Introduction

‘Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Jehoram, his son, succeeded him as king. Jehoram’s brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Israel. Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son.’ 2 Chronicles 21:1-3

Jehoshaphat dies, and his son, Jehoram, succeeds him as king of Judah, 2 Chronicles 21:1 / 1 Kings 22:49-50. Jehoshaphat is now dead, and his sons are situated at strategic cities throughout Judah, and they were supported by the centralised government in Jerusalem, 2 Chronicles 21:2-3. Jehoshaphat left Judah well organised, but when his firstborn, Jehoram, took over as king of Judah, things began to change, 2 Chronicles 21:3.

JEHORAM KING OF JUDAH

‘When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever.’ 2 Chronicles 21:4-7

Whilst Hazael became king of Aram, Jehoram became king of Judah, 2 Chronicles 21:4 / 2 Kings 8:16. Although it can be confusing at times, we must remember that the name ‘Jehoram’ appears in the lists of kings of both Israel and Judah, but they are different people. Joram is a shortened version of the name Jehoram, 2 Kings 1:17.

Jehoram now becomes king of Judah, and notice he has all his brothers, along with some of the officials of Israel, murdered, 2 Chronicles 21:4. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and reigned in Jerusalem for eight years, 2 Chronicles 21:5 / 2 Kings 8:17.

However, he followed in the ways of the kings of Israel and, like the house of Ahab had done, 2 Chronicles 21:6 / 2 Kings 8:18. This means that he committed idolatry and followed the gods of the Canaanites as Ahab did, 1 Kings 16:29-19:18.

This possibly happened because he married the daughter of Ahab, whose name was Athaliah, and so, it’s possible that she may have influenced him in some way. In some ways, she not only influenced him but influenced the whole nation, because the idolatrous action of Israel was now happening in Judah.

Clarke, in his commentary, says the following concerning the daughter of Ahab, 2 Chronicles 21:6 / 2 Kings 8:18.

‘This was the infamous Athaliah, and through this marriage Jehoshaphat and Ahab were confederates, and this friendship was continued after Ahab’s death.’

Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.

‘The very mention of such a thing in this paragraph is a mark of the diabolical threat that existed at this moment in the history of the Chosen People. In these events, Satan was moving swiftly and methodically toward that very goal, the total destruction of the house of David. And when Jehoram’s evil mother Athaliah was finally able to seize power for herself, she all but accomplished it.’

Jehoram did evil in the eyes of God, 2 Chronicles 21:6 / 2 Kings 8:18. He committed many acts of sins, one of them was the murdering of his six brothers because he wanted their wealth, 2 Chronicles 21:4 / 2 Chronicles 21:20.

Make no mistake about it, God would have wiped them off the face of the earth because of their idolatry, if it wasn’t for David and the promise He made to David, 2 Chronicles 21:7 / 2 Kings 8:19 / 2 Samuel 7:12-16 / 2 Chronicles 21:12-19.

Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.

‘The natural consequence of Jehoram’s apostasy would have been the destruction of his house, and the transfer of the throne of Judah to another family. Compare the punishments of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 14:10, Baasha, 1 Kings 16:2-4, and Ahab, 1 Kings 21:20-22. But the promises to David prevented this removal of the dynasty; and so Jehoram was punished in other ways, 2 Kings 8:22 / 2 Chronicles 21:12-19.’

‘In the time of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against Judah and set up its own king. So Jehoram went there with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night. To this day, Edom has been in rebellion against Judah. Libnah revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the LORD, the God of his ancestors. He had also built high places on the hills of Judah and had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.’ 2 Chronicles 21:8-11

In the time of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against Judah and set up its own king and so, Jehoram went to Zair with all his chariots, 2 Chronicles 21:8-9 / 2 Kings 8:20-21 / Genesis 27:40.

The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night, 2 Chronicles 21:8, his army, however, fled back home, 2 Kings 8:21.

We are told that to this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah. Libnah revolted at the same time, 2 Chronicles 21:10 / 2 Kings 8:22 / 2 Chronicles 21:16-17.

We know that great nations are held together by their loyalty to their kings. God originally created Israel as one nation, and they were to be loyal to Him as their king. Sadly, here we read about what happens when a nation is divided and loyal to various kings.

Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.

‘The Edomites had been subjected by David and remained under the dominion of Solomon, from whom they revolted for a time when the kingdom was divided. However, they again came under the dominion of Judah during the reign of Jehoshaphat, but this revolt against Joram resulted in their independence. What seems to be reported here is a disastrous route of Joram’s army and his being surrounded by the Edomite troops. Jehoram, with his chariots, was able to break through the surrounding Edomites and escape with his life, leaving the rest of his army to escape as best they could. This military disaster, which stopped just short of being complete, was followed by the loss of Libnah, a city to the southwest of Judah, probably in the area of the Philistines.’

Jehoram had forsaken God, and so, he built high places that his father had previously destroyed, 2 Chronicles 21:11. He did this probably to gain the favour of the people. By building these high places, Jehoram caused the people to prostitute themselves, that is, commit idolatry, 2 Chronicles 21:11 / James 4:4.

‘Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, which said: “This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah. But you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your own family, men who were better than you. So now the LORD is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.’” 2 Chronicles 21:12-15

Notice the text says, Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, 2 Chronicles 21:12. Remember that Elijah had been taken up in a whirlwind to God before the reign of Jehoram, 2 Kings 2:1.

But it appears that Elijah had prophesied concerning the wickedness of Jehoram, even before Jehoram reigned. Elijah had prophesied against Ahab and Jezebel, the parents of Jehoram’s wife, Athaliah.

It’s not the first time in this book that a prophet has spoken about an upcoming disaster for kings, before it happens, 2 Chronicles 12:5 / 2 Chronicles 16:7 / 2 Chronicles 19:2 / 2 Chronicles 24:20 / 2 Chronicles 26:16. However, some commentators believe that Elijah was still alive at this point in time.

Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.

‘This is the only notice which we have of Elijah in Chronicles. As a prophet of the northern kingdom, he engaged but slightly the attention of the historian of the southern one. The notice shows that Elijah did not confine his attention to the affairs of his own state, but strove to check the progress of idolatry in Judah. And it proves that he was alive after the death of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 21:13, a fact bearing.

1. Upon the chronological order of 2 Kings 2:1.

2. Showing that Elisha, who prophesied in the time of Jehoshaphat, 2 Kings 3:11-19, commenced his public ministry before his master’s translation.’

In an effort to bring the two kingdoms together, Jehoram married Athaliah, 2 Chronicles 21:13, but this resulted in evil arising within the family of David in Judah, 2 Chronicles 21:16-17.

The prophecy was that Judah would suffer from a great plague, 2 Chronicles 21:14, and Jehoram was to be struck with a disease in his intestines, 2 Chronicles 21:15.

‘The LORD aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs who lived near the Cushites. They attacked Judah, invaded it, and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah, the youngest.’ 2 Chronicles 21:16-17

The Philistines and Arabians, like the Edomites and Cushites, also took advantage of Judah’s weak condition, despite being suppressed earlier during the reign of Jehoshaphat. However, notice this was the Lord’s doing, 2 Chronicles 21:16.

They plundered the treasury of Judah, and they killed all the descendants of David except for one son, the youngest, Jehoahaz, 2 Chronicles 21:17, who was also called Ahaziah, 2 Chronicles 25:23. It’s an amazing thought that through this one son, the seedline promise of the Messiah that God made to David would continue.

‘After all this, the LORD afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels. In the course of time, at the end of the second year, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great pain. His people made no funeral fire in his honour, as they had for his predecessors. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.’ 2 Chronicles 21:18-20

The Lord afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowel, 2 Chronicles 21:18, which resulted in his bowels coming out, 2 Chronicles 21:19 / 2 Chronicles 21:15 / Acts 1:18. Notice, when Jehoram died in great pain, there wasn’t a lot of sympathy for him.

Because there was little respect for him as a person and king, he wasn’t given the honour of being buried in the tombs of the kings of Judah, 2 Chronicles 21:19 / 2 Kings 8:24. When he died, there were no regrets, 2 Chronicles 21:20. This is seen in that there was no burning of incense for him.

The other events of Jehoram’s reign, and all he did, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah, 2 Kings 8:23. Jehoram rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David, 2 Chronicles 21:20, and Ahaziah, his son, succeeded him as king, 2 Chronicles 22:1 / 2 Kings 8:24.

Go To 2 Chronicles 22