Jehoram, succeeding Jehoshaphat, slayeth his brethren.

1 ¶ Now Jehoshaphatº sleptºª with² his fathers,º and was buriedºª with² his fathersº in the cityº of David.º And Jehoramº his sonº reignedºª in his stead.² 2 And he had brethrenº the sonsº of Jehoshaphat,º Azariah,º and Jehiel,º and Zechariah,º and Azariah,º and Michael,º and Shephatiah:º all² these² [were] the sonsº of Jehoshaphatº kingº of Israel.º 3 And their fatherº gaveºª them greatº giftsº of silver,º and of gold,º and of precious things,º with² fencedº citiesº in Judah:º but the kingdomº gaveºª he to Jehoram;º because² he² [was] the firstborn.º 4 Now when Jehoramº was risen upºª to² the kingdomº of his father,º he strengthened¹ª himself,² and slewºª² all² his brethrenº with the sword,º and [divers] also² of the princesº² of Israel.º

His wicked reign.

5 ¶ Jehoramº [was] thirtyº and twoº yearsº oldº when he began to reign,ºª and he reignedºª eightº yearsº in Jerusalem.º 6 And he walked¹ª² in the wayº of the kingsº of Israel,º like as² didºª the houseº of Ahab:º for² he had² the daughterº of Ahabº to wife:º and he wroughtºª [that which was] evilº in the eyesº of the LORD.º 7 Howbeit the LORDº wouldºª not² destroyºª² the houseº of David,º because of² the covenantº that² he had madeºª with David,º and as² he promisedºª to giveºª a lightº to him and to his sonsº for ever.º²

Edom and Libnah revolt.

8 ¶ In his daysº the Edomitesº revoltedºª from under²² the dominionº of Judah,º and madeºª² themselves a king.º 9 Then Jehoramº went forthºª with² his princes,º and all² his chariotsº with² him: and he rose upºª² by night,º and smoteºª² the Edomitesº which compassed²² him in,¹ª and the captainsº of the chariots.º 10 So the Edomitesº revoltedºª from under²² the handº of Judahº unto² this² day.º The same² timeº [also] did Libnahº revoltºª from under²² his hand;º because² he had forsakenºª² the LORDº Godº of his fathers.º 11 Moreover² he² madeºª high placesº in the mountainsº of Judah,º and caused² the inhabitantsºª of Jerusalemº to commit fornication,ºª and compelledºª² Judahº [thereto].

The prophecy of Elijah against him in writing.

12 ¶ And there cameºª a writingº to² him from Elijahº² the prophet,º saying,ºª Thus² saithºª the LORDº Godº of Davidº thy father,º Because²² thou hast not² walkedºª in the waysº of Jehoshaphatº thy father,º nor in the waysº of Asaº kingº of Judah,º 13 But hast walked¹ª² in the wayº of the kingsº of Israel,º and hast made² Judahº and the inhabitantsºª of Jerusalemº to go a whoring,ºª like to the whoredomsºª of the houseº of Ahab,º and also² hast slainºª² thy brethrenº of thy father'sº house,º [which were] betterº than² thyself: 14 Behold,² with a greatº plagueº will the LORDº smiteºª thy people,º and thy children,º and thy wives,º and all² thy goods:º 15 And thou² [shalt have] greatº sicknessº by diseaseº of thy bowels,º until² thy bowelsº fall outºª by reason of² the sicknessº dayº by² day.º

The Philistines and Arabians oppress him.

16 ¶ Moreover the LORDº stirred upºª against² Jehoramº² the spiritº of the Philistines,º and of the Arabians,º that² [were] nearºº the Ethiopians:º 17 And they came upºª into Judah,º and brake¹ª into² it, and carried awayºª² all² the substanceº that was foundºª in the king'sº house,º and his sonsº also,² and his wives;º so that there was never² a sonº leftºª him, save²² Jehoahaz,º the youngestº of his sons.º

His incurable disease, infamous death, and burial.

18 ¶ And afterº all² this² the LORDº smoteºª him in his bowelsº with an incurableºº disease.º 19 And it came to pass,² that in process of time,º² after¹ª¹ the endº²² of twoº years,º his bowelsº fell outºª by reason¹ of² his sickness:º so he diedºª of soreº diseases.º And his peopleº madeºª no² burningº for him, like the burningº of his fathers.º 20 Thirtyº and twoº years oldº was² he when he began to reign,ºª and he reignedºª in Jerusalemº eightº years,º and departed¹ª² without² being desired.º Howbeit they buriedºª him in the cityº of David,º but not² in the sepulchresº of the kings.º