2) Whose son was Ahaziah and was he the king of Israel or the king of Judah?
In 2 Chronicles 21:1 Jehoshaphat was Jehoram’s father. But 2 Chronicles 22:1 Ahaziah, son of Jehoram, Judah’s king. 2 Chronicles 22:9 says Ahaziah, son of Jehoshaphat.
[This verse says Jehoram is the son of Jehoshaphat. Ahaziah is supposed to be Jehoram’s son, so that will make Ahaziah, Jehoshaphat’s grandson. If Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, then Ahaziah would be king of Judah.]
2 Chronicles 21:1 Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram, his son, reigned in his stead.
[This also seems plausible, because Jehoram became the king of Judah, and Ahaziah ruled after Jehoram’s death. Therefore, according to this, Ahaziah is the king of Judah.]
2 Chronicles 22:1 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest [sons]. So Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, king of Judah reigned.
2 Chronicles 22:9 And he [Jehu] sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him [Ahaziah], they buried him: Because, said they, he is the [grand]son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still [still keep] the kingdom.
[Here are more verses that confuse the research, thus far, and need further analysis.]
1 Kings 22:40 so Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah, his son reigned in his stead.
1 Kings 22:49 Then said Ahaziah, the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
1 Kings 22:51 Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria, the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
[How can Ahaziah be the son of Ahab, king of Israel, when 2 Chronicles 22:1 says that Ahaziah was the son of Jehoram, king of Judah? It appears there may be more than one Ahaziah.]
[I made a table to sort through this information to see if there are two kings named Ahaziah or if there is one person named Ahaziah and they’ve just made errors.]
[I used blue lines, to show that Ahaziah, king of Judah, didn’t rule until 10 years after his uncle, Ahaziah, king of Israel, had died. It took awhile to figure this out. Making a timeline helped determine this. Note: 2022 would be way to the left of Jesus Christ’s birth and as you move to the right, it is progressively longer ago.]
Jesus 843-842 B.C. 851-852 B.C. [longer ago]
Christ’s King Ahaziah King Ahaziah
Birth of Judah rules of Israel rules & dies
Around
4-6 B.C.
[I included excerpts of the clarifying information I found on: AboutBibleProphecy.com] at: http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/p117.htm
Ahaziah, king of Judah
Ahaziah reigned for one year (843-842 BC) as the king of Judah when he was 22 years old. He was the son of Jehoram. His mother, Athaliah, was King Ahab's daughter.
He made an alliance with King Jehoram of Israel (son of Ahab). Jehoram (not to be confused with King Jehoram of Judah) was wounded in a battle with Syria, and returned to Jezreel to recover. Ahaziah went to visit him, but this was a fatal mistake, for God had decided to punish Ahaziah for his alliance with Jehoram. Jehu, who was earlier anointed by one of Elisha's young prophets, as the man to wipe out the family of Ahab, was hunting down and killing the family and friends of Ahab. When he found Ahaziah hiding in Samaria, he killed him.
Ahaziah was given a royal burial, because he was the grandson of King Jehoshaphat. The story of Ahaziah is found in 2 Chronicles, chapter 22.
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Ahaziah, king of Israel
Ahaziah, King of Israel, was the uncle of Ahaziah, King of Judah. Israel's Ahaziah was the eighth king of the northern kingdom of Israel. He was the son of Ahab and Jezebel. He reigned for two years (852-851 BC).
Ahaziah suffered other losses, including his health. He fell off the balcony of his palace in Samaria and was seriously injured. Instead of turning to the Lord, he sent messages to the temple of a pagan god, Baalzebub, at Ekron, to ask whether he would recover from his injuries.
But the prophet Elijah intercepted the messengers and told them that because Ahaziah had chosen to inquire of a pagan god, rather than the Lord, that he would not leave the bed that he was lying on and that he would die. Ahaziah did die, just as Elijah had said. Ahaziah's brother, Jehoram, became the new king, because Ahaziah did not have a son to succeed him. The story of Ahaziah is found in 1 Kings 22:40-53 and in 2 Kings, chapter 1.
[During the analysis of all this data and reading and rereading the related Bible verses and pertinent information, it is determined from this research that there were, in fact, two different Ahaziah’s with a father named Jehoram/Joram. It’s very confusing with so many names the same, so I’ve decided to put the appropriate passages I’ve typed, underneath the correct Ahaziah, whose father is Jehoram/Joram. I will try to clarify in [purple] any needed information. Note: some of these passages technically belong in both categories, because it mentions some aspect or person of both categories.]
Ahaziah, King of Judah, Whose Father was Jehoram [a.k.a. Joram]
2 Kings 8:16-17 (16) And in the fifth year of Joram, the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehosphaphat, being then king of Judah, [then,] Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, began to reign. (17) Thirty and two years old was he [Jehoram] when he began to reign [as king of Judah]; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 20:37 Then Eliezer, the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou has joined thyself with Ahaziah, [Ahab’s son, king of Israel] the Lord hath broken thy works [endeavors]. And the ships were broken, [so] that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
2 Kings 8:24-26 (24) And Joram [a.k.a. Jehoram, king of Judah] slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and Ahaziah, his son, reigned [as king of Judah] in his stead. (25) In the twelfth year [during the reign] of Joram, the son of Ahab, king of Israel did Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, [began] to reign. (26) Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah [king of Judah] when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter [Ahab and grand-daughter] of Omri, king of Israel.
2 Kings 9:27 But when Ahaziah, the king of Judah, saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him [Ahaziah] also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he [Ahaziah, king of Judah] fled to Megiddo, and died there.
2 Kings 9:29 And in the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, [king of Israel, who is the uncle and] began Ahaziah, to reign over Judah.
2 Kings 10:13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah, king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.
2 Kings 11:1-2 (1) And when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah [now deceased king of Judah], saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the [royal heirs]. (2) But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram [king of Israel], sister of Ahaziah [the previously deceased king of Israel], took Joash [aka as Jehoash], the son of Ahaziah [now deceased king of Judah] , and stole him from among the king’s [deceased of Ahaziah’s] sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so he was not slain [because she had plans to rule Judah as Queen, which she did for some time].
2 Chronicles 22:10-11 (10) But when Athaliah [Ahab’s daughter] the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the [royal heirs] of the house of Judah. (11) But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king [Ahab], took Joash, the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons that were slain, and [hid him and] put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada, the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah [the wicked queen, who killed all her step-sons], so that she [didn’t kill] slew him not.
2 Kings 12:18 And Jehoash, king of Judah [who was rescued by his aunt and hidden away, until he became king], took all the hallowed things that Jehoshapat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his [fore]fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated [to the Lord God], and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael, king of Syria [as a bribe to not invade them]: and he [Hazael] went away from Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 13:1 In the three and twentieth year of Joash [who was hidden away until he became king], the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.
2 Kings 14:13 And Jehoash, king of Israel, took Amaziah, king of Judah, the son of Jehoash [who had been hidden away], the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and [broke] down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Epharim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
1 Chronicles 3:10-11 (10) and Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abia [a.k.a. Abijah] his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, Joram [a.k.a. as Jehoram, king of Judah] his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son [who was hidden away when Athilaiah, Ahaziah’s wife, killed all the royal heirs, so she could be Queen of Judah].
2 Chronicles 21:17 and they came up into Judah, and brake [broke] into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s [Jehoram’s] house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a [wasn’t any] son left him, save [except] Jehoahaz [a.k.a. Ahaziah] the youngest of his [Jehoram, king of Judah’s] sons.
2 Chronicles 22:7-9 (7) And the destruction of Ahaziah [king of Judah] was of God by coming to [and joining with] Joram [his wicked uncle, son of Ahab]: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram [his uncle, Ahab’s son, a.k.a. Joram] against Jehu, the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. (8) and it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he [Jehu] slew them. (9) and he sought [looked for] Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he [Ahaziah] was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him [Ahaziah], they buried him: Because, said they, he is the [grand]son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart [Jehoshaphat did this, not Ahaziah who joined his uncle, Joram’s wicked ways]. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to [still] keep still the kingdom.
Ahaziah, King of Israel, Whose Father is Joram [a.k.a. Jehoram]
2 Chronicles 20:35 After this, Jehosphaphat, king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who did very wickedly.
1 Kings 22:40 So Ahab [died and] slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah, his son, reigned [as king of Israel] in his stead.
1 Kings 22:50-53 And Jehoshaphat [king of Judah died and] slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, his [fore]father: and Jehoram, his son, reigned [as king of Judah] in his stead. Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year [during the reign] of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel. And he [Ahaziah, king of Israel] did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father [Ahab, king of Israel, who worshiped false gods], and in the way of his mother [Jezebel, who did witchcraft and worshiped false gods], and in the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin [by making 2 golden calves and telling the Israelites to worship them as their god, instead of worshiping the Lord God of Israel]: For he served Baal, and worshiped him & provoke to anger the Lord God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
2 Kings 1:17-18 (17) So he [Ahaziah, king of Israel, son of Ahab] died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram [his brother,] reigned in his stead in [during] the second year of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah; because he [Ahaziah, king of Israel] had no son. (18) Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
2 Kings 8:29 And king Joram [son of Ahab, king of Israel] went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael, king of Syria. And Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see [his uncle,] Joram, the son of Ahab, in Jezreel, because he was sick.
2 Kings 9:16 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram [king of Israel] lay there [wounded]. And Ahaziah, king of Judah, was come down to see Joram [his wounded uncle].
2 Kings 9:23 And Joram [king of Israel, the uncle of Ahaziah, king of Judah] turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah.
[After extensive research and analysis, it is determined that there are no inconsistencies related to Ahaziah, king of Judah, son of Jehoram, who was the son of Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah, king of Israel, son of Ahab, other than it’s extremely confusing to figure out, because these two kings are relatives and have the same name.]
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#3) If Jehoram, his father, is dead before Ahaziah becomes king, how could Jehoram go with Ahaziah to war and how can they go see Jehoram if he is already dead?
2 Chronicles 22:5 says Ahazriah went to war with Jehoram. But later in 22:5 it says that the Syrians smote Joram. 2 Chronicles 22:6 says they went down to see Jehoram, Ahab’s son, [who was supposed to be already dead].
2 Chronicles 22:5-6 (5) He [Ahaziah] walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram, the son of Ahab, king of Israel, to war against Hazael, king of Syria, at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram. (6) And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds that were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael, king of Syria. And Azariah [supposed to be Ahaziah], the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram, the son of Ahab, at Jezreel, because he was sick.
[Researching this more, it seems important to show that Jehoram was supposed to be dead prior to his son, Ahaziah, becoming king.]
2 Chronicles 21:16-20 (16) Moreover the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians. (17) And they came up into Judah, and brake [broke] into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never [wasn’t] a son left him, save [except] Jehoahaz [a.k.a. Ahaziah], the youngest of his sons. (18) And after all this the Lord smote him [Jehoram] in his bowels with an incurable disease. (19) And it came to pass, that in [the] process of time, after the end of two years, his [Jehoram’s] bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he [Jehoram] died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. (20)Thirty and two years old was he when he [Jehoram] began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit [However] they buried him [Jehoram] in the city of David, but not in the sepulchers [tombs] of the kings.
[Now, I need to show that Ahaziah was the king after his father, Jehoram, died.]
2 Chronicles 22:1-2 (1) And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest [sons]. So Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, reigned. (2) Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri.
[I need to include the passages that lead up to saying that Ahaziah went with Jehoram to war, but these verses continue from the ones just prior to these.]
2 Chronicles 22:3-6 (3) He [Ahaziah] also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. [4] Wherefore he [Ahaziah] did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab: for they were his counselors after the death of his father to his destruction. [5] He [Ahaziah] walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram [b], the son of Ahab, king of Israel to war against Hazael, king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians smote Joram. (6) so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they inflicted on him at Ramoth [c] in his battle with Hazael, king of Aram. Then Ahaziah [d], son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to Jezreel to see Joram, son of Ahab, because he had been wounded.
[b] 2 Chronicles 22:5 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant of Joram; also in verses 6-7.
[c] 2 Chronicles 22:6 Hebrew Ramah, a variant of Ramoth
[d] Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac (see also 2 Kings 8:29), most Hebrew manuscripts Azariah]
[Well, one of the things I suspected was that Jehoram and Joram are two different people. Footnote [b] sounds like Jehoram was a.k.a. Joram. Also, footnote [d] sounds like Ahaziah and Azariah are used interchangeably. Obviously, I will have to research this more.]
[I’m going to investigate this further with biblehub.com to see what they have to say about 2 Chronicles 22:5-6. They have two different ways of conveying the needed information. They have the selected passage shown in a wide variety of different versions of the Bible. They also have many Biblical scholars who write about particular passages and verses. I did check the commentary portion by the Biblical scholars, but the commentaries were more focused on Biblical events and the impact of these.]
[Out of 27 different versions of the Bible shown on Biblehub.com for 2 Chronicles 22:5, 12 of the 27 different Bible versions have Jehoram and Joram listed as two different people. One, didn’t have the name twice for me to be able to determine this, and 14 of the 27 different Bible versions have Jehoram and Joram as the same person. The thing is, this isn’t a contest. Either Jehoram and Joram are the same person or they aren’t. Now, I’m going to check on biblehub.com for
2 Chronicles 22:6.]
[Out of 27 different versions of the Bible shown on Biblehub.com for 2 Chronicles 22:6, 16 of the 27 Bible versions have Ahaziah as the king of Judah, son of Jehoram. Of the 27 versions, 5 of them have Azariah as the king, son of Jehoram. Again, it isn’t a contest. Either Ahaziah is the king, son of Jehoram or Azariah is or they are both the same person. I will have to do more research on this, as well.]
[Well, I hit the jackpot. I did a Google Search: Who was King, Jehoram or Joram?
This came from esv.org found at:] https://www.esv.org/resources/esv-global-study-bible/facts-2-kings-8/
Fact: Was it Joram or Jehoram?
Was it Joram or Jehoram? At about the same time, Israel had a king named Joram who was sometimes called Jehoram, while Judah had a king named Jehoram who was sometimes called Joram. King Joram of Israel was a son of Ahab while King Jehoram of Judah married a daughter of Ahab.
[I underlined the portions in the info above and below on these two brothers-in-law.]
[I have included excerpts from the wealth of information I found on GotQuestions.com at https://www.gotquestions.org/King-Jehoram-Joram.html
Who was King Jehoram /Joram in the Bible?
There are two kings in the Bible referred to as King Jehoram/Joram. The first was the son of King Jehoshaphat, and he ruled in the southern kingdom of Judah from 853 to 841 BC. The other King Jehoram was the son of the wicked King Ahab, and he ruled in the northern kingdom of Israel from 852 to 841 BC . The name Joram is a shortened form of Jehoram. Complicating matters is the fact that both Jehorams were brothers-in-law to each other.
Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat was 32 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for four years with his father and another eight years on his own in Judah (2 Kings 8:16–17)—a total of twelve years. He married Athaliah, daughter of King Ahab (and sister of Ahab’s son Joram), and he became an evil ruler. He led his kingdom into idolatry and lewdness, and he caused both Edom and Libnah to revolt against Judah (2 Chronicles 21:8, 11). So God sent word through the prophet Elijah that, because Jehoram had led the people into sin, there would be a devastating attack on Jehoram’s house and Jehoram himself would be struck with an incurable bowel disease (verses 14–15). As part of God’s judgment, the Philistines and Arabs attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah, the youngest” (verse 17). The disease killed Jehoram in a gruesome and agonizing manner at the age of 40. The people did not mourn this wicked king (verses 18–20).
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The other Jehoram (or Joram), son of Ahab, took the throne of Israel in the second year of his brother-in-law’s reign in Judah, and he was just as corrupt. Ahab had previously taken control of Moab and forced the people to pay tribute, but, when Joram took the throne, Moab rebelled, forcing Joram into war (2 Kings 3:4–5). Although he had brought Baal worship to an end in Israel, “he clung to the sins of Jeroboam” (2 Kings 3:3), and his demise was sure. Joram was injured in a battle with the Aramians (2 Kings 9:15). God charged Jehoshaphat’s son Jehu to destroy the entire house of Ahab (2 Kings 9:6–10). Jehu obeyed, and, after confronting Joram, he shot Joram between the shoulders with an arrow (verse 24). Unfortunately, Jehu stopped obeying God after he had wiped out Ahab’s family.
[So, with the previous two excerpts I’m going to draw up a chart that may help clarify which Jehoram/Joram is which.]
[With this chart, I am going to try to fill this in with what we know to see if it makes more sense.]
2 Chronicles 22:5-6 (5) He [Ahaziah] also followed their counsel when he went with Joram [b] [Ahaziah’s uncle] son of Ahab, king of Israel, to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram [Ahaziah’s uncle] (6), so he [Joram, brother-in-law to Jehoram who is deceased] returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they had inflicted on him [Joram, Ahaziah’s uncle] in Ramoth [c] Gilead in his [Joram’s] battle with Hazael, king of Aram. Then Ahaziah, [d] son of Jehoram, [who had become the], king of Judah, [because his father had previously died of a bowel disease, and Ahaziah] went down to Jezreel to see Joram, son of Ahab [who is his uncle], because he [Joram] had been wounded.
[Verses 5 and 6 in the NIV Bible have these footnotes, which say:]
[b] 2 Chronicles 22:5 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant of Joram; also in verses 6-7.
[c] 2 Chronicles 22:6 Hebrew Ramah, a variant of Ramoth
[d] Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac (see also 2 Kings 8:29), most Hebrew manuscripts Azariah]
[In that this passage has an inconsistency, is it a lie? No! In my humble opinion, it was an honest mistake and no one was deliberately trying to skew information for a benefit. I had a difficult time keeping Jehoram, king of Judah, [nicknamed] Joram and Joram, king of Israel, [nicknamed] Jehoram, straight. There is a minor inconsistency, although confusing at times, but it is really insignificant.]
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[Although confusing at times, with two people with the same names, and two people with similar names and nicknames, were there any significant inconsistencies in the Bible regarding these people? There were two very minor inconsistencies, one being an orthographic error of using a different spelling, instead of the accurate one. After elaborate research, the other had no errors.]
[Next, is there any way these inconsistencies disprove that Jesus Christ is God’s Son? No way! There is nothing in these two insignificant inconsistencies that can come anywhere close to disproving that Jesus Christ is God’s Son.]
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[Now we need to determine how we know that Jesus Christ is God’s Son?]
[Think about it. How Could the Exact Things Done to Jesus, be Predicted All These 100+ Years Before His Birth, if it weren't for God the Father's Having Prophets Write These Predictions down to Be Included in the Bible! God knew that some would doubt, so He left us Biblical evidence, so We Know Jesus is Truly the Son of God by Fulfilling These Predictions!]
Prediction in Psalm About Jesus being God’s Son
[God Letting David Know Something He Will Say to His Only Begotten Son, Jesus]
· I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Psalm 2:7
· New Testament Proof this prediction was fulfilled: God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art My Son, this day, have I begotten Thee. Acts 13:33
Predicting a Virgin will Bear the Son of God
· Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings. Isaiah 7:14-16
· New Testament Proof of Prediction fulfilled: Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. '' and she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25
Plot to Betray Jesus:
Predicting the 30 Pieces of Silver Judas was Given to Betray Jesus, is Used for Potter's Field
· And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was [priced] of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. Zechariah 11:12-13
· New Testament Proof of the Prediction fulfillment: And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, “and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.” Matthew 27:7-10
This Predicts Jesus' Disciple, Judas, Would Betray Him
· Yea, Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread, hath lifted up his heel against Me. Psalm 41:9
· This is More than just New Testament Proof of fulfillment, because this particular Bible passage shows Jesus knows full well He is going to be betrayed by Judas. Who else could do that, but God’s Son, Jesus? : When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him [Judas]. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast, “ or that he should give something to the poor. Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately, And it was night. John 13:21-30
· More New Testament Proof of the Prediction fulfillment:
And while He [Jesus] was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. Matthew 26:47-50
Predicts That Jesus Will Be Beat and Spit Upon Before They Crucify Him
· The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave My back to the smitters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set My face like flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. Isaiah 50:6-7
· New Testament Proof of the Prediction fulfillment:
Then released he Barabas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped Him, and put on Him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head. And after that they had mocked Him, they took the robe off from Him, and put His own raiment on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. Matthew 27:26-31
[Jesus knew He would have to go through all of this in order to save us from our sins, so that believers could have salvation in heaven with Him, some day. If it were me, and I knew people were going to spit on me, mock me, and beat me, it would have been a real game changer, but Jesus went through all of this for us anyway, knowing all of this in advance!]
Predicting Bystanders Would Divide Jesus' Clothes & Cast Lots for His Coat
· They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture. Psalm 22:18
· New Testament Proof of the Prediction fulfillment: Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them. And for My clothing they cast lots.” Matthew 27:35
Predicts The Piercing of Jesus' Hands & Feet When They Nailed Him on the Cross
· For dogs have compassed Me: the assembly of the wicked have [enclosed] Me: they pierced My hands and My feet. Psalm 22:16
· New Testament Proof of the Prediction fulfillment- the same day Jesus arose from the grave:
Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. Luke 24:36-40
100’s of years before Jesus was Born, It was predicted What Jesus would Say on the Cross When He Died for Our Redemption:
· My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? Why art Thou so far from helping Me, and from the words of My roaring? Psalm 22:1
· New Testament Proof this verse was fulfilled is in Matthew 27:45-46: Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Predicting Jesus Wouldn't Suffer Corruption [His body wouldn’t rot!]
· For Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell; neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption. Psalm 16:10
· The fulfillment of this verse is in John 20:25-29 when Jesus shows Himself to the disciples the second time after arising from the grave: The other disciples therefore said to him [Thomas], “We have seen the Lord.” So he [Thomas] said to them, unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He [Jesus] said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
[You’ve heard all these predictions of Jesus being the Only Begotten Son of God, His Birth, Betrayal, Death, and Resurrection and the Fulfillment of these. Here are some additional noteworthy passages, so you are not led astray by those who would try to dissuade Christians from believing Jesus Christ is God’s Son.]
Jude Forewarns Us of Those Trying to Lead Believers Astray from the Love of God and Jesus Christ, His Son
Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude v.1-4
Jesus Christ, God's Son, Washed Our Sins From Us When He Died and Arose from the Dead
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:5-6
[Jesus Tells John in the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ: They Should Stay Strong, Hold Fast, and Repent, because Jesus Comes Like a Thief in the Night, and Believers Undefiled Shall Walk in White with Him & Jesus Will Not Blot Out Their Name from the Book of Life, but Will Confess Their Name to God the Father, and They Should Focus on What the Holy Spirit Says to the Churches]
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white [clothes]; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels. He that hath and ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:2-7
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[Why is it significant that God gave His Only Begotten Son to Save Us?]
Romans 6:23 says: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 John 4:9-10 says: In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation/substitute for our sins.
1 Peter 1:17-21 says: And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’ work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.]
[Not only do I base my analysis on all the predictions about Jesus in the Old Testament and fulfillment in the New Testament, but also on the following Bible verses.]
When He [Jesus] had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17
It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan [River]. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Mark 1:9-11
When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21-22
And John [the Baptist] bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him [Jesus.] “I did not know Him, but He [God the Father] who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” Again, the next day, John [the Baptist] stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” John 1:32-36
At Jesus’ Transfiguration before He betrayed: While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” Matthew 17:5
And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Mark 9:7
While he [Peter] was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Luke 9:34-35
“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” John 12:27-28
For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 2 Peter 1:16-17
Remember John 3:16-21 where Jesus says:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
[My advice to you is to follow Jesus, the Light of the World, that can lead believers to Salvation in Heaven with Him someday.]
