2Ch 21 | HCSB | STEP | Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David . His son Jehoram became king in his place .

2 Chronicles 21

Jehoram Becomes King Over Judah

1 Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jehoram ^{▼▼= Joram} became king in his place. ^b 2 He had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. ^{▼▼Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg, Arabic; other Hb mss read Israel} 3 Their father had given them many gifts of silver, gold, and valuable things, along with fortified cities ^d in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn. 4 When Jehoram had established himself over his father’s kingdom, he strengthened his position by killing with the sword all his brothers as well as some of the princes of Israel.

Judah’s King Jehoram

5 Jehoram ^e was 32 years old when he became king and reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6 He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, ^f for Ahab’s daughter was his wife. ^g He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, 7 but because of the covenant the Lord had made with David, He was unwilling to destroy the house of David since the Lord had promised ^h to give a lamp ⁱ to David and to his sons forever.

8 During Jehoram’s reign, Edom rebelled against Judah’s domination and appointed their own king. 9 So Jehoram crossed into Edom with his commanders and all his chariots. Then at night he set out to attack the Edomites who had surrounded him and the chariot commanders. 10 And now Edom is still in rebellion against Judah’s domination today. Libnah also rebelled at that time against his domination because he had abandoned ^{▼▼Yahweh/Yah: Or The Lord; the personal name of God in Hebrew; "Yah" is the shortened form of the name.}Yahweh, the God of his ancestors. 11 Jehoram also built ^{▼▼high place(s): An ancient place of worship most often associated with pagan religions, usually built on an elevated location}high places ^l in the hills ^{▼▼Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg read cities} of Judah, and he caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, ⁿ and he led Judah astray.

Elijah’s Letter to Jehoram

12 Then a letter came to Jehoram from Elijah the prophet, saying:

This is what Yahweh, the God of your ancestor David says: “Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat ^o or in the ways of Asa king of Judah ^p 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, ^q have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves like the house of Ahab ^r prostituted itself, and also have killed your brothers, ^s your father’s family, who were better than you, 14 Yahweh is now about to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a horrible affliction. 15 You yourself will be struck with many illnesses, including a disease of the intestines, until your intestines come out day after day because of the disease.” ^t

Jehoram’s Last Days

16 The Lord put it into the mind of the Philistines and the Arabs ^u who live near the ^{▼▼Cush/ Cushite: The lands of the Nile in southern Egypt, including Nubia and Northern Sudan; the people who lived in that region}Cushites to attack Jehoram. ^w 17 So they went to war against Judah and invaded it. They carried off all the possessions found in the king’s palace and also his sons and wives; not a son was left to him except Jehoahaz, ^{▼▼LXX, Syr, Tg read Ahaziah
,} ^y his youngest son.

18 After all these things, the Lord afflicted him in his intestines with an incurable disease. 19 This continued day after day until two full years passed. Then his intestines came out because of his disease, and he died from severe ^{▼▼Lit evil} illnesses. But his people did not hold a fire in his honor like the fire in honor of his fathers. ^aa

20 Jehoram ^ab was 32 years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He died to no one’s regret ^{▼▼Lit He walked in no desirability
,} ^ad and was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings. ^ae