King Ahaziah

How He Became King: After his father Ahab died in battle
When He Began Reigning: Uncertain
Reign Length: 2 years
Ruled Over: Israel
Type of King: Evil
Prophet: Elijah
Death: Died of his illness after asking Baal if he would recover
Burial: Unknown

After Ahab died, his son Ahaziah ruled over Israel for two years. He did evil and served Baal:

I 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.
52 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the Lord God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.”

During his reign, Moab rebelled against Israel (2 Kings 1:1).

One day Ahaziah fell through a lattice and was injured. The king then sent messengers to ask Baalzebub if he would recover:

2 Kings 1:2: “And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.”

When the king did this, the angel of the Lord came to Elijah and told him to tell the king that since he had asked Baal and not God, he would die:

2 Kings 1:3: “But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
4 Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.”

This answer did not sit well with Ahaziah. The king sent two groups of 50 men, each led by a captain, to have Elijah arrested. When these groups confronted Elijah, the prophet called down fire from Heaven and consumed them:

2 Kings 1:9: “Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.
12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.”

King Ahaziah then sent a third group of 50 against Elijah. However, this time the captain approached Elijah with fear and trembling. When he pleaded for his life, the angel told Elijah it was safe to accompany him:

2 Kings 1:13: “And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.
15 And the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.”

Elijah then told the king that he was going to die. That is exactly what happened:

2 Kings 1:16: “And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
17 So he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.”

After the king died, his brother Jehoram reigned in his stead.