21:1 Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with
his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned
in his stead.
21:2 And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and
Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, Shephatiah:
all these [were] the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.
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 he gave to Jehoram; because he [was] the
first-born.
21:4 Now when Jehoram had risen to the kingdom of his father, he
strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword,
and [divers] also of the princes of Israel.
21:5 Jehoram [was] thirty and 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 for a wife: and
he wrought [that which was] evil in the eyes of the LORD.
21:7 Yet the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because
of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised
to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.
21:8 In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion
of Judah, and made themselves a king.
21:9 Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his
chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites
who encompassed him, and the captains of the chariots.
21:10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah to
this day. The same time [also] did Libnah revolt from under his
hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.
21:11 Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah,
and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication,
and compelled Judah to [do the same].
21:12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet,
saying, Thus saith the LORD 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 commit
idolatry, like the idolatries of the house of Ahab, and also
hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, [who were]
better than thyself:
21:14 Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy
people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:
21:15 And thou [shalt have] great sickness by disease of thy
bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day
by day.
21:16 Moreover, the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit
of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that [were] near the
Cushites.
21:17 And they came up into Judah, and broke into it, and
carried away all the substance that was found in the king's
house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was not
a son left to him, save Jehoahaz the youngest of his sons.
21:18 And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with
an incurable disease.
21:19 And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the
end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his
sickness: so he died of severe diseases. And his people made no
burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
21:20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign,
and he reigned in Jerusalem, eight years, and departed without
being desired: yet they buried him in the city of David, but
not in the sepulchers of the kings.
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