OCHOZIA. — King of Israel, son of Ahab and Jezebel, reigned for two years (853–852 B.C.). A contemporary of Josaphat, king of Judah (v.), he maintained the good relations already established by his father Ahab and joined in an enterprise involving a fleet of ships that were to sail to Ophir in search of gold; but the ships were wrecked in the port of Asion-geber (1 Kings 22:49ff.; 2 Chron. 20:35ff.). The alliance with O., “a man of wicked conduct,” drew upon Josaphat the reproach of the prophet Eliezer (2 Chron. 20:37). In fact, O. followed the impious conduct of his father, “served Baal and worshiped him, provoking the wrath of the God of Israel” (1 Kings 22:54).
After being seriously wounded by falling from a window of the royal palace in Samaria, he sent messengers to consult Beelzebub, the god of Ekron. In punishment for such flagrant apostasy, the prophet Elijah (v.) foretold his death. Three times O. attempted to seize the ill-fated prophet; but each time the affront to the prophetic office was punished by the instant death of the king’s messengers (1 Kings 1). He was succeeded by his brother Joram (v.). During his brief reign, the revolt of the Moabites under King Mesha began (ibid. 1:1).