Jehoram Is King of Judah
2 Chronicles 21, verse 1. Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 2. He had six brothers, Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 3. Their father gave them many gifts of silver and gold, together with weapons and fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, since he was the firstborn. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 4. Now when Jehoram was established over his father's kingdom, he strengthened himself and killed all his brothers, as well as others of Israel. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 5. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and ruled for eight years in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 6. He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done; for Ahab's daughter was his wife, and he did evil before the Lord. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 7. Yet the Lord did not wish to destroy the house of David because of the covenant He had made with David, because He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 8. In those days, the Edomites revolted against Judah and set a king over themselves. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 9. So Jehoram went out with his officers and all his cavalry. He rose by night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots, and the people fled to their tents. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 10. Thus Edom remained in opposition to Judah's authority to this day. At that time, Libnah revolted against the rule of Jehoram because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 11. Moreover, he made high places in the cities of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit harlotry, and led Judah astray. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 12. And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of your father David, because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa the king of Judah, 2 Chronicles 21, verse 13. but walked in the way of the kings of Israel; because you caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot like the harlotry of the house of Ahab; and because you have killed your brothers, those of your father's household who were better than yourself, 2 Chronicles 21, verse 14. behold, the Lord will strike your people with a great affliction—your sons, your wives, and all your possessions. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 15. And you will become day by day very sick with a disease of your belly, until your belly comes out because of the sickness.”
The End of Jehoram's Reign
2 Chronicles 21, verse 16. Moreover, the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of both the foreigners and the neighbors of the Arabs near the Ethiopians. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 17. And they came up to Judah and invaded it; they carried away all the possessions from the king's house as well as his sons and daughters, so he had no son left except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 18. After all this the Lord struck him in the belly with an incurable disease. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 19. And in the course of time, at the end of two days, his belly came out with the disease, and he died in severe pain. His people made no funeral for him like the funeral for his fathers. 2 Chronicles 21, verse 20. He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. He departed without praise and he was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.