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21
1 Jehoshaphat died and was buried with his forefathers in the City of David, and his son Jehoram took over as king. 2 His brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All were sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.*“Judah,” following some Hebrew manuscripts, the Septuagint, and the Vulgate. Most Hebrew manuscripts have “Israel,” perhaps reflecting the Chronicler's intent that Judah should be seen as being the real inheritor of the title “kingdom of Israel.” Similarly verse 4. 3 Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and valuable items, as well as the fortified towns in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn. 4 But once Jehoram had secured the kingdom, he made sure of his position by killing all his brothers, along with some of the princes of Judah.
5 Jehoram was thirty-two when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. 6 He followed the evil ways of the kings of Israel, and was as bad as Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab's daughters. He did evil in the Lord's sight. 7 However, the Lord did not want to destroy David's line because of the agreement he had made with David, and he had promised that David's descendants would rule forever like an ever-burning lamp.
8 During Jehoram's reign, Edom rebelled against Judah's rule and chose their own king. 9 So Jehoram crossed into Edom with his officers and all his chariot army. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he broke through during the night.†The Hebrew is unclear as to whether this was a night attack, or merely that Jehoram escaped. In any event, the following verses reveal that the rebellion was not put down by Jehoram. 10 From this time on Edom was in rebellion against Judah's rule, and remains so to this day. At the same time Libnah also rebelled against his rule, because he had abandoned the Lord, the God of his forefathers. 11 He also built high places on the mountains of Judah; he made the people of Jerusalem unfaithful to God and led Judah away from him.
12 Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet that said, “This is what the Lord, the God of David your forefather says, ‘You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat, or Asa, king of Judah, 13 but instead you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and have made the people of Jerusalem unfaithful, and the people of Jerusalem as unfaithful as the family of Ahab. You have even killed your brothers, your father's family, who were better than you. 14 Watch out, for the Lord is going to hit your people hard—your sons, your wives, and all that you own. 15 You yourself will be struck with a terrible illness—a disease of the bowels which will get worse day by day until they come out.’ ”
16 The Lord stirred up the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabians (who live near the Ethiopians) against Jehoram. 17 They came and invaded Judah, and took away everything they found in the king's palace, along with his sons and his wives, so that only the youngest son Jehoahaz‡“Jehoahaz”: also called Azariah. was left.
18 After all this, the Lord struck Jehoram with a disease of the bowels for which there was no cure. 19 Day after day it grew worse, until after two full years passed his bowels came out because of his disease, and he died in agony. His people did not make a fire to honor him as they had done for his forefathers. 20 Jehoram was thirty-two when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. When he died, no one mourned him. He was buried in the City of David, but not in the royal tombs.

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*21:2 “Judah,” following some Hebrew manuscripts, the Septuagint, and the Vulgate. Most Hebrew manuscripts have “Israel,” perhaps reflecting the Chronicler's intent that Judah should be seen as being the real inheritor of the title “kingdom of Israel.” Similarly verse 4.

†21:9 The Hebrew is unclear as to whether this was a night attack, or merely that Jehoram escaped. In any event, the following verses reveal that the rebellion was not put down by Jehoram.

‡21:17 “Jehoahaz”: also called Azariah.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher