Jehoram rules Judah
2 Jehoram's brothers, the other sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All of these were the sons of Israel's King Jehoshaphat.
3
Their father had given them many gifts of silver, gold, and other valuables, along with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the oldest son.
4
When Jehoram had taken control of his father's kingdom, he established his rule by killing all his brothers, along with some other leaders of Israel.
5
Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king, and he ruled for eight years in Jerusalem.
6
He walked in the ways of Israel's kings, just as Ahab's dynasty had done, because he married Ahab's daughter. He did what was evil in the LORD's eyes.
7
Nevertheless, because of the covenant he had made with David, the LORD wasn't willing to destroy David's dynasty. He had promised to preserve a lamp for David and his sons forever.
8
During Jehoram's rule, Edom rebelled against Judah's power and appointed its own king.
9
Jehoram, along with all his chariots, crossed over to Zair. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night, defeating him and his chariot officers.
10
So Edom has been independent of Judah to this day. Libnah rebelled against Jehoram's rule at the same time because he had abandoned the LORD, the God of his ancestors.
11
As if that wasn't enough, Jehoram constructed shrines throughout Judah's highlands, encouraged Jerusalem's citizens to be unfaithful, and led Judah astray.
12
A letter from the prophet Elijah came to Jehoram that read, "This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: Because you haven't walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or the ways of Judah's King Asa,