Jehoram Becomes King Over Judah
1 Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jehorambecame king in his place.
2 He had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.
3 Their father had given them many gifts of silver, gold, and valuable things, along with fortified citiesin 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 his position by killing with the sword all his brothers as well as some of the princes of Israel.
Judah’s King Jehoram
5 Jehoramwas 32 years old when he became king and reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
6 He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done,for Ahab’s daughter was his wife.He did what was evil in theLord’s sight,
7 but because of the covenant theLordhad made with David, He was unwilling to destroy the house of David since theLordhad promisedto give a lampto David and to his sons forever.
8 During Jehoram’s reign, Edom rebelled against Judah’s domination and appointed their own king.
9 So Jehoram crossed into Edom with his commanders and all his chariots. Then at night he set out to attack the Edomites who had surrounded him and the chariot commanders.
10 And now Edom is still in rebellion against Judah’s domination today. Libnah also rebelled at that time against his domination because he had abandoned Yahweh, the God of his ancestors.
11 Jehoram also built high placesin the hillsof Judah, and he caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves,and he led Judah astray.
Elijah’s Letter to Jehoram
12 Then a letter came to Jehoram from Elijah the prophet, saying:
This is what Yahweh, the God of your ancestor David says: “Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphator in the ways of Asa king of Judah
13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel,have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves like the house of Ahabprostituted itself, and also have killed your brothers,your father’s family, who were better than you,
14 Yahweh is now about to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a horrible affliction.
15 You yourself will be struck with many illnesses, including a disease of the intestines, until your intestines come out day after day because of the disease.”
Jehoram’s Last Days
16 TheLordput it into the mind of the Philistines and the Arabswho live near the Cushites to attack Jehoram.
17 So they went to war against Judah and invaded it. They carried off all the possessions found in the king’s palace and also his sons and wives; not a son was left to him except Jehoahaz,his youngest son.
18 After all these things, theLordafflicted him in his intestines with an incurable disease.
19 This continued day after day until two full years passed. Then his intestines came out because of his disease, and he died from severeillnesses. But his people did not hold a fire in his honor like the fire in honor of his fathers.
20 Jehoramwas 32 years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He died to no one’s regretand was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings.
—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/2CH/21-6dc62bd771c9dccf70d79f7007aa34b4.mp3?version_id=72—