Atalyah’s Reign of Terror: The Queen Who Nearly Ended a Dynasty

A Queen's Bloody Rise to Power

Atalyah, the daughter of Achav, was the only woman to rule over the Kingdom of Yehudah (Judah) during the era of the First Temple. Her reign lasted six years, from the death of her son Achazyahu until her execution by Yehoyada the Kohen Gadol (High Priest).

The daughter of Achav and the notorious Izevel (Jezebel), Atalyah married Yehoram, king of Yehudah, and became the mother of Achazyahu, who reigned for one year after his father’s death. Influenced by her parents’ idolatrous legacy, Atalyah encouraged the worship of Baal and led both her husband and son to act wickedly in the eyes of God.

After Achazyahu’s death, Atalyah made a shocking move to secure power:

“She arose and destroyed all the royal seed” (Melachim II 11:1).
Intent on ruling alone, she attempted to exterminate every male descendant of the House of David.

A Hidden Heir and a Divine Oath

Despite Atalyah’s cruelty, the Divine promise to David remained unbroken. One child survived: Yehoash (Joash), the infant son of Achazyahu. His aunt Yehosheva, wife of Yehoyada the Kohen Gadol, hid him away in the Temple for six years. As Divrei HaYamim (II 22:12) recounts:

“He remained with them, hidden in the House of God for six years, while Atalyah ruled over the land.”

According to Eliyahu Zuta, this survival was no accident:

“If not for the covenant that God made with David, Yehoash too would have been killed, and the Davidic monarchy would have ended.”

Atalyah’s evil extended even into the Temple itself. She plundered its gold and silver to fund idol worship. The text even refers to her as “the wicked one” (Divrei HaYamim II 24:7).

Her Downfall and the Preservation of a Dynasty

When Yehoash turned seven, Yehoyada gathered the people and crowned the boy king in a public ceremony at the Temple. He was given a crown and a Torah scroll, and the people proclaimed:

“Long live the king!”

Hearing the commotion, Atalyah rushed to the Temple, saw the coronation, and tore her clothes in fury, crying:

“Treason! Treason!”

But Yehoyada ordered the guards to remove her from the holy grounds and execute her at the royal palace. Thus, Atalyah’s reign came to a violent end.

Atalyah’s legacy is a cautionary tale of ambition, cruelty, and spiritual corruption. Yet her story also reveals a deeper truth: even in the darkest moments, God’s promise to David endured. A single hidden child, protected by brave hands in the heart of the Temple, ensured that the light of the Davidic dynasty would not be extinguished.