18 And he walketh in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for a daughter of Ahab was to him for a wife, and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, 19 and Jehovah was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, as He said to him, to give to him a lamp—to his sons all the days. 20 In his days hath Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and they cause a king to reign over them, 21 and Joram passeth over to Zair, and all the chariots with him, and he himself hath risen by night, and smiteth Edom, that is coming round about unto him, and the heads of the chariots, and the people fleeth to its tents; 22 and Edom revolteth from under the hand of Judah till this day; then doth Libnah revolt at that time. 23 And the rest of the matters of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 24 And Joram lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers in the city of David, and reign doth Ahaziah his son in his stead.
25 In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel reigned hath Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah; 26 a son of twenty and two years 'is' Ahaziah in his reigning, and one year he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Athaliah daughter of Omri king of Israel,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Kings 8:18-26
Commentary on 2 Kings 8:16-24
(Read 2 Kings 8:16-24)
A general idea is given of Jehoram's badness. His father, no doubt, had him taught the true knowledge of the Lord, but did ill to marry him to the daughter of Ahab; no good could come of union with an idolatrous family.
Commentary on 2 Kings 8:25-29
(Read 2 Kings 8:25-29)
Names do not make natures, but it was bad for Jehoshaphat's family to borrow names from Ahab's. Ahaziah's relation to Ahab's family was the occasion of his wickedness and of his fall. When men choose wives for themselves, let them remember they are choosing mothers for their children. Providence so ordered it, that Ahaziah might be cut off with the house of Ahab, when the measure of their iniquity was full. Those who partake with sinners in their sin, must expect to partake with them in their plagues. May all the changes, troubles, and wickedness of the world, make us more earnest to obtain an interest in the salvation of Christ.