Achaz is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Achaz, also known as Ahaz, was a king of Judah. He is remembered in Scripture as a ruler whose reign was marked by idolatrous practices. Though his story unfolds in the Old Testament historical books, he appears here in the New Testament as a link in the genealogical chain of Jesus Christ, recorded in the opening chapter of Matthew’s Gospel.
The setting of this mention is the genealogy of Jesus, where Matthew traces the lineage of the Messiah through the royal line of Judah. In Matthew 1:9 we read, “And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias.” Achaz stands between his father Joatham (also called Jotham) and his son Ezekias (also called Hezekiah), forming one generation in the descent that leads from the patriarchs and kings down to Joseph, the husband of Mary.
What Scripture says of Achaz in this passage is simply his place in that lineage—he “begat Ezekias.” The source note tells us he was a king of Judah known for his idolatrous practices, and that reputation is consistent with the Old Testament record of his life, though this entry is confined to what the New Testament text and the note state. His inclusion in the Messiah’s genealogy is striking: a man whose heart turned to idols is nonetheless woven into the family line through which God brought His Son into the world.
The Name
The name Achaz is the Greek form, found in the New Testament, of the Hebrew name Ahaz. The Hebrew name is well established in its meaning: it is commonly understood to derive from a root meaning “he has grasped” or “he has taken hold.” This is not a meaning invented for convenience but one long recognized in the study of the Hebrew text. The Greek form Achaz, as it appears in Matthew’s genealogy, carries that same name into the New Testament without changing its essential identity.
A Closing Thought
Achaz reminds us that God’s purposes are not thwarted by human failure. Here was a king whose idolatry might have seemed to disqualify him from any place of honor, yet his name still appears in the family line of the Savior. Grace does not run only through the worthy; it runs through the broken and the flawed, and God weaves even our worst chapters into His greater story. If you carry regret over seasons of wandering, take heart: the God who included Achaz in the lineage of Christ can redeem your place in His purposes too.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: New
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Matthew 1:9 — And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;