2 Chronicles 21:12-19

Elijah's Letter to Jehoram

12 Then a letter came to Jehoram from Elijah the prophet, saying: This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: "Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or in the ways of Asa king of Judah
13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves like the house of Ahab prostituted itself, and also have killed your brothers, your father's family, who were better than you,
14 the Lord is now about to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a horrible affliction.
15 You 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

16 The Lord put it into the mind of the Philistines and the Arabs who live near the Cushites to attack Jehoram.
17 So 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,[b] his youngest son.
18 After all these things, the Lord afflicted him in his intestines with an incurable disease.
19 This continued day after day until two full years passed. Then his intestines came out because of his disease, and he died from severe[c] illnesses. But his people did not hold a fire in his honor like the fire in honor of his fathers.[d]

2 Chronicles 21:12-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 21

This chapter relates Jehoram's succession to the throne of Judah, and the murders and idolatries committed by him, 2Ch 21:1-7, the revolt of the Edomites from him, and some of his own people, 2Ch 21:8-11, a writing of Elijah to him, threatening a great plague to him and his family, 2Ch 21:12-15, the raising up of several enemies against him, 2Ch 21:16,17, his sickness, death, and burial, 2Ch 21:18-20.

Footnotes 4

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