2 Chronicles 21:5–20

Judah’s King Jehoram

⁵Jehoram ⁿwas 32 years old when he became king and reigned eight years in Jerusalem. ⁶He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, ^ofor Ahab’s daughter was his wife. ^pHe did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, ⁷but because of the covenant the Lord had made with David, He was unwilling to destroy the house of David since the Lord had promised ^qto give a lamp ^rto David and to his sons forever.

⁸During Jehoram’s reign, Edom rebelled against Judah’s domination and appointed their own king. ⁹So Jehoram crossed into Edom with his commanders and all his chariots. Then at night he set out to attack the Edomites who had surrounded him and the chariot commanders. ¹⁰And now Edom is still in rebellion against Judah’s domination today. Libnah also rebelled at that time against his domination because he had abandoned Yahweh, the God of his ancestors. ¹¹Jehoram also built high places ^sin the hills ^tof Judah, and he caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, ^uand he led Judah astray.

Elijah’s Letter to Jehoram

¹²Then a letter came to Jehoram from Elijah the prophet, saying:

This is what Yahweh, the God of your ancestor David says: “Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat ^vor in the ways of Asa king of Judah ^w13but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, ^xhave caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves like the house of Ahab ^yprostituted itself, and also have killed your brothers, ^zyour father’s family, who were better than you, ¹⁴Yahweh is now about to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a horrible affliction. ¹⁵You yourself will be struck with many illnesses, including a disease of the intestines, until your intestines come out day after day because of the disease.” ^a

Jehoram’s Last Days

¹⁶The Lord put it into the mind of the Philistines and the Arabs ^bwho live near the Cushites to attack Jehoram. ^c17So they went to war against Judah and invaded it. They carried off all the possessions found in the king’s palace and also his sons and wives; not a son was left to him except Jehoahaz, ^dehis youngest son.

¹⁸After all these things, the Lord afflicted him in his intestines with an incurable disease. ¹⁹This continued day after day until two full years passed. Then his intestines came out because of his disease, and he died from severe ^fillnesses. But his people did not hold a fire in his honor like the fire in honor of his fathers. ^g

²⁰Jehoram ^hwas 32 years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He died to no one’s regret ^ijand was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings. ^k