Jehoram Reigns in Judah
(2 Kings 8:16–19)

1And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

2And unto him were brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.† 3And their father gave to them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah. And the kingdom he gave to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.

4And Jehoram rose over the kingdom of his father, and he strengthened himself and killed all his brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel. 5Jehoram was a son of thirty-two years in his reigning, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

6And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as had done the house of Ahab. For a daughter of Ahab was unto him as a wife, and he did evil in the eyes of YHWH. 7And YHWH was not willing destroy the house of David, on account of the covenant that He had cut with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons all the days.

Edom and Libnah Rebel
(2 Kings 8:20–24)

8In his days Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah, and they caused a king to reign over themselves. 9And Jehoram went out with his officers, and all the chariots with him, and he rose by night and struck† the Edomites who were coming around against him, and the captains of the chariots.

10And Edom has been in rebellion against the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at that time against his rule, because he had forsaken YHWH, God of his fathers.

11Moreover, he made high places in the hill country of Judah, and he caused those dwelling in Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, and he drove away Judah.

Elijah’s Letter to Jehoram

12And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying:

“Thus says YHWH, God of David your father:

‘Because that you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father and in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13and you have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have caused Judah and those dwelling in Jerusalem to prostitute themselves like the prostitution of the house of Ahab—and also your brothers, the house of your father, who are better than you, you have killed—

14behold, YHWH will strike with a great affliction your people, and your children, and your wives, and all your possessions, 15and you, with many sicknesses, with disease of your bowels, until your intestines come out by reason of the sickness, days upon days.’”

Jehoram’s Disease and Death

16And YHWH stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabs who were upon the hand of the Cushites, 17and they came up into Judah and invaded it and carried away all the possessions that were found in the house of the king, and also his sons and his wives, so that there was not left to him a son except but Jehoahaz† the youngest of his sons.

18And after all this, YHWH struck him in his intestines with a disease of no healing. 19And it came to pass, from days to days, and at the time of the going out of the end of two years, that his intestines came out because of his sickness, and he died of evil diseases. And his people did not make for him a burning like the burning for his fathers.

20He was a son of thirty-two in his reigning, and eight years he reigned in Jerusalem, and he departed without desire, and they buried him in the City of David and not in the tombs of the kings.