2 Kings 8:16-24

Judah's King Jehoram

16 In the fifth year of Israel's King Joram son of Ahab, Jehoram^[a] son of Jehoshaphat became king of Judah, replacing his father.^[b][c]

17 He was 32 years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

18 He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for Ahab's daughter was his wife. He did what was evil in the Lord's sight.

19 The Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah because of His servant David, since He had promised to give a lamp^[d] to David and to his sons forever.

20 During Jehoram's reign, Edom rebelled against Judah's control and appointed their own king.

21 So Jehoram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. Then at night he set out to attack the Edomites who had surrounded him and the chariot commanders, but his troops fled to their tents.

22 So Edom is still in rebellion against Judah's control today. Libnah also rebelled at that time.

23 The rest of the events of Jehoram's [reign], along with all his accomplishments, are written about in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.

24 Jehoram rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and his son Ahaziah became king in his place.^[e]

2 Kings 8:16-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 8

This chapter gives an account of some advice Elisha had formerly given to the Shunammite woman, and of the success of it, 2Ki 8:1-6 and of the sickness of the king of Syria, who sent to Elisha, then being at Damascus, by Hazael, to know whether he should recover; by whom a message was returned, and Hazael was told by the prophet he should be king of Syria, and exercise great cruelty in Israel, 2Ki 8:7-15 and of the bad reign of Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, over Judah, 2Ki 8:16-24 and of the reign of his son Ahaziah, 2Ki 8:25-29.

Footnotes

• [a] The Lord is Exalted
• [b] Lit Judah; Jehoshaphat had been king of Judah
• [c] 1 Kg 22:50
• [d] 1 Kg 11:36; 15:4
• [e] 2 Ch 21:5-20