Jehoram Rules in Judah

21 Jehoshaphat died, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jehoram became king in his place. ² Jehoram’s brothers were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel. ³ Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold, and things of much worth. He gave them strong cities in Judah. But he made Jehoram king, because he was the first-born.

⁴ Now when Jehoram had become king in the place of his father, and had made himself strong, he killed all his brothers with the sword. He killed some of the leaders of Israel also. ⁵ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king. And he ruled for eight years in Jerusalem. ⁶ He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as those of Ahab’s house did. (For Ahab’s daughter was his wife.) He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. ⁷ Yet the Lord would not destroy the family of David, because of the agreement He had made with David. He had promised to give a light to him and his sons forever.

⁸ In the days of Jehoram, Edom turned against the rule of Judah, and set up a king of their own. ⁹ Then Jehoram crossed over with his captains and all his war-wagons. He went during the night and destroyed the Edomites who had gathered around him and the captains of the war-wagons. ¹⁰ So Edom has been against the rule of Judah to this day. Libnah turned against Jehoram’s rule at the same time, because he had left the Lord God of his fathers. ¹¹ And Jehoram made high places in the mountains of Judah. He caused the people of Jerusalem to give themselves over to sin. And he made Judah sin. ¹² Then a letter came to him from Elijah the man of God, saying, “The Lord God of your father David says, ‘You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat, and the ways of King Asa of Judah. ¹³ But you have walked in the way of the kings of Israel. You have caused Judah and the people of Israel to give themselves over to sin, as those of Ahab’s house did. And you have killed your brothers, your own family, who were better than you. ¹⁴ So see, the Lord is going to send a bad disease upon your people, your sons, your wives, and all you have. ¹⁵ You yourself will suffer a bad sickness, a disease of your stomach. Your insides will come out because of the sickness, day by day.’”

¹⁶ Then the Lord made the Philistines and the Arabs who were near the Ethiopians angry against Jehoram. ¹⁷ They came and fought against Judah, and carried away all the things they found in the king’s house, together with his sons and his wives. No son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest. ¹⁸ After all this the Lord caused a sickness in Jehoram’s stomach, which could not be cured. ¹⁹ After that time, at the end of two years, his insides came out because of his sickness. And he died in much pain. His people made no fire for him like the fires made for his fathers. ²⁰ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. And no one felt bad when he died. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the graves of the kings.