2 Kings 8:16-24

Another Jehoram Reigns in Judah

16 Now in the fifth year of ¹Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then the king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah became king.

17 He was ²thirty-two * years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

18 He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for ³the daughter of Ahab became his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

19 However, the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David His servant, ⁴since He had promised him to give a lamp to him through his sons always *.

20 In his days ⁵Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.

21 Then Joram crossed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him. And he arose by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots; ⁶but his army fled to their tents.

22 ⁷So Edom revolted against * * Judah to this day. Then ⁸Libnah revolted at the same time.

23 The rest of the acts of Joram and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles * of the Kings of Judah?

Ahaziah Succeeds Jehoram in Judah

24 So Joram slept with his fathers and ⁹was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and ¹⁰Ahaziah his son became king in his place.

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.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kings 1:17; 2 Kings 3:1
• 2. 2 Chronicles 21:5-10
• 3. 2 Kings 8:27
• 4. 2 Samuel 7:12-15; 1 Kings 11:36
• 5. 1 Kings 22:47; 2 Kin 3:9, 26, 27; 2 Kings 8:22
• 6. 2 Samuel 18:17; 2 Samuel 19:8
• 7. Genesis 27:40
• 8. Joshua 21:13; 2 Kings 19:8
• 9. 2 Chronicles 21:20
• 10. 2 Chronicles 21:1, 7

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "said"
• [b]. I.e. descendant on the throne
• [c]. Lit "the people"
• [d]. Lit "from under the hand of"