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.

Chapter 22

Ahaziah Succeeds Jehoram in Judah

1 aThen the inhabitants of Jerusalem made 1Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the band of men who came with bthe Arabs to the camp had slain all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.

2 Ahaziah was 1twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the 2granddaughter of Omri.

3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly.

4 He did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to ahis destruction.

Ahaziah Allies with Jehoram of Israel

5 He also walked according to their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. But the 1aArameans 2wounded 3Joram.

6 So he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds 1which they had inflicted on him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. And 2Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

7 Now athe destruction of Ahaziah was from God, in that 1he went to Joram. For when he came, bhe went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, cwhom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

Jehu Murders Princes of Judah

8 aIt came about when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers ministering to Ahaziah, and slew them.

9 aHe also sought Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was hiding in Samaria; they brought him to Jehu, put him to death band buried him. For they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, cwho sought the Lord with all his heart.” So there was no one of the house of Ahaziah to retain the power of the kingdom.

10 aNow when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose and destroyed all the royal 1offspring of the house of Judah.

11 But Jehoshabeath the king’s daughter took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and placed him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that she would not put him to death.

12 He was hidden with them in the house of God six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Chapter 23

Jehoiada Sets Joash on the Throne of Judah

1 aNow in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, and they entered into a covenant with him.

2 They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the fathers’ households of aIsrael, and they came to Jerusalem.

3 Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And 1Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, aas the Lord has spoken concerning the sons of David.

4 “This is the thing which you shall do: one third of you, of the priests and Levites awho come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers,

5 and one third shall be at the king’s house, and a third at the Gate of the Foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord.

6 “But let no one enter the house of the Lord except the priests and athe ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy. And let all the people keep the charge of the Lord.

7 “The Levites will surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever enters the house, let him be killed. Thus be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of athe divisions.

9 Then Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had been King David’s, which were in the house of God.

10 He stationed all the people, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right 1side of the house to the left 1side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king.

11 Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him athe testimony and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “bLong live the king!”

Athaliah Murdered

12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came into the house of the Lord to the people.

13 She looked, and behold, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the 1trumpeters were beside the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets, the singers with their musical instruments 2leading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!”

14 Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army and said to them, “Bring her out 1between the ranks; and whoever follows her, put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “Let her not be put to death in the house of the Lord.”

15 So they 1seized her, and when she arrived at the entrance of athe Horse Gate of the king’s house, they bput her to death there.

Reforms Carried Out

16 Then aJehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they would be the Lord’s people.

17 And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and akilled Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

18 Moreover, Jehoiada placed the offices of the house of the Lord under the 1authority of athe Levitical priests, bwhom David had assigned over the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses—cwith rejoicing and singing according to the 2order of David.

19 He stationed athe gatekeepers of the house of the Lord, so that no one would enter who was in any way unclean.

20 aHe took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and came through the upper gate to the king’s house. And they placed the king upon the royal throne.

21 So aall of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.