Daily Bread

The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign^(A)

³¹ So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. ³² He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. ³³ The high places,^(B) however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.

³⁴ The other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu^(C) son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.

³⁵ Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance^(D) with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose ways were wicked.^{(E) 36} He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships.^[a] After these were built at Ezion Geber, ³⁷ Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships^(F) were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.^[b]

21 Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Jehoram^(G) his son succeeded him as king. ² Jehoram’s brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.^{[c] 3} Their father had given them many gifts^(H) of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities^(I) in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son.

Jehoram King of Judah^(J)

⁴ When Jehoram established^(K) himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers^(L) to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel. ⁵ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. ⁶ He followed the ways of the kings of Israel,^(M) as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab.^(N) He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. ⁷ Nevertheless, because of the covenant the Lord had made with David,^(O) the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David.^(P) He had promised to maintain a lamp^(Q) for him and his descendants forever.

⁸ In the time of Jehoram, Edom^(R) rebelled against Judah and set up its own king. ⁹ So Jehoram went there with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night. ¹⁰ To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah.

Libnah^(S) revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the Lord, the God of his ancestors. ¹¹ He had also built high places on the hills of Judah and had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.

¹² Jehoram received a letter from Elijah^(T) the prophet, which said:

¹⁶ The Lord aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs^(Z) who lived near the Cushites. ¹⁷ They attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah,^[d] the youngest.^(AA)

¹⁸ After all this, the Lord afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels. ¹⁹ In the course of time, at the end of the second year, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great pain. His people made no funeral fire in his honor,^(AB) as they had for his predecessors.

²⁰ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried^(AC) in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.