2 Kings 8:16-24

The Voice

¹⁶ During the 5th year of the reign of Joram (Ahab’s son) of Israel, and when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram (Jehoshaphat’s son) became Judah’s king. ¹⁷ When he inherited the throne, he was 32 years old, and his time as king lasted 8 years in Jerusalem. ¹⁸ He lived his life as if he were a king in Israel, in the same wicked manner as Ahab’s family. In fact, he married Ahab’s daughter, and he committed countless deeds which the Eternal deemed wicked. ¹⁹ But the Eternal refused to bring Judah to its end, because He had made a promise to David, His loyal servant, that David’s progeny would always carry the lamp of his presence.

²⁰ During Jehoram’s reign, Edom rebelled against Judah’s rule and appointed its own king. ²¹ Joram then traveled to Zair with all of his chariots. During the night, he awoke to find that the Edomites had surrounded his camp and chariot officers, so he fought them and broke out. After the attack, Joram and his people ran quickly back to their tents. ²² Edom has been in rebellion against Judah ever since, even to this very day; at the same time, Libnah also rebelled. ²³ Is not the rest of Joram’s story—his actions and lasting legacy—documented in the book of the chronicles of Judah’s kings? ²⁴ Joram left this world to sleep with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David; Joram’s son, Ahaziah, then inherited the throne of Judah.