Athaliah (ath-uh-LY-uh) — Athaliah was the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah and a member of Ahab’s northern royal house. After Ahaziah’s death she seized power in Jerusalem, while the child Joash was hidden in the temple.
Birth year: Unknown.
Death year: Approximately 835 BC (chronology-dependent).
Active during: The ninth century BC; she ruled Judah for six years.
Home region: Jerusalem in Judah.
Main passages: 2 Kings 11; 2 Chronicles 22:10–23:21.
Story and role
Athaliah was the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah and a member of Ahab’s northern royal house. After Ahaziah’s death she seized power in Jerusalem, while the child Joash was hidden in the temple.
How the dates were determined
The biblical text places Athaliah within this broad period: The ninth century BC; she ruled Judah for six years. Where an approximate calendar date is shown, it follows a conventional historical reconstruction rather than a date stated in Scripture. BC means “before Christ”; AD marks years in the traditional Christian calendar.
Limits of the evidence
The biblical books give Athaliah a six-year reign but no birth year or age. Absolute dates depend on the chronology used for the divided monarchy, so the death date is approximate rather than certain. The artwork is an imagined historical illustration, not a known likeness.
Explore the places connected with Athaliah on a modern reference map.
Read further
2 Kings 11; 2 Chronicles 22:10–23:21, NIV; BiblicalTraining reference library.