2 Chronicles 21:3
in 2 Chronicles 21Their 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the first-born.
KJV
And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 21
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Jehoshaphat departed from Rehoboam’s policy (2Ch 11:23 note), actually making over to his sons the “fenced cities” in which they dwelt. This, it is probable, provoked the jealousy of Jehoram, and induced him to put them to death 2Ch 21:4. Because he was the firstborn - Compare Deu 21:15-17. Exceptions to this rule in the northern and southern kingdoms are Solomon, where divine appointment superseded the natural order, Abijah 2Ch 11:22 note), and Jehoahaz (2Ki 23:30 note).
This site's exposition
slept with his fathers
on 2 Chronicles 21:1-3
Jehoshaphat dies exactly as Kings records, and Chronicles keeps a detail Kings passes over: he gave his other sons great gifts of silver, gold and fenced cities in Judah, the same provision Rehoboam made for his own sons at 2 Chr 11:23. The kingdom itself went to Jehoram alone, because he was the firstborn, the rule of Deut 21:15-17 applied without exception. Those gifted cities and the brothers who held them become the occasion for what Jehoram does next.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Woe unto him that thus foundeth a kingdom in blood ( Hab. ii. 12 ); it will prove a foundation that will sink the superstructure. That Jehoram was a most wicked king, who corrupted and debauched his kingdom, and ruined the reformation that his good father and grandfather had carried on: He walked in the way of the house of Ahab (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Through the influence of Athaliah he abolished the worship of the Lord, and encouraged an introduction of all the corruptions prevalent in the sister kingdom. The divine vengeance was denounced against him, and would have utterly destroyed him and his house, had it not been for a tender regard to the promise made to David (2Sa 7:29;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The kingdom gave he to Jehoram - He made him co-partner with himself in the kingdom about three years before his death; so that he reigned only five years after the death of his father Jehoshaphat. See the notes on 2Ki 8:16, etc.; and on the same, 2Ch 1:17, where an attempt is made to settle this disturbed chronology.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּתֵּ֣ן | vaiyiten | and he had given | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לָהֶ֣ם׀ | lahem | to them | ||
| אֲ֠בִיהֶם | ʾavihem | father their | H1 → | 1212 times |
| מַתָּנ֨וֹת | matanot | gifts | H4979 → | |
| רַבּ֜וֹת | rabot | many | H7227 → | 454 times |
| לְכֶ֤סֶף | lekhesef | to silver | H3701 → | 403 times |
| וּלְזָהָב֙ | ulezahav | and to gold | H2091 → | 389 times |
| וּלְמִגְדָּנ֔וֹת | ulemigdanot | and to excellent things | H4030 → | |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| עָרֵ֥י | ʾarei | cities of | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| מְצֻר֖וֹת | metzurot | fortifications | H4694 → | 8 times |
| בִּֽיהוּדָ֑ה | bihudah | in Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמַּמְלָכָ֛ה | hamamlakhah | the kingdom | H4467 → | 117 times |
| נָתַ֥ן | natan | he gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לִֽיהוֹרָ֖ם | lihoram | to Jehoram | H3088 → | 29 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| ה֥וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הַבְּכֽוֹר׃ פ | habekhor | [was] the firstborn | H1060 → |
וַיִּתֵּ֣ןand he had given
vaiyitenH5414 →2011 times
לָהֶ֣ם׀to them
lahem
אֲ֠בִיהֶםfather their
ʾavihemH1 →1212 times
מַתָּנ֨וֹתgifts
matanotH4979 →
רַבּ֜וֹתmany
rabotH7227 →454 times
לְכֶ֤סֶףto silver
lekhesefH3701 →403 times
וּלְזָהָב֙and to gold
ulezahavH2091 →389 times
וּלְמִגְדָּנ֔וֹתand to excellent things
ulemigdanotH4030 →
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
עָרֵ֥יcities of
ʾareiH5892 →1090 times
מְצֻר֖וֹתfortifications
metzurotH4694 →8 times
בִּֽיהוּדָ֑הin Judah
bihudahH3063 →819 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַמַּמְלָכָ֛הthe kingdom
hamamlakhahH4467 →117 times
נָתַ֥ןhe gave
natanH5414 →2011 times
לִֽיהוֹרָ֖םto Jehoram
lihoramH3088 →29 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
ה֥וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
הַבְּכֽוֹר׃ פ[was] the firstborn
habekhorH1060 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 25:6But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.
it leads to
- Genesis 21:14
Early in the morning, Abraham got up, took bread and a skin of water, put them on Hagar’s shoulders, and sent her away with the boy. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of…
- Judges 6:3
Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them,
- Acts 14:17
Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”
- Genesis 21:14
Through
2 Chronicles 11:5Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem, and he built up cities for defense in Judah.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 8:2–6
Solomon rebuilt the cities Hiram had given him and settled Israelites there.
- 2 Chronicles 16:6
Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials he built up Geba and…
- 2 Chronicles 11:23
Rehoboam also acted wisely by dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives for them.
- 2 Chronicles 27:4
He also built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests.
- 2 Chronicles 8:2–6
Through
2 Chronicles 11:23Rehoboam also acted wisely by dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives for them.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 1:5–6
At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.
- 1 Kings 1:5–6
About 2 Chronicles

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of the Chronicles and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
