Chapter 21

Jehoram Succeeds Jehoshaphat in Judah

1 aThen Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son became king in his place.

2 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, 1Azaryahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king aof Israel.

3 Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold and precious things, awith fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

4 Now when Jehoram had 1taken over the kingdom of his father and made himself 2secure, he akilled all his brothers with the sword, and some of the rulers of Israel also.

5 aJehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

6 aHe walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did (bfor Ahab’s daughter was his wife), and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.

7 Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant which He had made with David, aand since He had promised to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.

Revolt against Judah

8 In his days aEdom revolted 1against the rule of Judah and set up a king over themselves.

9 Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots with him. And he arose by night and struck down the Edomites who were surrounding him and the commanders of the chariots.

10 So Edom revolted 1against Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time 2against his rule, because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.

11 Moreover, ahe made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem bto play the harlot and led Judah astray.

12 Then a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet saying, “Thus says the Lord God of your father David, ‘Because ayou have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father band the ways of Asa king of Judah,

13 but ahave walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot bas the house of Ahab played the harlot, and you chave also killed your brothers, 1your own family, who were better than you,

14 behold, the Lord is going to strike your people, your sons, your wives and all your possessions with a great 1calamity;

15 and ayou will suffer 1severe sickness, a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the sickness, day by day.’ ”

16 Then athe Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and bthe Arabs who 1bordered the Ethiopians;

17 and they came against Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions found in the king’s house together with his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except 1aJehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

18 So after all this the Lord smote him ain his bowels with an incurable sickness.

19 Now it came about in the course of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels came out because of his sickness and he died in great pain. And his people made no fire for him like athe fire for his fathers.

20 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years; and he departed 1awith no one’s regret, and they buried him in the city of David, bbut not in the tombs of the kings.