31 (A)Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He walked in the way of Asa his father and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. 33 (B)The high places, however, were not taken away; (C)the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of (D)Jehu the son of Hanani, (E)which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

The End of Jehoshaphat's Reign

35 (F)After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. 36 He joined him in building ships to go to (G)Tarshish, and they built the ships in Ezion-geber. 37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, (H)“Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.

Jehoram Reigns in Judah

21 (I)Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place. He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of (J)Israel.[a] Their father gave them great gifts of silver, gold, and valuable possessions, together with (K)fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn. When Jehoram had ascended the throne of his father and was established, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of (L)Israel. (M)Jehoram was (N)thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. (O)And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for (P)the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give (Q)a lamp to him and to his sons forever.

In his days Edom revolted from the (R)rule of Judah and set up a king of their own. Then Jehoram passed over with his commanders and all his chariots, and he rose by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders. 10 So Edom revolted from (S)the rule of Judah to this day. At that time Libnah also revolted from his rule, because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his fathers.

11 Moreover, he made high places in the hill country of Judah and led the inhabitants of Jerusalem (T)into whoredom and made Judah go astray. 12 And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, (U)‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or (V)in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 (W)but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel and have enticed Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (X)into whoredom, (Y)as the house of Ahab led Israel into whoredom, and also you (Z)have killed your brothers, of your father's house, who were better than you, 14 behold, the Lord will bring a great plague on your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions, 15 and you yourself will have a severe sickness (AA)with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the disease, day by day.’”

16 (AB)And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the anger[b] of the Philistines and of (AC)the Arabians who are near the Ethiopians. 17 And they came up against Judah and invaded it and carried away all the possessions they found that belonged to the king's house, and also his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except (AD)Jehoahaz, his youngest son.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 21:2 That is, Judah
  2. 2 Chronicles 21:16 Hebrew spirit

The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign(A)

31 So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32 He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. 33 The high places,(B) however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.

34 The other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu(C) son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.

35 Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance(D) with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose ways were wicked.(E) 36 He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships.[a] After these were built at Ezion Geber, 37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships(F) were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.[b]

21 Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Jehoram(G) 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.[c] Their father had given them many gifts(H) of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities(I) in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son.

Jehoram King of Judah(J)

When Jehoram established(K) himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers(L) 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,(M) as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab.(N) He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless, because of the covenant the Lord had made with David,(O) the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David.(P) He had promised to maintain a lamp(Q) for him and his descendants forever.

In the time of Jehoram, Edom(R) 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. 10 To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah.

Libnah(S) revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the Lord, the God of his ancestors. 11 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.

12 Jehoram received a letter from Elijah(T) the prophet, which said:

“This is what the Lord, the God of your father(U) David, says: ‘You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa(V) king of Judah. 13 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.(W) You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your own family, men who were better(X) than you. 14 So now the Lord is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. 15 You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease(Y) of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.’”

16 The Lord aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs(Z) who lived near the Cushites. 17 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,[d] the youngest.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 20:36 Hebrew of ships that could go to Tarshish
  2. 2 Chronicles 20:37 Hebrew sail for Tarshish
  3. 2 Chronicles 21:2 That is, Judah, as frequently in 2 Chronicles
  4. 2 Chronicles 21:17 Hebrew Jehoahaz, a variant of Ahaziah