1 Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
2 And 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 of Israel.
3 And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn.
4 Now 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 of Israel.
5 Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord.
7 Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.
8 In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.
9 Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.
10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.
11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.
12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself:
14 Behold, with a great plague will the Lord smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:
15 And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.
16 Moreover the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians:
17 And they came up into Judah, and brake 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 Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
18 And after all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
19 And it came to pass, that in process of time, 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 no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
<html><b>a kingdom</b> - Heb. נִיר. Its meaning is a yoke over Israel.</html>
<html><b>In his days, Edom rebelled, etc.</b> For David had destroyed all the males in Edom, and he appointed governors over them instead of a king, and they paid him tribute, and all the kings of Judah did similarly: they appointed governors who pleased them. And from the days of Joram and thereafter, they [the Edomites] rebelled against the authority of Judah.</html>
<html><b>who surrounded him</b> He smote those Edomites who surrounded him and supported him to aid him, for it was their custom that when they were victorious in war, they would seize the mighty men and bring them with them lest they join their enemies to aid the Edomites, their countrymen. In this case, he got up at night suddenly and slew them. Our Sages, however, explained “those who surrounded him” as “those near him.”</html>
<html><b>And Edom rebelled</b> Was it not already stated above (verse 8): “In his days, Edom rebelled?” But this is the manner of Scripture: because a verse is interposed, and it now wishes to continue with “then Libnah rebelled,” it repeats the [original words] stating, “And Edom rebelled.” <b>then Libnah rebelled</b> It belonged to Judah, and it was situated on the border of Edom, as is written in the Book of Joshua (15:21, 42): “And the outermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom.” When they saw that the Edomites rebelled, they too rebelled, for they lived on the border of Edom, and they aided Edom. This is [the meaning of] “then Libnah rebelled.” <b>because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his forefathers</b> [Scripture] explains what it was that caused them to rebel in his time more than during [the time of] the rest of the kings of Judah who preceded him.</html>
<html><b>and led the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray</b> - Heb. זְנוּת. It is appropriate to use the term harlotry in connection with anyone who forsakes and exchanges the fear of the Holy One, blessed be He, for the idolatry of star and planet worship - for such a person behaves in the manner of a promiscuous woman who commits adultery with others, and similar to this are (Deut. 31:16): “and this people will rise and go astray (וְזָנָה) after the foreign gods of the land”; (Hos. 1:2): “for the land will go astray (זָנה תִזְנֶה), etc.”</html>
<html><b>And a letter came to him from Elijah</b> After he had ascended to heaven, this prophetic letter came to him [i.e., to Joram].</html>
<html><b>and split it</b> - Heb. וַיִִּבְקָעוּהָ, like (Isa. 7:6): “Let us go up to Judah and provoke it and breach its walls וְנַבְקִעֶנָה and so, (II Kings 3:26): “to break a way (לְהַבְקִיעַ)o the king of Edom.”</html>
<html><b>and at the end</b> the end that the prophet had foretold him of. <b>and his people did not make him a burning</b> even though he required that burning because he had been ailing with malignant illnesses, and his flesh reeked. The Holy One, blessed be He, did not wish to honor him by making a burning for him, and he was also not buried in the graves of the kings.</html>
<html><b>and he departed joyless</b> The meaning is: all his life he was in distress and in illnesses, and with him was fulfilled (Deut. 30:15): “See, I have set before you today life, etc.” and (Job 14:1) “short of days and full of fear.”</html>