11 Moreover he made H6213 high places H1116 in the mountains H2022 of Judah, H3063 and caused the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem H3389 to commit fornication, H2181 and compelled H5080 Judah H3063 thereto.
12 And there came H935 a writing H4385 to him from Elijah H452 the prophet, H5030 saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of David H1732 thy father, H1 Because thou hast not walked H1980 in the ways H1870 of Jehoshaphat H3092 thy father, H1 nor in the ways H1870 of Asa H609 king H4428 of Judah, H3063
13 But hast walked H3212 in the way H1870 of the kings H4428 of Israel, H3478 and hast made Judah H3063 and the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem H3389 to go a whoring, H2181 like to the whoredoms H2181 of the house H1004 of Ahab, H256 and also hast slain H2026 thy brethren H251 of thy father's H1 house, H1004 which were better H2896 than thyself:
14 Behold, with a great H1419 plague H4046 will the LORD H3068 smite H5062 thy people, H5971 and thy children, H1121 and thy wives, H802 and all thy goods: H7399
15 And thou shalt have great H7227 sickness H2483 by disease H4245 of thy bowels, H4578 until thy bowels H4578 fall out H3318 by reason of the sickness H2483 day H3117 by day. H3117
16 Moreover the LORD H3068 stirred up H5782 against Jehoram H3088 the spirit H7307 of the Philistines, H6430 and of the Arabians, H6163 that were near H5921 H3027 the Ethiopians: H3569
17 And they came up H5927 into Judah, H3063 and brake H1234 into it, and carried away H7617 all the substance H7399 that was found H4672 in the king's H4428 house, H1004 and his sons H1121 also, and his wives; H802 so that there was never a son H1121 left H7604 him, save Jehoahaz, H3059 the youngest H6996 of his sons. H1121
18 And after H310 all this the LORD H3068 smote H5062 him in his bowels H4578 with an incurable H369 H4832 disease. H2483
19 And it came to pass, that in process of time, H3117 after H3318 H6256 the end H7093 of two H8147 years, H3117 his bowels H4578 fell out H3318 by reason H5973 of his sickness: H2483 so he died H4191 of sore H7451 diseases. H8463 And his people H5971 made H6213 no burning H8316 for him, like the burning H8316 of his fathers. H1
20 Thirty H7970 and two H8147 years old H1121 was he when he began to reign, H4427 and he reigned H4427 in Jerusalem H3389 eight H8083 years, H8141 and departed H3212 without being desired. H2532 Howbeit they buried H6912 him in the city H5892 of David, H1732 but not in the sepulchres H6913 of the kings. H4428
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 21
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
2Ch 21:1-4. Jehoram Succeeds Jehoshaphat.
1-4. Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers … Jehoram … reigned—The late king left seven sons; two of them are in our version named Azariah; but in the Hebrew they appear considerably different, the one being spelt "Azariah," and the other "Azariahu." Though Jehoshaphat had made his family arrangements with prudent precaution, and while he divided the functions of royalty in his lifetime (compare 2Ki 8:16), as well as fixed the succession to the throne in his oldest son, he appointed each of the others to the government of a fenced city, thus providing them with an honorable independence. But this good intentions were frustrated; for no sooner did Jehoram find himself in the sole possession of sovereign power than, from jealousy, or on account of their connections, he murdered all his brothers, together with some leading influential persons who, he suspected, were attached to their interest, or would avenge their deaths. Similar tragedies have been sadly frequent in Eastern courts, where the heir of the crown looks upon his brothers as his most formidable enemies, and is therefore tempted to secure his power by their death.
2Ch 21:5-7. His Wicked Reign.
6, 7. he walked … as did the house of Ahab, for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife—The precepts and examples of his excellent father were soon obliterated by his matrimonial alliance with a daughter of the royal house of Israel. Through the influence of Athaliah he abolished the worship of the Lord, and encouraged an introduction of all the corruptions prevalent in the sister kingdom. The divine vengeance was denounced against him, and would have utterly destroyed him and his house, had it not been for a tender regard to the promise made to David (2Sa 7:29; 2Ki 8:19).
2Ch 21:8-17. Edom and Libnah Revolt.
8-10. the Edomites revolted—That nation had been made dependent by David, and down to the time of Jehoshaphat was governed by a tributary ruler (1Ki 22:47; 2Ki 3:9). But that king having been slain in an insurrection at home, his successor thought to ingratiate himself with his new subjects by raising the flag of independence [Josephus]. The attempt was defeated in the first instance by Jehoram, who possessed all the military establishments of his father; but being renewed unexpectedly, the Edomites succeeded in completely emancipating their country from the yoke of Judah (Ge 27:40). Libnah, which lay on the southern frontier and towards Edom, followed the example of that country.
12-15. there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet—That prophet's translation having taken place in the reign of Jehoshaphat [2Ki 2:11, 12], we must conclude that the name of Elijah has, by the error of a transcriber, been put for that of Elisha.
13-19. hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem … like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab—that is, introduced the superstitions and vices of Phœnician idolatry (see on De 13:6-14). On this account, as well as for his unnatural cruelties, divine vengeance was denounced against him, which was soon after executed exactly as the prophet had foretold. A series of overwhelming calamities befell this wicked king; for in addition to the revolts already mentioned, two neighboring tribes (see 2Ch 17:11) made hostile incursions on the southern and western portions of his kingdom. His country was ravaged, his capital taken, his palace plundered, his wives carried off, and all his children slain except the youngest. He himself was seized with an incurable dysentery, which, after subjecting him to the most painful suffering for the unusual period of two years, carried him off, a monument of the divine judgment. To complete his degradation, his death was unlamented, his burial unhonored by his subjects. This custom, similar to what obtained in Egypt, seems to have crept in among the Hebrews, of giving funeral honors to their kings, or withholding them, according to the good or bad characters of their reign.