Add parallel Print Page Options

21 Now Yehoshaphat slept with his avot, and was buried with his avot in Ir Dovid. And Yehoram bno reigned in his place.

And he had achim, the Bnei Yehoshaphat, Azaryah, and Yechiel, and Zecharyahu, and Azaryahu, and Michael, and Shephatyahu. All these were the Bnei Yehoshaphat Melech Yisroel.

And their av have given them mattanot rabbot of kesef, and of zahav, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Yehudah, but the Mamlachah (Kingdom) he gave to Yehoram; because he was the bechor.

Now when Yehoram was risen up to the Mamlachah of his av, he strengthened himself, and slaughtered all his achim with the cherev, and also a number of the sarim (leading political figures) of Yisroel.

Yehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned shemoneh shanim in Yerushalayim.

And he walked in the derech of the melachim of Yisroel, as did the Bais Ach’av, for he had the Bat Ach’av to wife, and he wrought that which was rah in the eyes of Hashem.

However, Hashem was not willing to destroy the Bais Dovid, for the sake of HaBrit that He had cut with Dovid, and since He promised to give a ner (lamp) to him and to his banim kol hayamim.

In the days of Yehoram, Edom rebelled from under the yad Yehudah, and made themselves a melech.

Then Yehoram went forth with his sarim (princes), and all his chariots with him, and he rose up by lailah, and struck down Edom which had surrounded him, and the commanders of the chariots.

10 So the Edomites rebelled from under the yad Yehudah unto this day. At the same time also did Livnah rebel from under his yad, because he had forsaken Hashem Elohei Avotav.

11 Moreover he built high places [unlawful altars] in the mountains of Yehudah and caused the inhabitants of Yerushalayim to commit fornication, and led Yehudah astray.

12 And there came a miktav (letter) to him from Eliyahu HaNavi, saying, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Dovid Avicha, Because thou hast not walked in the darkhei Yehoshaphat Avicha, nor in the darkhei Asa Melech Yehudah,

13 But hast walked in the derech of the melachim of Yisroel, and hast made Yehudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim to go awhoring, like the whoredoms of the Bais Ach’av, and also hast murdered thy achim of Bais Avicha, which were better than thee;

14 Hinei, with a maggefah gedolah (great plague) will Hashem strike thy people, and thy banim, and thy nashim, and all thy possessions;

15 And thou shalt have cholayim rabbim with machla (disease) of thy bowels, until thy bowels come out by reason of the choli yamim al yamim.

16 Moreover Hashem stirred up against Yehoram the ruach HaPelishtim, and of the Arabs, who lived near the Kushim;

17 And they came up against Yehudah, and invaded, and carried away all the possessions that were found in the Bais HaMelech, and also his banim, and his nashim; so that there was left him not a ben except Yehoachaz (Achazyahu, Ahaziah), the youngest of his banim.

18 And after all this Hashem struck him in his bowels with a choli for which there was no marpeh.

19 And it came to pass that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels protruded out by reason of his choli; so he died in great pain. And his people kindled no pyre in his honor, as they had done for his avot.

20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Yerushalayim shemoneh shanim, and departed without chemdah (desire [for him]). Howbeit they buried him in the Ir Dovid, but not in the kevarot hamelachim.

21 Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Jehoram(A) his son succeeded him as king. Jehoram’s brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.[a] Their father had given them many gifts(B) of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities(C) in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son.

Jehoram King of Judah(D)

When Jehoram established(E) himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers(F) to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel,(G) as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab.(H) He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless, because of the covenant the Lord had made with David,(I) the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David.(J) He had promised to maintain a lamp(K) for him and his descendants forever.

In the time of Jehoram, Edom(L) rebelled against Judah and set up its own king. So Jehoram went there with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night. 10 To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah.

Libnah(M) revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the Lord, the God of his ancestors. 11 He had also built high places on the hills of Judah and had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.

12 Jehoram received a letter from Elijah(N) the prophet, which said:

“This is what the Lord, the God of your father(O) David, says: ‘You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa(P) king of Judah. 13 But you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did.(Q) You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your own family, men who were better(R) than you. 14 So now the Lord is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. 15 You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease(S) of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.’”

16 The Lord aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs(T) who lived near the Cushites. 17 They attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah,[b] the youngest.(U)

18 After all this, the Lord afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels. 19 In the course of time, at the end of the second year, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great pain. His people made no funeral fire in his honor,(V) as they had for his predecessors.

20 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried(W) in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 21:2 That is, Judah, as frequently in 2 Chronicles
  2. 2 Chronicles 21:17 Hebrew Jehoahaz, a variant of Ahaziah