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Journey of a Passage

2 Kings 9:27–28 and 2 Chronicles 22:9

How did Ahaziah die?

Kings: Ahaziah is shot near Ibleam, flees to Megiddo and dies there; his servants carry him to Jerusalem. Chronicles: he is found hiding in Samaria, brought to Jehu and put to death. A difference between parallel accounts, not between manuscripts.

Read 2 Kings 9:27–28 and 2 Chronicles 22:9 in every edition

Manuscript variant: witnesses differ in wording

The family tree

Each row is a language or text tradition. Witnesses in the same row may share ancestry, revise one another, or have an uncertain relationship; the line under each box says which. A solid arrow appears only where direct copying or a documented revised edition is established. Order by date never implies copying. Scroll sideways on a phone.

✓ contains it · ✕ does not · ❝ quotes part of it · ⓘ reports on manuscripts · ▢ pages lost · – no copy survives

  • Same line, through lost copies
  • Translation
Hebrew
  1. Original KingsUnknown (debated)
  2. 2 Chronicles 22:9 (parallel account, Masoretic Text)Chronicles composed c. 4th century BC
  3. Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)AD 1008Descends, through lost copies, from Original Kings
Greek
  1. Septuagint, 4 Kingdoms (library text: Giguet's French)Translated c. 2nd century BC; kaige revision 1st c. BC–1st c. ADTranslated from a Hebrew text of the period
Latin
  1. Jerome's Vulgatec. AD 400Translated from Hebrew texts of Jerome's day
English
  1. King James Bible1611Translated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

Every witness, in order

  1. Unknown (debated)

    Original Kings

    – No copy survives

    No original survives.

  2. Chronicles composed c. 4th century BC

    2 Chronicles 22:9 (parallel account, Masoretic Text)

    ✓ Contains this passage

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex, quoted here in English.

    they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him

    KJV of the Masoretic Text.

  3. Translated c. 2nd century BC; kaige revision 1st c. BC–1st c. AD

    Septuagint, 4 Kingdoms (library text: Giguet's French)

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from a Hebrew text of the period

    How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.

    L'un de ses gens le frappa sur son char comme il montait en Haï (la même que Jéblaam). Et Ochozias s'enfuit à Mageddo

    One Greek text (Vaticanus type, kaige revision) via Giguet's French; not checked against a critical Greek edition.

  4. c. AD 400

    Jerome's Vulgate

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from Hebrew texts of Jerome's day

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Clementine Vulgate (1592 edition).

    et percusserunt eum in ascensu Gaver… qui fugit in Mageddo, et mortuus est ibi

  5. AD 1008

    Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)

    ✓ Contains this passageDescends, through lost copies, from Original Kings

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex.

    וַיָּנָס מְגִדּוֹ וַיָּמָת שָׁם

    and he fled to Megiddo and died there

  6. 1611

    King James Bible

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: King James Version (1769 text).

    And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.

What changed, and why

Harmonizations propose that Ahaziah hid in Samaria first, was found, wounded near Ibleam while fleeing, and died at Megiddo. Others see two independent traditions. The Tel Dan Stele claims an Aramean king killed him.

What the evidence shows

  • Independently documentedKings and Chronicles describe Ahaziah's death differently.
  • DisputedThe two accounts can be fully harmonized.

Sources

  • E. Tov, Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible, 3rd ed. (2012)

Related lessons

  • Jehu's Coup and Jezebel →Elisha sends a young prophet to Ramoth-gilead to anoint the army commander Jehu king and to commission him to destroy Ahab's house. The officers proclaim him king. Jehu drives furiously to Jezreel, shoots King Joram through the heart and throws his body on Naboth's field; his men mortally wound Ahaziah of Judah. Jezebel, painted and adorned, taunts Jehu from a window; her servants throw her down, and dogs leave only her skull, feet and hands.