1Jehoshaphat's death: Jehoram succeedeth him, and slayeth his brethren. 5His wicked reign, 8Edom and Libnah revolt. 12Elijah's written prophecy against him. 16The Philistines and Arabians carry off his substance, his wives, and all his sons, except Jehoahaz. 18His incurable disease, loathsome death, and burial.
1NOWa Jehoshaphat 1slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the 2city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
a 1 Kings 22:51; 2 Kings 8:16.
1 That is, died. A further explanation of this phrase, see Deut. 31 on verse 16; 1 Kings 1 on verse 21.
2 See 1 Kings 2 on verse 10.
2And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king 3of Israel.
3 That is, of the two tribes of Israel, Judah and Benjamin, and of the cities which, pertaining to the kingdom of Israel, did join themselves to Judah, of which see 2 Chron. 13:19; 15:9; 19:4. Thus Jehoshaphat’s rulers are called princes of Israel, verse 4. See also 2 Chron. 15 on verse 17; 2 Chron. 23 on verse 2.
3And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of 4precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the 5firstborn.
4 See of the Hebrew word Gen. 24 on verse 53.
5 For, to the right of the firstborn belonged also the dominion over his brethren. See Gen. 25 on verse 31. And hence may be gathered that Jehoshaphat, in making choice of his successor, had more respect to the law of God, Deut. 22:15, than to the ability of the person, who was wicked by reason of a wicked wife whom he had married, verse 6, and was not so good as his brethren, verse 13.
4Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes 6of Israel.
6 See on verse 2.
5 ¶ 7Jehoram was thirty and twob years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 8eight years in Jerusalem.
7 Hebr. a son of two and thirty years.
b 2 Kings 8:17.
8 Namely, counting therein the years which he reigned with his father; for, he maintained his father’s place a long time. See 1 Kings 22 on verse 42; 2 Kings 8 on verse 16.
6And he 9walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had 10the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was 11evil in the eyes of the LORD.
9 That is, he imitated them in their idolatry and wickedness. Also 2 Kings 16:3; 2 Chron. 28:2, etc.
10 Called Athaliah, 2 Chron. 22:2, of whose idolatrous ungodliness, wickedness and tyranny see 2 Chron. 22:3, 10; 24:7.
11 Understand especially idolatry and tyranny. See 1 Kings 11 on verse 6.
7Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the 12house of David, because of the covenant thatc he had made with David, and as he promisedd to give a 13light to him and to his sons 14for ever.
12 That is, the family and posterity of David. See 1 Kings 14 on verse 10.
c 2 Sam. 7:12; 1 Kings 11:36; Psalm 132:11, 17.
d 1 Kings 11:36.
13 See 1 Kings 11 on verse 36.
14 See 2 Sam. 7 on verse 13.
8¶Ine his days the Edomites 15revolted from under the 16dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.
e 2 Kings 8:20.
15 And thus Isaac’s prophecy came to be fulfilled, Gen. 27:40.
16 Hebr. hand, that is, territory, force; under which David had brought them, 2 Sam. 8:14.
9Then Jehoram 17went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: 18and he rose up by night, andf smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.
17 Namely, to Zair, a place situated in Idumea, 2 Kings 8:21.
18 Hebr. he was getting himself up, or, he was rising up.
f 2 Kings 8:21.
10Sog the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah 19unto this day. The same time also did Libnah 20revolt from under his hand; because he had 21forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.
g 2 Kings 8:22.
19 That is, which revolt continues unto this day. Understand the time of the Babylonian captivity. Also 1 Chron. 4:41.
20 See 2 Kings 8 on verse 22.
21 Namely, by abominable idolatry, which he not only practiced himself, but whereunto he also publicly and violently compelled his subjects. See the next verse.
11Moreover he made 22high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit 23fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.
22 See Lev. 26 on verse 30.
23 That is, to commit idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom; also verse 13. See Lev. 17 on verse 7; Lev. 20 on verse 5.
12¶And there came 24a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked 25in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
24 Understand a writing written by Elijah the prophet, while Jehoshaphat was yet alive, before whose death Elijah was already taken up into heaven, as may be gathered from 2 Kings 3:11. In this writing Elijah had prophesied of the state and condition of the kingdom of Judah under Jehoram; as the man of God, who came to Bethel, had prophesied a long while before of king Josiah, 1 Kings 13:2, and Isaiah of Cyprus, chapters 44 and 45, and Daniel of the monarchies and kingdoms of the earth, chapters 2 and 7, etc. Unless it be perceived that this was another Elijah than the Tishbite.
25 See 1 Kings 15 on verse 26.
13But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, 26like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself:
26 Or, as the house of Ahab hath caused Israel to go a whoring.
1427Behold, with a great plague 28will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:
27 See the fulfillment of this threat verse 16, etc.
28 This phrase is found full and entire, and without insertion in verse 18. Other, the Lord will plague thy people, and thy children, etc., with a great plague.
15And thou shalt have 29great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness 30day by day.
29 Or, many sicknesses.
30 Hebr. days upon days, that is, year by year, namely, two years; for, this was the set time of this sickness, verse 19. The word days is sometimes taken for a full year, having all its days. Also verse 19. See Lev. 25 on verse 29. Others understand this as such, that he would be daily troubled with this disease.
16¶Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the 31spirit of the Philistines, and of the 32Arabians, that were 33near the Ethiopians:
31 That is, the mind, will, intent, courage. See 2 Kings 19 on verse 7.
32 Understand the inhabitants of the stony and high Arabia.
33 Hebr. at the hand. The word hand signifies sometimes the side of anything, as Job 1:14.
17And they came up into Judah, and 34brake 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 never a son left him, save 35Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
34 Namely, by force of arms, overrunning all, and breaking through all, to the very city of Jerusalem, yea, also possessing themselves of the city, and plundering it, as appears by the following.
35 Also called Ahaziah, 2 Chron. 22:1, and Azariah, 2 Chron. 22:6.
18¶And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with 36an incurable disease.
36 Namely, wherewith Elijah had threatened him, verse 15.
19And it came to pass, 37that in process of 38time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made 39no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
37 That is, from the first year to the second.
38 Which Elijah had determined in that writing.
39 Namely, of sweet-smelling or precious spices. See 2 Chron. 16 on verse 14.
20Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and 40departed without being desired.h Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
40 That is, the way of all the earth, as is said in Joshua 23:14; 1 Kings 2:2; that is, he died. Or, he went away without being desired; that is, he lived in dishonor, or in troubles and in pain.
h regretted, mourned*