2 Chronicles 21:12

12 And letters were brought to him from Elijah, the prophet, in which it was written, The Lord God of David, thy father, saith these things, For that thou hast not gone in the ways of Jehoshaphat, thy father, and in the way(s) of Asa, king of Judah,

2 Chronicles 21:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 21:12

And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet
Not what was written by him after his ascension to heaven, and from thence came to Jehoram, even seven years after that, as say some Jewish writers ^F26; nor was it a writing from another person of the same name in those times, since of such an one we nowhere read; nor from Elisha bearing the name of Elijah, having a double portion of his spirit on him, since he is never so called; but this was a writing of Elijah's before his ascension, who, foreseeing by a spirit of prophecy what Jehoram would be guilty of, wrote this, and gave it to one of the prophets, as Kimchi suggests, and most probably to Elisha, to communicate it to him at a proper time; and who might, as the above writer intimates, think it came immediately from heaven: saying, thus saith the Lord God of David thy father;
and from whose God he had departed, and to which ancestor of his he was so much unlike: because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor
in the ways of Asa king of Judah;
neither trod in the steps of his father nor grandfather.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F26 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 17. Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 12. 1. A. M. 3050.

2 Chronicles 21:12 In-Context

10 Nevertheless Edom rebelled, (so) that it was not under the lordship of Judah unto this day. In that time also Libnah went away, that it was not under the hand of him (At that time Libnah also went away from Jehoram, so that they were not under his power); for he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.

11 Furthermore he made high places in the cities of Judah, and made the dwellers of Jerusalem to do fornication, that is, idolatry, and Judah to break the law. (And furthermore he made hill shrines in the cities of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do idolatry, and the people of Judah to break God's Law.)

12 And letters were brought to him from Elijah, the prophet, in which it was written, The Lord God of David, thy father, saith these things, For that thou hast not gone in the ways of Jehoshaphat, thy father, and in the way(s) of Asa, king of Judah,

13 but thou hast gone by the way of the kings of Israel, and thou hast made Judah and the dwellers of Jerusalem to do fornication, and thou hast followed the fornication of the house of Ahab; furthermore and thou hast slain thy brethren in the house of thy father, that is, (the) princes of the house of thy father, which were better than thou; (but thou hast gone in the ways of the kings of Israel, and thou hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do idolatry, and thou hast followed the idolatry of the house of Ahab; and furthermore thou hast killed thy brothers in the house of thy father, that is, the princes of the house of thy father, who were better than thou;)

14 lo! the Lord shall smite thee with a great vengeance, and thy people, and thy sons, and thy wives, and all thy chattel; (lo! the Lord shall strike thee with a great vengeance, and also thy people, and thy sons, and thy wives, and all thy substance, or thy possessions;)