2 Chronicles 21
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1Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 2He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3Their father gave them great gifts of silver, of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn. 4Now 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. 5Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6He 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. 7However 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. 8In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 9Then 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. 10So 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. 11Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem play the prostitute, and led Judah astray. 12A 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, 13but 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, 14behold, Yahweh will strike your people with a great plague, including your children, your wives, and all your posessions; 15and you will have great sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day.’” 16Yahweh stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians who are beside the Ethiopians; 17and 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. 18After all this Yahweh struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. 19In 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. 20He 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.
World English Bible (public domain)
“And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the anger of the Philistines and of the Arabs who are near the Cushites. They came against Judah and invaded it and carried away all the possessions they found that belonged to the king's house, and also his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son.”
2 Chronicles 21:16-17
Summary
2 Chronicles 21 recounts the reign of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, who ruled over Judah. Following the death of his father, Jehoram established his reign by killing his brothers and some of the leaders of Israel, showcasing a tragic descent into tyranny and moral corruption. Throughout his rule, Jehoram turned away from the ways of the Lord and adopted the practices of the nations around him, leading to a spiritual decline in the nation. His marriage to Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, further entrenched idolatry in Judah as he built high places for Baal and led the people astray from worshipping Yahweh. The chapter also highlights the consequences of Jehoram's choices, including divine judgment. The prophet Elijah sends a letter foretelling the calamities that would come upon Jehoram and his family due to his unfaithfulness. Ultimately, Jehoram suffers from a painful disease and faces an ignominious death, leaving a legacy of turmoil and division within Judah. This narrative serves as a profound reminder of the seriousness of leadership and the impact of faithfulness or faithlessness upon a nation. Theological themes in this chapter include the consequences of turning away from God, the significance of prophetic voices in calling nations to repentance, and the idea that leadership carries profound responsibilities both in secular and spiritual realms. Jehoram's failure illustrates the ramifications of corrupt leadership, while God's unwavering commitment to justice and His people shines through the prophetic warnings given to him. His eventual demise acts as a caution to all leaders about the importance of aligning oneself with divine truth.
Key Themes
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