2
He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael and Shephatiah. Allthese were the sons of Jehoshaphatking of Israel.
3
Their fathergave them manygifts of silver, gold and preciousthings, with fortifiedcities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehorambecause he was the firstborn.
4
Now when Jehoram had takenover the kingdom of his father and made himself secure, he killedall his brothers with the sword, and some of the rulers of Israelalso.
6
He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahabdid (for Ahab'sdaughter was his wife ), and he didevil in the sight of the LORD.
7
Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of Davidbecause of the covenantwhich He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and his sonsforever*.
9
Then Jehoramcrossedover with his commanders and all his chariots with him. And he arose by night and struckdown the Edomites who were surrounding him and the commanders of the chariots.
12
Then a lettercame to him from Elijah the prophetsaying, "Thussays the LORDGod of your fatherDavid, 'Because* you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father and the ways of Asaking of Judah,
13
but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot as the house of Ahabplayed the harlot, and you have alsokilled your brothers, your own family*, who were betterthan you,
17
and they came against Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessionsfound in the king'shousetogether with his sons and his wives, so that noson was left to him except*Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
19
Now it came about in the course* of time, at the end of twoyears, that his bowelscame out because of his sickness and he died in greatpain. And his peoplemadenofire for him like the fire for his fathers.
20
He was thirty-two* years old when he becameking, and he reigned in Jerusalemeightyears; and he departed with no one's regret, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.