2 Chronicleschapter 21

A.Jehoram kills his brothers, yet David's lamp still burnsvv. 1-7

1 And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David. And his son Jehoram reigned in his place. 2 Jehoram’s brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; these were all sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3 Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and precious things, as well as the fortified cities 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 himself by putting to the sword all his brothers along with some of the princes of Israel. 5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. 6 And Jehoram walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done. For he married a daughter of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD. 7 Yet the LORD was unwilling to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant He had made with David, and since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.

B.Edom and Libnah revolt, and high places rise in the mountainsvv. 8-11

8 In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king. 9 So Jehoram crossed into Edom with his officers and all his chariots. When the Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, he rose up and attacked by night. 10 So to this day Edom has been in rebellion against the hand of Judah. Likewise, Libnah rebelled against his rule at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers. 11 Jehoram had also built high places on the hills of Judah; he had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.

C.Elijah's letter, a wasting disease, and a death none regrettedvv. 12-20

12 Then a letter came to Jehoram from Elijah the prophet, which stated: “This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah, 13 but you have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and have caused Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab prostituted itself. You have also killed your brothers, your father’s family, who were better than you. 14 So behold, the LORD is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a serious blow. 15 And day after day you yourself will suffer from a severe illness, a disease of your bowels, until it causes your bowels to come out.’” 16 Then the LORD stirred against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and Arabs who lived near the Cushites. 17 So they went to war against Judah, invaded it, and carried off all the possessions found in the king’s palace, along with his sons and wives; not a son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest. 18 After all this, the LORD afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels. 19 This continued day after day until two full years had passed. Finally, his intestines came out because of his disease, and he died in severe pain. And his people did not make a fire in his honor as they had done for his fathers. 20 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He died, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

← Back: 2 Chronicles 20 Continue: 2 Chronicles 22 →

Chapter summary

Jehoram takes the throne and secures it by killing all six of his brothers with the sword.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴

Jehoram takes the throne and secures it by killing all six of his brothers with the sword. He walks in the way of the kings of Israel, 'for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife,' and makes high places in the mountains of Judah. Yet Jehovah would not destroy the house of David, 'because of the covenant that he had made with David,' having promised him a lamp always. Edom revolts, and Libnah, 'because he had forsaken Jehovah.' A writing comes to him from Elijah the prophet announcing plague on his people and a disease of the bowels; the Philistines and Arabians carry off his sons and wives; after two years his bowels fall out, and he departs 'without being desired.'

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Ezra — 2 Chronicles overview

A. 1–7 Jehoram kills his brothers, yet David's lamp still burns
B. 8–11 Edom and Libnah revolt, and high places rise in the mountains
C. 12–20 Elijah's letter, a wasting disease, and a death none regretted

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

2 Chronicles 215 verses
- 2 Chronicles 21:4When Jehoram had established himself over his father’s kingdom, he strengthened himself by putting to the sword all his brothers along with some of the princes of Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 21:11Jehoram had also built high places on the hills of Judah; he had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.
- 2 Chronicles 21:15And day after day you yourself will suffer from a severe illness, a disease of your bowels, until it causes your bowels to come out.’”
- 2 Chronicles 21:17So they went to war against Judah, invaded it, and carried off all the possessions found in the king’s palace, along with his sons and wives; not a son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest.
- 2 Chronicles 21:18After all this, the LORD afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels.
- Read 2 Chronicles 21 →
1 Kings 115 verses
- 1 Kings 11:7At that time on a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites.
- 1 Kings 11:14Then the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom.
- 1 Kings 11:23And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah,
- 1 Kings 11:33For they have forsaken Me to worship Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in My ways, nor done what is right in My eyes, nor kept My statutes and judgments, as Solomon’s father David did.
- 1 Kings 11:36I will give one tribe to his son, so that My servant David will always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put My Name.
- Read 1 Kings 11 →
2 Kings 84 verses
- 2 Kings 8:16In the fifth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab over Israel, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat succeeded his father as king of Judah.
- 2 Kings 8:17Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years.
- 2 Kings 8:18And Jehoram walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done. For he married a daughter of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD.
- 2 Kings 8:20In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king.
- Read 2 Kings 8 →
2 Chronicles 223 verses
- 2 Chronicles 22:1Then the people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, the youngest son of Jehoram, king in his place, since the raiders who had come into the camp with the Arabs had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah.
- 2 Chronicles 22:6so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they had inflicted on him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to visit Joram son of Ahab, because Joram had been wounded.
- 2 Chronicles 22:10When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs of the house of Judah.
- Read 2 Chronicles 22 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

2 Chronicles 122 verses
- 2 Chronicles 12:6So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The LORD is righteous.”
- 2 Chronicles 12:16And Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Abijah reigned in his place.
- Read 2 Chronicles 12 →
2 Chronicles 242 verses
- 2 Chronicles 24:5So he gathered the priests and Levites and said, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect the money due annually from all Israel, to repair the house of your God. Do it quickly.” The Levites, however, did not make haste.
- 2 Chronicles 24:25And when the Arameans had withdrawn, they left Joash severely wounded. His own servants conspired against him for shedding the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him on his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
- Read 2 Chronicles 24 →
2 Chronicles 172 verses
- 2 Chronicles 17:3Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek out the Baals,
- 2 Chronicles 17:11Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.
- Read 2 Chronicles 17 →
Jeremiah 222 verses
- Jeremiah 22:18Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: “They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
- Jeremiah 22:28Is this man Coniah a despised and shattered pot, a jar that no one wants? Why are he and his descendants hurled out and cast into a land they do not know?
- Read Jeremiah 22 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.