2 Chronicles 21:1-11

The Reign of Jehoram of Judah

21¹ Jehoshaphat died and was buried in the family cemetery in the City of David. Jehoram his son was the next king. ² Jehoram's brothers were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah - the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. ³ Their father had lavished them with gifts - silver, gold, and other valuables, plus the fortress cities in Judah. But Jehoram was his firstborn son and he gave him the kingdom of Judah. ⁴ But when Jehoram had taken over his father's kingdom and had secured his position, he killed all his brothers along with some of the government officials. ⁵ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. ⁶ He imitated Israel's kings and married into the Ahab dynasty. God considered him an evil man. ⁷ But despite that, because of his covenant with David, God was not yet ready to destroy the descendants of David; he had, after all, promised to keep a light burning for David and his sons. ⁸ During Jehoram's reign, Edom revolted from Judah's rule and set up their own king. ⁹ Jehoram responded by setting out with his officers and chariots. Edom surrounded him, but in the middle of the night he and his charioteers broke through the lines and hit Edom hard. ¹⁰ Edom continues in revolt against Judah right up to the present. Even little Libnah revolted at that time. The evidence accumulated: Since Jehoram had abandoned God, the God of his ancestors, God was abandoning him. ¹¹ He even went so far as to build pagan sacred shrines in the mountains of Judah. He brazenly led Jerusalem away from God, seducing the whole country.