2Chronicles 21

Jehoram Rules in Judah

21When Jehoshaphat died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Jehoram became the next king.H3092H7901H1H6912H1H5892H1732H3088H1121H44272Jehoram's brothers—the other sons of Jehoshaphat—were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah

.H251H1121H3092H5838H3171H2148H5838H4317H8203H1121H3092H4428H34783Their father had given each of them valuable gifts of silver, gold, and costly items, and also some of Judah's fortified towns. However, he designated Jehoram as the next king because he was the oldest.H1H5414H7227H4979H3701H2091H4030H4694H5892H3063H4467H5414H3088H10604But when Jehoram had become solidly established as king, he killed all his brothers and some of the other leaders of Judah.H3088H6965H4467H1H2388H2026H251H2719H8269H34785Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years.H3088H7970H8147H8141H1121H4427H4427H8083H8141H33896But Jehoram followed the example of the kings of Israel and was as wicked as King Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab's daughters. So Jehoram did what was evil in the LORD's sight.H3212H1870H4428H3478H6213H1004H256H1323H256H802H6213H7451H5869H30687But the LORD did not want to destroy David's dynasty, for he had made a covenant with David and promised that his descendants would continue to rule, shining like a lamp forever.H3068H14H7843H1004H1732H1285H3772H1732H559H5414H5216H1121H31178During Jehoram's reign, the Edomites revolted against Judah and crowned their own king.H3117H123H6586H3027H3063H4427H44289So Jehoram went out with his full army and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he went out at night and attacked them

under cover of darkness.H3088H5674H8269H7393H6965H3915H5221H123H5437H8269H739310Even so, Edom has been independent from Judah to this day. The town of Libnah also revolted about that same time. All this happened because Jehoram had abandoned the LORD, the God of his ancestors.H123H6586H3027H3063H3117H6256H3841H6586H3027H5800H3068H430H111He had built pagan shrines in the hill country of Judah and had led the people of Jerusalem and Judah to give themselves to pagan gods and to go astray.H6213H1116H2022H3063H3427H3389H2181H5080H306312Then Elijah the prophet wrote Jehoram this letter: "This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: You have not followed the good example of your father, Jehoshaphat, or your grandfather King Asa of Judah.H935H4385H452H5030H559H559H3068H430H1732H1H1980H1870H3092H1H1870H609H4428H306313Instead, you have been as evil as the kings of Israel. You have led the people of Jerusalem and Judah to worship idols, just as King Ahab did in Israel. And you have even killed your own brothers, men who were better than you.H3212H1870H4428H3478H3063H3427H3389H2181H2181H1004H256H2026H251H1H1004H289614So now the LORD is about to strike you, your people, your children, your wives, and all that is yours with a heavy blow.H1419H4046H3068H5062H5971H1121H802H739915You yourself will suffer with a severe intestinal disease that will get worse each day until your bowels come out."H7227H2483H4245H4578H4578H3318H2483H3117H311716Then the LORD stirred up the Philistines and the Arabs, who lived near the Ethiopians

, to attack Jehoram.H3068H5782H3088H7307H6430H6163H5921H3027H356917They marched against Judah, broke down its defenses, and carried away everything of value in the royal palace, including the king's sons and his wives. Only his youngest son, Ahaziah

, was spared.H5927H3063H1234H7617H7399H4672H4428H1004H1121H802H1121H7604H3059H6996H112118After all this, the LORD struck Jehoram with the severe intestinal disease.H310H3068H5062H4578H369H4832H248319The disease grew worse and worse, and at the end of two years it caused his bowels to come out, and he died in agony. His people did not build a great funeral fire to honor him as they had done for his ancestors.H3117H3318H6256H7093H8147H3117H4578H3318H5973H2483H4191H7451H8463H5971H6213H8316H8316H120Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. No one was sorry when he died. They buried him in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery.H7970H8147H1121H4427H4427H3389H8083H8141H3212H2532H6912H5892H1732H6913H4428