21: 2 And he had brethren, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king 123of Israel.
123Severin, versions read of Judah.
21: 3 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 firstborn.
21: 4 Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel.
21: 5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
21: 6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.
21: 7 Howbeit Jehovah would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his children all their days.
21: 8 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
21: 9 Then Jehoram passed over with his captains, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites that compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots.
21: 10 So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day: then did Libnah revolt at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Jehovah, the God of his fathers.
21: 11 Moreover he made high places in the 124mountains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot, and 125led Judah astray.
124Sept., Vg. read cities Cf. Ez 16:24, 25.
125Or, compelled Judah thereto.
21: 12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
21: 13 but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot, like as the house of Ahab 126did, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, that were better than thyself:
126Hb. made to play harlots,
21: 14 behold, Jehovah will smite with a great 127plague thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy substance;
127Hb. stroke
21: 15 and thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, 128day by day.
128Or, year after year.
21: 16 And Jehovah stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians that are beside the Ethiopians:
21: 17 and they came up against Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found 129in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save 130Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
129Or, belonging to the king’s house,
130In ch. 22:1, Ahaziah
21: 18 And after all this Jehovah smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
21: 19 And it came to pass, in process of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
21: 20 Thirty-two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years: and he departed without being desired; and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
