2 Chronicles 21:4-20

4 Now when Jehoram had taken over the kingdom of his father and made himself secure, he ¹killed all his brothers with the sword, and some of the rulers of Israel also.

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

6 ³He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did (⁴for Ahab's daughter was his wife ), and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

7 Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant which He had made with David, ⁵and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and his sons forever *.

Revolt against Judah

8 In his days ⁶Edom revolted against * * the rule of Judah and set up a king over themselves.

9 Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots with him. And he arose by night and struck down the Edomites who were surrounding him and the commanders of the chariots.

10 So Edom revolted against * * Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time against * his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.

11 Moreover, ⁷he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem ⁸to play the harlot and led Judah astray.

12 Then a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet saying, "Thus says the LORD God of your father David, 'Because * ⁹you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father ¹⁰and the ways of Asa king of Judah,

13 but ¹¹have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot ¹²as the house of Ahab played the harlot, and you ¹³have also killed your brothers, your own family *, who were better than you,

14 behold, the LORD is going to strike your people, your sons, your wives and all your possessions with a great calamity;

15 and ¹⁴you will suffer severe sickness, a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the sickness, day by day.' "

16 Then ¹⁵the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and ¹⁶the Arabs who bordered * the Ethiopians;

17 and they came against Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions found in the king's house together with his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except * ¹⁷Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

18 So after all this the LORD smote him ¹⁸in his bowels with an incurable * sickness.

19 Now it came about in the course * of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels came out because of his sickness and he died in great pain. And his people made no fire for him like ¹⁹the fire for his fathers.

20 He was thirty-two * years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years; and he departed ²⁰with no one's regret, and they buried him in the city of David, ²¹but not in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 21:4-20 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.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 4:8; Judges 9:5
• 2. 2 Kings 8:17-22
• 3. 1 Kings 12:28-30
• 4. 2 Chronicles 18:1
• 5. 2 Samuel 7:12-17; 1 Kings 11:13, 36
• 6. 2 Chronicles 20:22, 23; 2 Chronicles 21:10
• 7. 1 Kings 11:7
• 8. Leviticus 20:5
• 9. 2 Chronicles 17:3, 4
• 10. 2 Chronicles 14:2-5
• 11. 2 Chronicles 21:6
• 12. 1 Kings 16:31-33
• 13. 2 Chronicles 21:4
• 14. 2 Chronicles 21:18, 19
• 15. 2 Chronicles 33:11
• 16. 2 Chronicles 17:11; 2 Chronicles 22:1
• 17. 2 Chronicles 25:23
• 18. 2 Chronicles 21:15
• 19. 2 Chronicles 16:14
• 20. Jeremiah 22:18, 28
• 21. 2 Chronicles 24:25; 2 Chronicles 28:27

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "risen up"
• [b]. Lit "strong"
• [c]. Lit "from under the hand of"
• [d]. Lit "from under the hand of"
• [e]. Lit "from under his hand"
• [f]. Lit "your father's house"
• [g]. Lit "blow"
• [h]. Lit "in many sicknesses"
• [i]. Lit "were at the hand of"
• [j]. In 2 Chr 22:1, "Ahaziah"
• [k]. Lit "without desire"