Jehoram Becomes King over Judah

1Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son JehoramA became king in his place.a 2He had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Judah.A 3Their father had given them many gifts of silver, gold, and valuable things, along with fortified citiesa in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn. 4When 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

5Jehorama was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done,a for Ahab’s daughter was his wife.b He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, 7but for the sake of the covenant the Lord had made with David, he was unwilling to destroy the house of David since the Lord had promiseda to give a lampa b to David and to his sons forever.

8During Jehoram’s reign, Edom rebelled against Judah’s control and appointed their own king. 9So 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. 10And now Edom is still in rebellion against Judah’s control today. Libnah also rebelled at that time against his control because he had abandoned the Lord, the God of his ancestors. 11Jehoram also built high placesa in the hillsA of Judah, and he caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves,b and he led Judah astray.

Elijah’s Letter to Jehoram

12Then a letter came to Jehoram from the prophet Elijah, saying:

This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David says: “Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphata or in the ways of King Asa of Judahb 13but have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel,a have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves like the house of Ahabb prostituted itself, and also have killed your brothers,c your father’s family, who were better than you, 14the Lord is now about to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a horrible affliction. 15You 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.”a

Jehoram’s Last Days

16The Lord roused the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabsa who lived near the Cushites to attack Jehoram.b 17So 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,a a his youngest son.

18After all these things, the Lord afflicted him in his intestines with an incurable disease. 19This continued day after day until two full years passed. Then his intestines came out because of his disease, and he died from severeA illnesses. But his people did not hold a fire in his honor like the fire in honor of his predecessors.a

20Jehorama was thirty-two years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He died to no one’s regreta b and was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings.c