Chapter 21

Now Jehoshaphat slept⁴ with his fathers, and was buried¹¹ with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned⁴ in his stead.

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 of Israel.

And their father gave⁴ them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave¹ he to Jehoram; because he [was] the firstborn.

Now when Jehoram was risen up⁴ to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened¹⁰¹ himself, and slew⁴ all his brethren with the sword, and [divers] also of the princes of Israel.

Jehoram [was] thirty and two years old when he began to reign,² and he reigned¹ eight years in Jerusalem.

And he walked⁴ in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did¹ the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought⁴ [that which was] evil in the eyes of the LORD.

Howbeit the LORD would¹ not destroy⁵³ the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made¹ with David, and as he promised¹ to give² a light to him and to his sons for ever. ³¹¹⁷

In his days the Edomites revolted¹ from under the dominion of Judah, and made⁵⁵ themselves a king.

Then Jehoram went forth⁴ with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up¹ by night, and smote⁵⁵ the Edomites which compassed⁶ him in, and the captains of the chariots.

So the Edomites revolted⁴ from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time [also] did Libnah revolt⁴ from under his hand; because he had forsaken¹ the LORD God of his fathers.

Moreover he made¹ high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants⁶ of Jerusalem to commit fornication,⁵⁵ and compelled⁵⁵ Judah [thereto].

And there came⁴ a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying,² Thus saith¹ the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked¹ in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

But hast walked⁴ in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants⁶ of Jerusalem to go a whoring,⁵⁵ like to the whoredoms⁵³ of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain¹ thy brethren of thy father's house, [which were] better than thyself:

Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite⁶ thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:

And thou [shalt have] great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out⁴ by reason of the sickness day by day.

Moreover the LORD stirred up⁵⁵ against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that [were] near ³⁰²⁷ the Ethiopians:

And they came up⁴ into Judah, and brake⁴ into it, and carried away⁴ all the substance that was found¹² in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left⁸ him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

And after all this the LORD smote¹ him in his bowels with an incurable ⁴⁸³² disease.

And it came to pass, that in process of time, ³¹¹⁷ after^{2 6256} the end of two years, his bowels fell out¹ by reason of his sickness: so he died⁴ of sore diseases. And his people made¹ no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.

Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign,² and he reigned¹ in Jerusalem eight years, and departed⁴ without being desired. Howbeit they buried⁴ him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.