Chronicles II 21

1 And Josaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Joran his son reigned in his stead.

Jehoshaphat died was buried with his fore fathers in the City of David, and his son Jehoram took over as king.

2 And he had brothers, the six sons of Josaphat, Azarias, and Jeiel, and Zacharias, and Azarias, and Michael, and Zaphatias: all these [were] the sons of Josaphat king of Juda.

His brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All were sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.

3 And their father gave them many gifts, silver, and gold, and arms, together with fortified cities in Juda: but he gave the kingdom to Joram, for he [was] the firstborn.

Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and valuable items, as well as the fortified towns in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

4 And Joram entered upon his kingdom, and strengthened himself, and killed all his brothers with the sword, and [some] of the princes of Israel.

But once Jehoram had secured the kingdom, he made sure of his position by killing all his brothers, along with some of the princes of Judah.

5 When he was thirty and two years old, Joram succeeded to his kingdom, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

Jehoram was thirty-two when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years.

6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Achaab; for a daughter of Achaab was his wife: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord:

He followed the evil ways of the kings of Israel, and was as bad as Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab's daughters. He did evil in the Lord's sight.

7 nevertheless the Lord would not utterly destroy the house of David, because of the covenant which he made with David, and as he said to him that he would give a light to him and his sons for ever.

However, Yet the Lord did not want to destroy David's line because of the agreement he had made with David, and he had promised that David's descendants would rule forever like an ever-burning lamp.

8 In those days Edom revolted from Juda, and they made a king over themselves.

During Jehoram's reign, Edom rebelled against Judah's rule and chose their own king.

9 And Joram went with the princes, and all the cavalry with him: and it came to pass that he arose by night, and struck Edom that compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots, and the people fled to their tents.

So Jehoram crossed into Edom with his officers and all his chariot army. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he broke through during the night.

10 And Edom revolted from Juda until this day. Then Lomna at that time revolted from [under] his hand, because he forsook the Lord God of his fathers.

From this time on Edom was in rebellion against Judah's rule, and remains so to this day. At the same time Libnah also rebelled against his rule, because he had abandoned the Lord, the God of his forefathers.

11 For he built high places in the cities of Juda, and caused the dwellers in Jerusalem to go a-whoring, and led Juda astray.

He also built high places on the mountains of Judah; he made the people of Jerusalem unfaithful to God and led Judah away from him.

12 And there came to him [a message] in writing from Eliu the prophet, saying, Thus says the Lord God of your father David, Because you have not walked in the way of your father Josaphat, nor in the ways of Asa king of Juda,

Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet that said, “This is what the Lord, the God of David your forefather says, ‘You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat, or Asa, king of Judah,

13 but have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and have caused Juda and the dwellers in Jerusalem to go a-whoring, as the house of Achaab caused [Israel] to go a-whoring, and you have slain your brethren, the sons of your father, who were better than yourself;

but instead you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and have made the people of Jerusalem unfaithful, and the people of Jerusalem as unfaithful as the family of Ahab. You have even killed your brothers, your father's family, who were better than you.

14 behold, the Lord shall strike you with a great plague amongst your people, and your sons, and your wives, and all your store:

Watch out, for the Lord is going to hit your people hard—your sons, your wives, and all that you own.

15 and you [shall be afflicted] with a grievous disease, with a disease of the bowels, until your bowels shall fall out day by day with the sickness.

You yourself will be struck with a terrible illness—a disease of the bowels which will get worse day by day until they come out.’”

16 So the Lord stirred up the Philistines against Joram, and the Arabians, and those who bordered on the Aethiopians:

The Lord stirred up the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabians (who live near the Ethiopians) against Jehoram.

17 and they went up against Juda, and prevailed against them, and took away all the store which they found in the house of the king, and his sons, and his daughters; and there was no son left to him but Ochozias the youngest of his sons.

They came and invaded Judah, and took away everything they found in the king's palace, along with his sons and his wives, so that only the youngest son Jehoahaz was left.

18 And after all these things the Lord struck him in the bowels with an incurable disease.

After all this, the Lord struck Jehoram with a disease of the bowels for which there was no cure.

19 And it continued from day to day: and when the time of the days came [to] two years, his bowels fell out with the disease, and he died by a grievous distemper: and his people performed no funeral, like the funeral of his fathers.

Day after day it grew worse, until after two full years passed his bowels came out because of his disease, and he died in agony. His people did not make a fire to honor him as they had done for his forefathers.

20 He was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed without honour, and was buried in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Jehoram was thirty-two when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. When he died, no one mourned him. He was buried in the City of David, but not in the royal tombs.