2 Chronicles 21

1 Then Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and he was buried with them in the City of David. And his son, Jehoram, reigned in his place.

Jehoshaphat slept with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of David; Jehoram, his son, became king in his place.

2 And he had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah.

Jehoram had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Israel.

3 And their father gave to them many gifts of silver, and gold, and valuables, with very fortified cities in Judah. But the kingdom he handed on to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.

Their father had given them large gifts of silver, gold, and other precious things, and also fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram.

4 Therefore, Jehoram rose up over the kingdom of his father. And when he had established himself, he killed with the sword all his brothers, and certain ones from the leaders of Israel.

Now when Jehoram had risen up over his father's kingdom and had firmly established himself as king, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also various other leaders of Israel.

5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he had begun to reign. And he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem.

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem.

6 And he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done. For his wife was a daughter of Ahab, and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.

He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab was doing, for he had Ahab's daughter as his wife, and he did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh.

7 But the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had formed with him, and because he had promised that he would provide a lamp to him, and to his sons, for all time.

However, Yahweh did not wish to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David; he had promised that he would always give life to him and his descendants.

8 In those days, Edom rebelled, so as not to be subject to Judah, and they appointed for themselves a king.

In Jehoram's days, Edom revolted from the control of Judah, and they set a king over themselves.

9 And when Jehoram had gone across with his leaders, and all the horsemen who were with him, he arose in the night, and struck the Edomites (who had surrounded him), and all the commanders of his horsemen.

Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots. It was night when he rose up and fought against the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders.

10 Even so, Edom rebelled, so as not to be under the authority of Judah, even to this day. Also at that time, Libnah withdrew, so as not to be under his hand. For he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his fathers.

So Edom has been in rebellion from the control of Judah to this present day. Libnah also revolted at the same time from his control, because Jehoram had forsaken Yahweh, the God of his ancestors.

11 Moreover, he also constructed high places in the cities of Judah. And he caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to fornicate, and Judah to prevaricate.

In addition, Jehoram had also built high places in the mountains of Judah and he made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to live like prostitutes, and he led Judah astray.

12 Then letters were conveyed to him from the prophet Elijah, in which it was written: “Thus says the Lord, the God of David, your father: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat, your father, nor in the ways of Asa, the king of Judah,

A letter from the prophet Elijah came to Jehoram. It said, “This is what Yahweh, the God of David, your ancestor, says: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat, your father, nor in the ways of Asa, king of Judah,

13 but instead you have advanced along the paths of the kings of Israel, and you have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to fornicate, imitating the fornication of the house of Ahab, and moreover, you have killed your brothers, the house of your father, who are better than you:

but have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to act like a prostitute, as the house of Ahab did—and because you have also killed your brothers in your father's family, men who were better than yourself—

14 behold, the Lord will strike you with a great plague, with all your people, and your sons and wives, and all your substance.

see, Yahweh will strike with a great plague your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions.

15 And you shall be sickened by a very grievous disease of your bowels, until your inner organs depart, little by little, each day.”

You yourself will have much sickness because of a disease in your intestines, until your intestines fall out because of the sickness, day after day.”

16 Therefore, the Lord stirred up, against Jehoram, the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, who are along the borders of the Ethiopians.

Yahweh stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabians who were near the Cushites.

17 And they ascended into the land of Judah. And they laid waste to it. And they despoiled all the substance that was found in the house of the king, including even his sons and wives. Neither did there remain for him any son, except Jehoahaz, who was the youngest born.

They attacked Judah, invaded it, and carried away all the wealth that was found in the king's house. They also carried away his sons and his wives. No son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son.

18 And in addition to all these things, the Lord struck him with an incurable disease of the bowels.

After all this, Yahweh struck him in his intestines with an incurable disease.

19 And as day followed after day, and the space of time turned, the course of two years was completed. And after having been wasted by a long consumption, so much so that even his inner organs were discharged, the disease ended along with his life. And so he died of a very grievous illness. And the people did not make a funeral for him, according to the custom of burning, as they had done for his ancestors.

It came about in due time, at the end of two years, that his intestines fell out because of his sickness, and that he died of severe disease. His people made no fire in his honor as they had done for his ancestors.

20 He was thirty-two years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. And he did not walk uprightly. And they buried him in the City of David, yet truly, not in the sepulcher of the kings.

He had begun to reign when he was thirty-two years old; he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years, and when he departed no one mourned him. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the royal tombs.