2 Chronicles 21

Corruption and Idolatry 2 Chronicles 21:4–6

⁴Verse 4. Now when Jehoram had risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel. ⁵Verse 5. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. ⁶Verse 6. He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did Ahab’s house; for he had Ahab’s daughter as his wife. He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight.

Divine Judgment Foretold 2 Chronicles 21:7–10

⁷Verse 7. However Yahweh would not destroy David’s house, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his children always. ⁸Verse 8. In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. ⁹Verse 9. Then Jehoram went there with his captains and all his chariots with him. He rose up by night and struck the Edomites who surrounded him, along with the captains of the chariots. ¹⁰Verse 10. So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Yahweh, the God of his fathers.

Prophetic Warning from Elijah 2 Chronicles 21:11–15

¹¹Verse 11. Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem play the prostitute, and led Judah astray. ¹²Verse 12. A letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “Yahweh, the God of David your father, says, ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, ¹³Verse 13. but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute like Ahab’s house did, and also have slain your brothers of your father’s house, who were better than yourself,

¹⁴Verse 14. behold, Yahweh will strike your people with a great plague, including your children, your wives, and all your posessions; ¹⁵Verse 15. and you will have great sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day.’”

Judgment and Death of Jehoram 2 Chronicles 21:16–19

¹⁶Verse 16. Yahweh stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians who are beside the Ethiopians; ¹⁷Verse 17. and they came up against Judah, broke into it, and carried away all the posessions that were found in the king’s house, including his sons and his wives; so that there was no son left him, except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. ¹⁸Verse 18. After all this Yahweh struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. ¹⁹Verse 19. In process of time, at the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died of severe diseases. His people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.

Legacy of Jehoram 2 Chronicles 21:20

²⁰Verse 20. He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He departed without being missed; and they buried him in David’s city, but not in the tombs of the kings.