2 Chronicles 21
New American Standard Bible
Jehoram Succeeds Jehoshaphat in Judah
21 (A)Then Jehoshaphat [a]lay down with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and his son Jehoram became king in his place. 2 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, [b]Azaryahu, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king (B)of Israel. 3 Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold, and precious things, (C)with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.
4 Now when Jehoram had [c]taken over the kingdom of his father and gathered courage, he (D)killed all his brothers with the sword, and some of the leaders of Israel as well. 5 (E)Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. 6 (F)He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, (G)for Ahab’s daughter was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. 7 Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant which He had made with David, (H)and because He had promised to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.
Revolt against Judah
8 In his days (I)Edom broke away [d]from the rule of Judah, and appointed a king over themselves. 9 Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots with him. And he got up at night and struck and killed the Edomites who were surrounding him, and the commanders of the chariots. 10 So Edom revolted [e]against Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time [f]against his rule because he had abandoned the Lord God of his fathers. 11 Furthermore, (J)he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem (K)to be unfaithful, and led Judah astray.
12 Then a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “This is what the Lord, the God of your father David says: ‘Because (L)you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat (M)and the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but (N)have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to be unfaithful (O)as the house of Ahab was unfaithful, and you (P)have also killed your brothers, [g]your own family, who were better than you, 14 behold, the Lord is going to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a great plague; 15 and (Q)you will suffer [h]severe sickness, a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the sickness, day by day.’”
16 Then (R)the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and (S)the Arabs who [i]bordered the Ethiopians; 17 and they came against Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions found in the king’s house together with his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except [j](T)Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
18 So after all this the Lord struck him (U)in his intestines with an incurable sickness. 19 Now it came about in the course of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels came out because of his sickness, and he died in great pain. And his people did not make a funeral fire for him like (V)the fire for his fathers. 20 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years; and he departed [k](W)with no one’s regret, and they buried him in the city of David, (X)but not in the tombs of the kings.
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- 2 Chronicles 21:1 I.e., died
- 2 Chronicles 21:2 Or Azariah
- 2 Chronicles 21:4 Lit risen
- 2 Chronicles 21:8 Lit from under the hand of
- 2 Chronicles 21:10 Lit from under the hand of
- 2 Chronicles 21:10 Lit from under his hand
- 2 Chronicles 21:13 Lit your father’s house
- 2 Chronicles 21:15 Lit in many sicknesses
- 2 Chronicles 21:16 Lit were at the hand of
- 2 Chronicles 21:17 In 2 Chr 22:1, Ahaziah
- 2 Chronicles 21:20 Lit without desire
2 Chronicles 21
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Jehoram’s Reign
21 Jehoshaphat slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David; his son Jehoram succeeded him.(A) 2 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Judah.[a] 3 Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold, and valuable possessions, together with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.(B) 4 Jehoram ascended the throne of his father, and he strengthened himself, and he put all his brothers to the sword, as well as some of the officials of Israel. 5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.(C) 6 He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 7 Yet the Lord would not destroy the house of David because of the covenant that he had made with David and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his descendants forever.(D)
Revolt of Edom
8 In his days Edom revolted against the rule of Judah and set up a king of their own.(E) 9 Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots. He set out by night and attacked the Edomites, who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders. 10 So Edom has been in revolt against the rule of Judah to this day. At that time Libnah also revolted against his rule because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his ancestors.
Elijah’s Letter
11 Moreover he made high places in the hill country of Judah and led the inhabitants of Jerusalem into unfaithfulness and made Judah go astray.(F) 12 A letter came to him from the prophet Elijah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David: Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or in the ways of King Asa of Judah(G) 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel and have led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into unfaithfulness, as the house of Ahab led Israel into unfaithfulness, and because you also have killed your brothers, members of your father’s house, who were better than you,(H) 14 see, 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 with a disease of your bowels until your bowels come out, day after day, because of the disease.”(I)
16 The Lord aroused against Jehoram the anger of the Philistines and of the Arabs who are near the Cushites.(J) 17 They came up against Judah, invaded it, and carried away all the possessions they found that belonged to the king’s house, along with his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son.(K)
Disease and Death of Jehoram
18 After all this the Lord struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease.(L) 19 In the course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor like the fires made for his ancestors.(M) 20 He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He departed with no one’s regret. They buried him in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings.(N)
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- 21.2 Gk Syr: Heb Israel
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.