2 Chronicles 21

Chapter 21

Jehoram Rules in Judah

1 When Jehoshaphat died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Jehoram became the next king.
2 Jehoram’s brothers—the other sons of Jehoshaphat—were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah.t3 Their father had given each of them valuable gifts of silver, gold, and costly items, and also some of Judah’s fortified towns. However, he designated Jehoram as the next king because he was the oldest.

4 But when Jehoram had become solidly established as king, he killed all his brothers and some of the other leaders of Judah.
5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years.6 But Jehoram followed the example of the kings of Israel and was as wicked as King Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab’s daughters. So Jehoram did what was evil in the LORD’s sight.

7 But the LORD did not want to destroy David’s dynasty, for he had made a covenant with David and promised that his descendants would continue to rule, shining like a lamp forever.
8 During Jehoram’s reign, the Edomites revolted against Judah and crowned their own king.9 So Jehoram went out with his full army and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he went out at night and attacked themt under cover of darkness.10 Even so, Edom has been independent from Judah to this day. The town of Libnah also revolted about that same time. All this happened because Jehoram had abandoned the LORD, the God of his ancestors.

11 He had built pagan shrines in the hill country of Judah and had led the people of Jerusalem and Judah to give themselves to pagan gods and to go astray.

12 Then Elijah the prophet wrote Jehoram this letter:

“This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: You have not followed the good example of your father, Jehoshaphat, or your grandfather King Asa of Judah.13 Instead, you have been as evil as the kings of Israel. You have led the people of Jerusalem and Judah to worship idols, just as King Ahab did in Israel. And you have even killed your own brothers, men who were better than you.14 So now the LORD is about to strike you, your people, your children, your wives, and all that is yours with a heavy blow.15 You yourself will suffer with a severe intestinal disease that will get worse each day until your bowels come out.”16 Then the LORD stirred up the Philistines and the Arabs, who lived near the Ethiopians,t to attack Jehoram.

17 They marched against Judah, broke down its defenses, and carried away everything of value in the royal palace, including the king’s sons and his wives. Only his youngest son, Ahaziah,t was spared.
18 After all this, the LORD struck Jehoram with the severe intestinal disease.

19 The disease grew worse and worse, and at the end of two years it caused his bowels to come out, and he died in agony. His people did not build a great funeral fire to honor him as they had done for his ancestors.

20 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. No one was sorry when he died. They buried him in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery.

2 CHRONICLES 21

1 Jehoshaphat died and was buried beside his ancestors in Jerusalem, and his son Jehoram became king.

King Jehoram //of Judah

(2 Kings 8.16-24)

3 Jehoshaphat gave each of them silver and gold, as well as other valuable gifts. He also put them in charge of the fortified cities in Judah, but he had chosen his oldest son Jehoram to succeed him as king.
4 After Jehoram had taken control of Judah, he had his brothers killed, as well as some of the nation's leaders.

5 He was 32 years old when he became king, and he ruled eight years from Jerusalem.
6 Jehoram married Ahab's daughter and followed the sinful example of Ahab's family and the other kings of Israel. He disobeyed the [Lord] by doing wrong,

7 t but because the [Lord] had made a solemn promise to King David that someone from his family would always rule in Judah, he refused to wipe out David's descendants.
8  t While Jehoram was king, the people of Edom rebelled and chose their own king. 9 Jehoram, his officers, and his cavalry marched to Edom, where the Edomite army surrounded them. He escaped during the night,

10 but Judah was never able to regain control of Edom. Even the town of Libnaht rebelled at that time.
Those things happened because Jehoram had turned away from the [Lord], the God his ancestors had worshiped.

11 Jehoram even built local shrinest in the hills of Judah and let the people sin against the [Lord] by worshiping foreign gods.

12 One day, Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet that said:
I have a message for you from the [Lord] God your ancestor David worshiped. He knows that you have not followed the example of Jehoshaphat your father or Asa your grandfather.

13 Instead you have acted like those sinful kings of Israel and have encouraged the people of Judah to stop worshiping the [Lord], just as Ahab and his descendants did. You even murdered your own brothers, who were better men than you.
14 Because you have done these terrible things, the [Lord] will severely punish the people in your kingdom, including your own family, and he will destroy everything you own.

15 You will be struck with a painful stomach disease and suffer until you die.
16 The [Lord] later caused the Philistines and the Arabs who lived near the Ethiopianst to become angry with Jehoram.

17 They invaded Judah and stole the royal property from the palace, and they led Jehoram's wives and sons away as prisoners. The only one left behind was Ahaziah, t his youngest son.
18 After this happened, the [Lord] struck Jehoram with an incurable stomach disease.

19 About two years later, Jehoram died in terrible pain. No bonfire was built to honor him, even though the people had done this for his ancestors.
20 Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king, and he ruled 8 years from Jerusalem. He died, and no one even felt sad. He was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the royal tombs.