2 CHROICLES 21 COMMETARYEDITED BY GLE PEASE

1 Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Jehoram his son succeeded him as king.

BARES, "Jehorams sole reign now began. (See 2Ki_8:16 note). His eight years 2Ch_21:5 must be counted from the time of his association, in his fathers 23rd year.

GILL"Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers,.... See Gill on 1Ki_22:50.

HERY 1-5, "We find here,

I. That Jehoshaphat was a very careful indulgent father to Jehoram. He had many sons, who are here named (2Ch_21:2), and it is said (2Ch_21:13) that they were better than Jehoram, had a great deal more wisdom and virtue, and lived up to their education, which he went counter to. They were very hopeful, and any of them more fit for the crown than he; and yet, because he was the first-born (2Ch_21:3), his father secured the kingdom to him, and portioned his brethren and disposed of them so as that they would be easy and give him no disturbance; as Abraham, when he made Isaac his heir, dismissed his other children with gifts. Herein Jehoshaphat was very kind and fair to his son, which might have obliged him to be respectful to him, and tread in the steps of so good a father. But it is no new thing for the children that have been most indulged by their parents to be least dutiful to them. Whether in doing this he acted wisely and well for his people, and was just to them, I cannot say. His birthright entitled him to a double portion of his father's estate, Deu_21:17. But if he appeared utterly unfit for government (the end of which is the good of the people), and likely to undo all that his father had done, it would have been better perhaps to have set him aside, and taken the next that was hopeful, and not inclined as he was to idolatry. Power is a sacred thing, with which men may either do much good or much hurt; and therefore Detur digniori - Let him that deserves it have it. Salus populi suprema lex - The security of the people is the first consideration.

II. That Jehoram was a most barbarous brother to his father's sons. As soon as he had settled himself in the throne he slew all his brethren with the sword, either by false accusation, under colour of law, or rather by assassination. By some wicked hand or

other he got them all murdered, pretending (it is likely) that he could not think himself safe in the government till they were taken out of the way. Those that mean ill themselves are commonly, without cause, jealous of those about them. The wicked fear where no fear is, or pretend to do so, in order to conceal their malice. Jehoram, it is likely, hated his brethren and slew them for the same reason that Cain hated Abel and slew him, because their piety condemned his impiety and won them that esteem with the people which he had lost. With them he slew divers of the princes of Israel, who adhered to them, or were likely to avenge their death. The princes of Judah, those who had taught the good knowledge of the Lord (2Ch_17:7), are here called princes of Israel, as before fathers of Israel (2Ch_19:8), because they were Israelites indeed, men of integrity. The sword which the good father had put into their hands this wicked son sheathed in their bowels. Woe unto him that thus foundeth a kingdom in blood (Hab_2:12); it will prove a foundation that will sink the superstructure.

JAMISO 1-4, "2Ch_21:1-4. Jehoram succeds Jehoshaphat.

Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers ... Jehoram ... reigned The late king left seven sons; two of them are in our version named Azariah; but in the Hebrew they appear considerably different, the one being spelt Azariah, and the other Azariahu. Though Jehoshaphat had made his family arrangements with prudent precaution, and while he divided the functions of royalty in his lifetime (compare 2Ki_8:16), as well as fixed the succession to the throne in his oldest son, he appointed each of the others to the government of a fenced city, thus providing them with an honorable independence. But this good intentions were frustrated; for no sooner did Jehoram find himself in the sole possession of sovereign power than, from jealousy, or on account of their connections, he murdered all his brothers, together with some leading influential persons who, he suspected, were attached to their interest, or would avenge their deaths. Similar tragedies have been sadly frequent in Eastern courts, where the heir of the crown looks upon his brothers as his most formidable enemies, and is therefore tempted to secure his power by their death.

K&D, "2Ch_21:1-3Jehoshaphat's death, and the slaughter of his sons by Joram. - 2Ch_21:2, 2Ch_21:3.

Joram had six brothers, whom their father had plentifully supplied with means of subsistence - presents in silver, gold, and precious things - in the fenced cities of Judah; i.e., he had made them, as Rehoboam also had made his sons, commandants of fortresses, with ample revenues; but the kingdom he gave to Joram as the first-born. Among the six names two Azariah's occur, - the one written Azarjah, the other Azarjahu. Jehoshaphat is called king of Israel instead of king of Judah, because he as king walked in the footsteps of Israel, Jacob the wrestler with God, and was a true king of God's people.

COFFMA, "JEHORAM; WICKED SO-I-LAW OF AHAB; RULES JUDAH

V. JEHORAM (949-942 B.C.)

"This chapter is a commentary on the man who married the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and who walked in their ways (2 Chronicles 21:6). It describes his

viciousness and his apostasy (2 Chronicles 21:1-11), and God's condemnation of him through the prophet Elijah, and the failures both national and personal that overwhelmed him as a result (2 Chronicles 21:12-20)."[1]

His evil wife was Athaliah who in time also became a ruler of Judah. She attempted to destroy completely the house of David and almost, but not quite, succeeded in doing so. She was, in many respects, a carbon copy of her evil mother Jezebel. Athaliah was never accepted by Judah, and her name was never included in the list of Judah's legitimate rulers.

THE DEATH OF JEHOSHAPHAT AD SUCCESSIO OF JEHORAM

"And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead. And he had brethren, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephaliah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. And their father gave them great girls, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the first-born."

"Azariah ... Azariah" (2 Chronicles 21:2). "These names are written differently in the Hebrew: Azarjah and Azarjahu."[2] It is not clear why the translators rendered the two names alike. On the strange identification of Jehoshaphat as king of Israel (2 Chronicles 21:2), this designation was correct, because Judah was indeed the true Israel; and those northern tribes who called themselves Israel were no longer part of God's true Israel.

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 21:1 ow Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

Ver. 1. And Jehoram his son reigned.] Than whom a worse could hardly be found: but as the Constantinopolitans were told, that for their wickedness they were justly plagued with a Phocas; so were these perverse Hierosolymitans with a Jehoram.

EBC, "JEHORAM, AHAZIAH, AD ATHALIAH: THE COSEQUECES OF A FOREIG MARRIAGE

2 Chronicles 21:1-20; 2 Chronicles 22:1-12; 2 Chronicles 23:1-21

THE accession of Jehoram is one of the instances in which a wicked son succeeded to a conspicuously pious father, but in this case there is no difficulty in explaining the phenomenon: the depraved character and evil deeds of Jehoram, Ahaziah, and Athaliah are at once accounted for when we remember that they were respectively the son-in-law, grandson, and daughter of Ahab, and possibly of Jezebel. If,

however, Jezebel were really the mother of Athaliah, it is difficult to believe that the chronicler understood or at any rate realized the fact. In the books of Ezra and ehemiah the chronicler lays great stress upon the iniquity and inexpediency of marriage with strange wives, and he has been careful to insert a note into the history of Jehoshaphat to call attention to the fact that the king of Judah had joined affinity with Ahab. If he had understood that this implied joining affinity with a Phoenician devotee of Baal, this significant fact would not have been passed over in silence. Moreover, the names Athaliah and Ahaziah are both compounded with the sacred name Jehovah. A Phoenician Baal-worshipper may very well have been sufficiently eclectic to make such use of the name sacred to the family into which she married, but on the whole those names rather tell against the descent of their owners from Jezebel and her Zidonian ancestors.

We have seen that, after giving the concluding formula for the reign of Jehoshaphat, the chronicler adds a postscript narrating an incident discreditable to the king. Similarly he prefaces the introductory formula for the reign of Jehoram by inserting a cruel deed of the new king. Before telling us Jehorams age at his accession and the length of his reign, the chronicler relates the steps taken by Jehoram to secure himself upon his throne. Jehoshaphat, like Rehoboam, had disposed of his numerous sons in the fenced cities of Judah, and had sought to make them quiet and contented by providing largely for their material welfare: "Their father gave them great gifts: silver, gold, and precious things, with fenced cities in Judah." The sanguine judgment of paternal affection might expect that these gifts would make his younger sons loyal and devoted subjects of their elder brother; but Jehoram, not without reason, feared that treasure and cities might supply the means for a revolt, or that Judah might be split up into a number of small principalities. Accordingly when he had strengthened himself he slew all his brethren with the sword, and with them those princes of Israel whom he suspected of attachment to his other victims. He was following the precedent set by Solomon when he ordered the execution of Adonijah; and, indeed, the slaughter by a new sovereign of all those near relations who might possibly dispute his claim to the throne has usually been considered in the East to be a painful but necessary and perfectly justifiable act, being, in fact, regarded in much the same light as the drowning of superfluous kittens in domestic circles. Probably this episode is placed before the introductory formula for the reign because until these possible rivals were removed Jehorams tenure of the throne was altogether unsafe.

For the next few verses [2 Chronicles 21:5-10; Cf. 2 Kings 8:17-22] the narrative follows the book of Kings with scarcely any alteration, and states the evil character of the new reign, accounting for Jehorams depravity by his marriage with a daughter of Ahab. The successful revolt of Edom from Judah is next given, and the chronicler adds a note of his own to the effect that Jehoram experienced these reverses because he had forsaken Jehovah, the God of his fathers.

Then the chronicler proceeds to describe further sins and misfortunes of Jehoram. He mentions definitely, what is doubtless implied by the book of Kings, that Jehoram made high places in the cities of Judah and seduced the people into taking

part in a corrupt worship. The Divine condemnation of the kings wrong-doing came from an unexpected quarter and in an unusual fashion. The other prophetic messages specially recorded by the chronicler were uttered by prophets of Judah, some apparently receiving their inspiration for one particular occasion. The prophet who rebuked Jehoram was no less distinguished a personage than the great Israelite Elijah, who, according to the book of Kings, had long since been translated to heaven. In the older narrative Elijahs work is exclusively confined to the orthern Kingdom. But the chronicler entirely ignores Elijah, except when his history becomes connected for a moment with that of the house of David.

The other prophets of Judah delivered their messages by word of mouth, but this communication is made by means of "a writing." This, however, is not without parallel: Jeremiah sent a letter to the captives in Babylon, and also sent a written collection of his prophecies to Jehoiakim. [Jeremiah 29:1-32, Jeremiah 36:1-32] In the latter case, however, the prophecies had been originally promulgated by word of mouth.

Elijah writes in the name of Jehovah, the God of David, and condemns Jehoram because he was not walking in the ways of Asa and Jehoshaphat, but in the ways of the kings of Israel and the house of Ahab. It is pleasant to find that, in spite of the sins which marked the latter days of Asa and Jehoshaphat, their "ways" were as a whole such as could be held up as an example by the prophet of Jehovah. Here and elsewhere God appeals to the better feelings that spring from pride of birth. oblesse oblige. Jehoram held his throne as representative of the house of David, and was proud to trace his descent to the founder of the Israelite monarchy and to inherit the glory of the great reigns of Asa and Jehoshaphat; but this pride of race implied that to depart from their ways was dishonorable apostasy. There is no more pitiful spectacle than an effeminate libertine pluming himself on his noble ancestry.

Elijah further rebukes Jehoram for the massacre of his brethren, who were better than himself. They had all grown up at their fathers court, and till the other brethren were put in possession of their fenced cities had been under the same influences. It is the husband of Ahabs daughter who is worse than all the rest; the influence of an unsuitable marriage has already begun to show itself. Indeed, in view of Athaliahs subsequent history, we do her no injustice by supposing that, like Jezebel and Lady Macbeth, she had suggested her husbands crime. The fact that Jerohams brethren were better men than himself adds to his guilt morally, but this undesirable superiority of the other princes of the blood to the reigning sovereign would seem to Jehoram and his advisers an additional reason for putting them out of the way; the massacre was an urgent political necessity.-

"Truly the tender mercies of the weak, As of the wicked, are but cruel."

There is nothing so cruel as the terror of a selfish man. The Inquisition is the measure not only of the inhumanity, but also of the weakness, of the mediaeval Church; and the massacre of St. Bartholomew was due to the feebleness of Charles IX, as well as to the "revenge or the blind instinct of self-preservation" of Mary de

Medici.

The chroniclers condemnation of Jehorams massacre marks the superiority of the standard of later Judaism to the current Oriental morality. For his sins Jehoram was to be punished by sore disease and by a great "plague" which would fall upon his people, and his wives, and his children, and all his substance. From the following verses we see that "plague," here as in the case of some of the plagues of Egypt, has the sense of calamity generally, and not the narrower meaning of pestilence. This plague took the form of an invasion of the Philistines and of the Arabians "which are beside the Ethiopians." Divine inspiration prompted them to attack Judah; Jehovah stirred up their spirit against Jehoram. Probably here, as in the story of Zerah, the term Ethiopians is used loosely for the Egyptians, in which case the Arabs in question would be inhabitants of the desert between the south of Palestine and Egypt, and would thus be neighbors of their Philistine allies.

These marauding bands succeeded where the huge hosts of Zerah had failed; they broke into Judah, and carried off all the kings treasure, together with his sons and his wives, only leaving him his youngest son: Jehoahaz or Ahaziah. They afterwards slew the princes they had taken captive. The common people would scarcely suffer less severely than their king. Jehoram himself was reserved for special personal punishment: Jehovah smote him with a sore disease; and, like Asa, he lingered for two years and then died. The people were so impressed by his wickedness that "they made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers," whereas they had made a very great burning for Asa.

The chroniclers account of the reign of Ahaziah does not differ materially from that given by the book of Kings, though it is considerably abridged, and there are other minor alterations. The chronicler sets forth even more emphatically than the earlier history the evil influence of Athaliah and her Israelite kinsfolk over Ahaziahs short reign of one year. The story of his visit to Jehoram, king of Israel, and the murder of the two kings by Jehu, is very much abridged. The chronicler carefully omits all reference to Elisha, according to his usual principle of ignoring the religions life of orthern Israel; but he expressly tells us that, like Jehoshaphat, Ahaziah suffered for consorting with the house of Omri: "His destruction or treading down was of God in that he went unto Jehoram." Our English versions have carefully reproduced an ambiguity in the original; but it seems probable that the chronicler does not mean that visiting Jehoram in his illness was a flagrant offense which God punished with death, but rather that, to punish Ahaziah for his imitation of the evil-doings of the house of Omri. God allowed him to visit Jehoram in order that he might share the fate of the Israelite king.

The book of Kings had stated that Jehu slew forty-two brethren of Ahaziah. It is, of course, perfectly allowable to take "brethren" in the general sense of "kinsmen"; but as the chronicler had recently mentioned the massacre of all Ahaziahs brethren, he avoids even the appearance of a contradiction by substituting "sons of the brethren of Ahaziah" for brethren. This alteration introduces new difficulties, but these difficulties simply illustrate the general confusion of numbers and ages

which characterizes the narrative at this point. In connection with the burial of Ahaziah, it may be noted that the popular recollection of Jehoshaphat endorsed the favorable judgment contained in the "writing of Elijah": "They said" of Ahaziah, "he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought Jehovah with all his heart." The chronicler next narrates Athaliahs murder of the seed royal of Judah and her usurpation of the throne of David, in terms almost identical with those of the narrative in the book of Kings. But his previous additions and modifications are hard to reconcile with the account he here borrows from his ancient authority. According to the chronicler, Jehoram had massacred all the other sons of Jehoshaphat, and the Arabians had slain all Jehorams sons except Ahaziah, and Jehu had slain their sons; so that Ahaziah was the only living descendant in the male line of his grandfather Jehoshaphat; he himself apparently died at the age of twenty-three. It is intelligible enough that he should have a son Joash and possibly other sons; but still it is difficult to understand where Athaliah found "all the seed royal" and "the kings sons" whom she put to death. It is at any rate clear that Jehorams slaughter of his brethren met with an appropriate punishment: all his own sons and grandsons were similarly slain, except the child Joash. The chroniclers narrative of the revolution by which Athaliah was slain, and the throne recovered for the house of David in the person of Joash, follows substantially the earlier history, the chief difference being, as we have already noticed, that the chronicler substitutes the Levitical guard of the second Temple for the bodyguard of foreign mercenaries who were the actual agents in this revolution. A distinguished authority on European history is fond of pointing to the evil effects of royal marriages as one of the chief drawbacks to the monarchical system of government. A crown may at any time devolve upon a woman, and by her marriage with a powerful reigning prince her country may virtually be subjected to a foreign yoke. If it happens that the new sovereign professes a different religion from that of his wifes subjects, the evils arising from the marriage are seriously aggravated. Some such fate befell the etherlands as the result of the marriage of Mary of Burgundy with the Emperor Maximilian, and England was only saved from the danger of transference to Catholic dominion by the caution and patriotism of Queen Elizabeth. Athaliahs usurpation was a bold attempt to reverse the usual process and transfer the husbands dominions to the authority and faith of the wifes family. It is probable that Athaliahs permanent success would have led to the absorption of Judah in the orthern Kingdom. This last misfortune was averted by the energy and courage of Jehoiada, but in the meantime the half-heathen queen had succeeded in causing untold harm and suffering to her adopted country. Our own history furnishes numerous illustrations of the evil influences that come in the train of foreign queens. Edward II suffered grievously at the hands of his French queen; Henry VIs wife, Margaret of Anjou, contributed considerably to the prolonged bitterness of the struggle between York and Lancaster; and to Henry VIIIs marriage with Catherine of Aragon the country owed the miseries and persecutions inflicted by Mary Tudor. But, on the other hand, many of the foreign princesses who have shared the English throne have won the lasting gratitude of the nation. A French queen of Kent, for instance, opened the way for Augustines mission to England.

But no foreign queen of England has had the opportunities for mischief that were enjoyed and fully utilized by Athaliah. She corrupted her husband and her son, and she was probably at once the instigator of their crimes and the instrument of their punishment. By corrupting the rulers of Judah and by her own misgovernment, she exercised an evil influence over the nation; and as the people suffered, not for their sins only, but also for those of their kings, Athaliah brought misfortunes and calamity upon Judah. Unfortunately such experiences are not confined to royal families; the peace and honor, and prosperity of godly families in all ranks of life have been disturbed and often destroyed by the marriage of one of their members with a woman of alien spirit and temperament. Here is a very general and practical application of the chroniclers objection to intercourse with the house of Omri.

GUZIK, "A. The sins of Jehoram.

1. (2 Chronicles 21:1-5) The murder of his brothers.

And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place. He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. Their father gave them great gifts of silver and gold and precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn. ow when Jehoram was established over the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself and killed all his brothers with the sword, and also others of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

a. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place: The father of Jehoram was the godly king Jehoshaphat. Yet one of the worst things Jehoshaphat ever did was arrange the marriage of his son Jehoram to Athaliah, the daughter of the evil king Ahab and his wife Jezebel (2 Kings 8:16-18; 2Ki_8:26).

b. Their father gave them great gifts . . . with fortified cities: Jehoshaphat followed the same wise policy with his sons that Rehoboam had previously followed (2 Chronicles 11:18-23) to scatter them throughout the kingdom and away from the capital so they would not be a concentrated threat to his one son to succeed him, Jehoram.

i. Jehoshaphat king of Israel; so he is called, either, 1. Because he was so by right. Or, 2. Because he was king not only of Judah and Benjamin, but of a great number of Israelites, who had come into and settled themselves in his kingdom . . . Or, 3. Because all his subjects were Israelites; and therefore he was king of Israel, though not of all Israel. . . . Some say Israel was foisted into some copies by the transcriber instead of Judah, as it was first written. (Poole)

c. He strengthened himself and killed all his brothers with the sword, and also other

princes of Israel: Despite Jehoshaphats wise policy of scattering his sons, Jehoram made it a point to murder all his brothers so they would not be any kind of a threat against his reign.

i. Jehorams response to Gods goodness, however, was to put not only all his brothers to the sword, but some of his leading officials as well. Made himself strong therefore, clearly means the violent removal of all other possible claimants to the throne. (Selman)

ii. The wickedness of Jehoram was not a surprise, considering how much he allowed himself to be influenced by the house of Ahab. Josephus expands on this, indicating that he committed the murders at the prompting of Athaliah. (Dilday)

iii. Perhaps some people thought that the marriage between the royal families of the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel would lift up the Kingdom of Israel spiritually. It didnt work that way. Instead, it brought the Kingdom of Judah down spiritually.

PULPIT, "The matter of this chapter may be divided into four parts. The death and burial of Jehoshaphat, and the number, names, and position of his sons (2 Chronicles 21:1-3). The accession and wicked course of Jehoram, the eldest son (2 Chronicles 21:4-11). The written warning and denunciation of Elijah, and the very practical warning of the Philistines, etc. (2 Chronicles 21:12-17). The disease, death, and burial of Jehoram (2 Chronicles 21:18-20).

2 Chronicles 21:1

The parallel for this verse is 1 Kings 22:50; and, with the exception of one word, it is an exact parallel. To understand the questions set in motion by the last clause of the verse, comparison must be made of 2 Kings 1:17; 2 Kings 3:1; 2 Kings 8:16. For anything that appears here, we should take for granted that Jehoram now first began to exercise any royal authority and enjoy any royal dignity. But the first of the just-quoted passages says Jehoram (of Israel) succeeded his wicked brother Ahaziah in the second year of Jehoram (of Judah), son of Jehoshaphat. In the second of the above-quoted passages, however, we are told that the same Jehoram (of Israel) succeeded to the throne in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, which date tallies with our parallel of last chapter (1 Kings 22:41), to the effect that Jehoshaphat himself began to reign in Ahab's fourth year, and Ahaziah in Jeho-saphat's seventeenth year. While, lastly, the third of the above-quoted references says that in the fifth year of Joram (of Israel), "Jehoshaphat being then King of Judah" (which, however, is itself an unfaithful rendering of what must be a corrupt text), his son Jehoram "began to reign." It has therefore been conjectured that the royal name was given Jehoram (of Judah) by his father in his father's sixteenth year, and that in his twenty-third year he further invested him with some royal power (our 2 Kings 8:3 gives some plausibility to this conjecture), from which last

date Jehoram's "eight years" (2 Kings 8:17; 2 Chronicles 21:5, 2 Chronicles 21:20) must be reckoned; this was not less than two years before the death of Jehoshaphat. Were it not for the countenance that our third verse (describing the cut-and-dried arrangements that the father made for his sons) gives to the tenableness of the above conjectures, we should prefer the conjecture that the passages commented upon are so much corrupt text.

2 Jehorams brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.[a]

CLARKE, "And he had brethren - the sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Israel. -

Jehoshaphat certainly was not king of Israel, but king of Judah. Yisrael must be a

corruption in the text, for Yehudah; which is the reading of the Syriac, Arabic, Septuagint, and Vulgate: the Chaldee, only agrees with the Hebrew text. And the reading of the versions is supported by thirty-eight of Kennicotts and De Rossis MSS. The word Judah should therefore be restored to the text.

GILL, "And he had brethren, the sons of Jehoshaphat,.... That is, Jehoram had, who succeeded him: their names follow:

Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah; two of them were of the same name; though it may be observed, that in the Hebrew text they are somewhat distinguished, the latter is called Azariah; Jehiel is said, by the Jews (x), to be the same with Hiel that rebuilt Jericho; indeed it was rebuilt in the times of Jehoshaphat, and was a city of the tribe of Benjamin, Jos_18:21 which was under his jurisdiction; but it can never be thought that he would ever suffer a son of his to rebuild it; besides, he is expressly said to be a Bethelite, 1Ki_16:34,

all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel; which generally, since the division of the kingdom, designs the ten tribes, but cannot be the meaning here, because Jehoshaphat was only king of two tribes, Judah and Benjamin; they were tribes of Israel indeed, and so he was king of a part of Israel; and besides, many out of the ten tribes came and settled in his kingdom, and were under his government; though some think he

is so called, because he concerned himself so much for the kingdom of Israel, and more than for his own; but the Vulgate Latin, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, all read king of Judah; wherefore some are of opinion that Israel is a mistake of the transcriber; but this need not be supposed, since he was of right king of Israel, and was in fact king of two tribes that belonged to Israel.

BESO, "2 Chronicles 21:2. And Azariah Hebrew, , Azaria-hu, distinguished by the last syllable, hu, from the Azariah mentioned in the former clause. Of Jehoshaphat king of Israel So he is called, either, 1st, Because he was so by right: or, 2d, Because he was king not only of Judah and Benjamin, but of a great number of Israelites, who had come and settled in his kingdom.

ELLICOTT, "Verses 2-4 REIG OF JEHORAM (2 Chronicles 21:2-18).

THE EW KIG MURDERS HIS SIX BROTHERS(2 Chronicles 21:2-4).

(2) Azariah . . . and Azariah.Heb. Azaryh . . . and Azaryh, different forms of the same name. All the versions give one form only. An old error of transcription may be involved (comp. 1 Chronicles 3:6; 1 Chronicles 3:8); but it is also possible that Jehoshaphat named two of his sons Azariah, Iah helpeth, in pious recognition of two several mercies. Shephatiah, Iah judgeth, repeats his own name in inverted shape.

The other names areGod liveth, Iah remem-bereth, Who is like God? all significant of the kings faith.

Jehoshaphat king of Israel.The southern kingdom is called Israel in 2 Chronicles 12:1; 2 Chronicles 12:6; 2 Chronicles 21:4; 2 Chronicles 28:19; 2 Chronicles 28:27, and elsewhere, as enjoying the legitimate monarchy, and maintaining the orthodox ritual and priesthood. Here, however, some Hebrew MSS., the LXX., Syriac, Vulg., and Arabic, read Judah.

(3) And their father gave them great gifts.Jehoshaphat before his death had provided for his sons, as Rehoboam before him had done for his, by appointing them resident governors of the national fortresses, and sending them away with valuable presents (2 Chronicles 11:23).

Of silver, and of gold.The preposition (le) belongs to the chroniclers style.

Precious things (migdnth; Genesis 24:53).Such as jewels, robes, and spices.

Because he was the firstborn.This was the rule. (Comp. Deuteronomy 21:15-17.)

For exceptions, see 1 Chronicles 28:5; 2 Chronicles 11:22; 2 Chronicles 36:1.

(4) ow when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father.Literally, And Jehoram arose over the kingdom, &c., a peculiar expression, only found here. It seems to mean, established himself on the throne. (See Exodus 1:8 for a similar phrase, and comp. the use of the same verb, 1 Samuel 24:20.)

He strengthened himself.Secured his hold of power (2 Chronicles 1:1; 2 Chronicles 1:12, &c).

And slew all his brethren.In order to prevent intrigues against himself. Such ruthless crimes have been customary at Oriental accessions, and are one of the natural results of polygamy. (Comp. the conduct of Abimelech (Judges 9:5) and of Athaliah (2 Chronicles 22:10). It was thus that Jehoram strengthened himself.

And divers also of the princes of Israel.Some of the great chiefs of the clans, whose power or sympathy with his murdered brothers Jehoram may have dreaded. Or, like other Oriental despots, Jehoram may have acted from no other motive than a rapacious desire to confiscate their wealth. Some suppose that both his brethren and these princes had given signs of dissatisfaction at Jehoram and Athalians heathen policy. (Comp. 2 Chronicles 21:13, thy brethren . . . which were better than thyself.)

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 21:2 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.

Ver. 2. King of Israel.] Of all Israel by right; but really, of a part of them only

POOLE, "Azariah; two sons called by the same name, though doubtless distinguished by some additional title, which is not mentioned here, because it did not concern succeeding ages to know it. Though indeed there is a difference in their Hebrew names, the one being Azariah, the other Azariahu, hu being the last syllabic in his name, as in Elihu and others. Jehoshaphat king of Israel; so he is called, either,

1. Because he was so by right. Or,

2. Because he was king not only of Judah and Benjamin, but of a great number of Israelites, who had come into and settled themselves in his kingdom, in his and in his predecessors days; who being a considerable, and the purest and best, part of Israel, may well be called Israel, being more truly and properly Gods Israel than their apostate brethren, who were no longer worthy of that name. Or,

3. Because all his subjects were Israelites; and therefore he was

king of Israel, though not of all Israel. Or,

4. With some reflection upon his memory for making so strict an alliance and friendship with the king of Israel, whose cause he defended with his own and his kingdoms great hazard, as if he had been the king not so much of Judah as of Israel. And this may be the rather noted here, because here speedily follows a sad effect of that wicked and cursed match. Some say Israel was foisted into some copies by the transcriber instead of Judah, as it was first written.

PULPIT, "Though in our version two Azariahs appear among the six sons of Jehoshaphat here given, the Hebrew text shows in the one place and in the other. othing is known of the previous history of these six, now so cruelly murdered by their eldest brother. It will be observed that Jehoshaphat is styled King of Israel, probably merely generically. Into this way the writer of Chronicles would run, at any rate, more easily than the writer of Kings.

3 Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son.

BARES, "Jehoshaphat departed from Rehoboams policy (2Ch_11:23 note), actually making over to his sons the fenced cities in which they dwelt. This, it is probable, provoked the jealousy of Jehoram, and induced him to put them to death 2Ch_21:4.

Because he was the firstborn - Compare Deu_21:15-17. Exceptions to this rule in the northern and southern kingdoms are Solomon, where divine appointment superseded the natural order, Abijah 2Ch_11:22 note), and Jehoahaz (2Ki_23:30 note).

CLARKE, "The kingdom gave he to Jehoram - He made him co-partner with himself in the kingdom about three years before his death; so that he reigned only five years after the death of his father Jehoshaphat. See the notes on 2Ki_8:16, etc.; and on the same, 2Ch_1:17, where an attempt is made to settle this disturbed chronology.

GILL, "And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things,.... As jewels and precious stones; or precious garments, as the Targum, in like manner as Abraham gave to his sons, when he sent them from Isaac:

with fenced cities in Judah; not as their own property, but he appointed them governors in them, to defend them against an enemy, and as a mark of honour to them:

but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn; strictly observing the law in Deu_21:16, which was not always done; though it was reckoned by the Heathens contrary to the law of nations to give the kingdom to the younger (y).

BESO, "2 Chronicles 21:3. With fenced cities of Judah Over which he made them governors. This he seems to have done prudently; thus providing well for them, that they might not be tempted to envy their brother the kingdom, nor to quarrel among themselves: but things excellently designed, says Strigelius, from Cicero, have often a very ill event. This wealth and authority of theirs, made their brother first fear them, and then, through his wicked covetousness, contrive to cut them off, that he might get possession of their riches and power. Because he was the firstborn Whom Jehoshaphat supposed he ought to prefer on account of the law, recorded Deuteronomy 21:15, though otherwise, it is probable, he would not have done it, having doubtless, before this time, observed his perverse and wicked inclinations, and how much he was swayed by his idolatrous wife.

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 21:3 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.

Ver. 3. With fenced cities.] Herein he dealt wisely; as it is said of Rehoboam for the like. [2 Chronicles 11:2-3] But "the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise," &c. [Ecclesiastes 9:11-12]

POOLE, "Whom he conceived that he ought to prefer by virtue of that law of God, Deuteronomy 21:15, though otherwise he would not have done it, having probably ere this time perceived his perverse and wicked inclinations, and how much he was swayed by his idolatrous wife. ow he saw his error when it was too late.

PULPIT, "The father's foreseeing care issued very differently from what he had thought, waking now the greed and murderous intent of Jehoram. Jehoshaphat, nevertheless, was but following in the wake of the head of the separated kingdom of Judah, Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:22, 2 Chronicles 11:23), wherein he is said to have "dealt wisely;" even the parallel (in the matter of one son Abijah, sen of Maachah, the favourite wife, being appointed king) obtaining there in an aggravated form, as he was not the eldest son. This case, with those of Solomon and

Jehoahaz (by the favour not of the parent but of the people, 2 Kings 23:30), formed the exceptions to the usual observance of and honour done to the principle of primogeniture (Deuteronomy 21:15-17).

Jehoram King of Judah

4 When Jehoram established himself firmly over his fathers kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel.

BARES, "The execution of several princes of Israel (i. e. of Judah; see 2Ch_20:34note) implies that Jehorams brothers found supporters among the chief men of the country, and that Jehorams sole sovereignty was not established without a struggle.

CLARKE, "Slew all his brethren - What a truly diabolic thing is the lust of power! it destroys all the charities of life, and renders those who are under its influence the truest resemblants of the arch fiend. That he might sit the more secure upon his throne, this execrable man imbrues his hands in the blood of his own brothers! There are more instances of this species of cruelty among bad Asiatic kings than among any other class of men. The history of every country abounds in proofs; even that of our own is not the least barren.

GILL, "Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father,.... Succeeded him in it, and reigned alone, for he had reigned with his father some years before his death; see Gill on 2Ki_8:16,

he strengthened himself; in the kingdom, by some means or another closely attaching the greater part of the princes, and people of the land, unto him, when he thought himself well settled and established on the throne; though some understand it of making strong, or hardening his heart to do what is next mentioned:

and slew all his brethren with the sword; either to get their riches into his hands,

or lest, being religious princes, they should oppose his restoring idolatry, and for that reason the people should depose him, and set up one of them; and therefore he dispatched them out of the way to secure himself, and carry his point:

and divers also of the princes of Israel; such who had removed out of the ten tribes, for the sake of religion, and therefore would never agree to the introduction of idolatry among them, for which reason Jehoram slew them; and perhaps they might express their disapprobation and abhorrence of his murder of his brethren.

K&D, "2Ch_21:4Now when Joram ascended (raised himself to) the throne of his father, and attained to

power ( as in 2Ch_1:1), he slew all his brethren with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel, i.e., the tribal princes of his kingdom. It could hardly be from avarice that he slew his brothers, merely to get possession of their property; probably it was because they did not sympathize with the political course which he was entering upon, and disapproved of the idolatrous conduct of Joram and his wife Athaliah. This may be gathered from the fact that in 2Ch_21:13 they are called better than Joram. The princes probably drew down upon themselves the wrath of Joram, or of his heathen consort, by disapproving of the slaughter of the royal princes, or by giving other signs of discontent with the spirit of their reign.

BESO, "2 Chronicles 21:4. He strengthened himself Hardened his heart, as the word , chazak, often signifies; and slew all his brethren with the sword Either by false accusation, under colour of law, or rather by assassination, pretending, it is likely, that he could not think himself safe in the government till they were taken out of the way. Those that mean ill themselves, are commonly, without cause, jealous of those about them. And divers also of the princes of Israel Either, 1st, Of Judah, here called Israel, as in 2 Chronicles 21:2. Or rather, 2d, Of Israel properly so called; not the princes of all Israel, or of the several tribes thereof, but the chief of those Israelites who, out of love to God and the true religion, had forsaken their estates in the kingdom of Israel, and were now incorporated with the kingdom of Judah: these he slew, because he thought they would be most zealous for that religion which he was resolved to oppose.

COFFMA, "JEHORAM'S VICIOUS MURDER OF ALL HIS BROTHERS

"ow when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah. Howbeit Jehovah would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his children alway."

"Jehovah would not destroy the house of David" (2 Chronicles 21:7). The very mention of such a thing in this paragraph is a mark of the diabolical threat that

existed at this moment in the history of the Chosen People. In these events, Satan was moving swiftly and methodically toward that very goal: the total destruction of the house of David. And when Jehoram's evil mother Athaliah was finally able to seize power for herself, she all but accomplished it.

We cannot leave this without mentioning the disaster that always results from contracting a marriage with an evil partner. Jehoshaphat is credited with being a good king; but he was incredibly stupid in arranging a marriage for his first-born son and presumptive heir to the throne of Judah with the wicked Jezebel II, whose name was Athaliah.

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 21:4 ow 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.

Ver. 4. He strengthened himself.] By gifts, likely, he gained to his party vain men, as Jeroboam also did, in those cities that were given to his brethren.

He slew all his brethren with the sword.] All, lewd losel (profligate)! what a bloody foundation was here laid of his kingdom - not unlike that of Cain, of Cambyses, of Romulus, of Jugurtha, of Caracalla, of the cruel Turks at this day - but it came home to him, as God is the avenger of all such. See Gods judgments upon his sons shortly after, [2 Chronicles 21:17] and also upon his grandchildren. [2 Chronicles 22:10-11] Only Jehoahaz was left of the one, and Joash of the other; and these also merely for Gods promise sake to David. [2 Chronicles 21:7]

POOLE, "He strengthened himself; he took courage and hardened his heart, as that word sometimes signifies.

Slew all his brethren with the sword; partly because they either did, or he knew that they would, oppose him in his wicked designs; and partly for his own security, lest his people, who, as he believed, would be highly exasperated with the execution of his counsels, should advance any of them to the throne, and depose him.

Of the princes of Israel; either,

1. Of Judah, here called Israel, or which See Poole "2 Chronicles 21:2". Or,

2. The princes or chief men of Israel, properly so called; not the princes of all Israel, or of the several tribes thereof, but the chief of those Israelites who, out of love to God and to the true religion, had forsaken their estates and worthy advantages in the kingdom of Israel, and were now incorporated with the kingdom of Judah. These he especially struck at, either,

1. Because his wife instigated him thereunto, both to punish them for their revolt from her father, and to deter others from following their example. Or,

2. Because he justly and truly thought these would be most firm and constant to and zealous for that religion which he was resolved to oppose, being both by their conscience and interest obliged to it.

PULPIT, "Slew all his brethren and also of the princes of Israel. It may be, as suggested by the genius of the last clause of our yet. 13, that Jehoram's wicked heart prompted him the rather because his own works were evil and his brothers' righteous. He may have thought their practical witness against him, and that of the "princes" who shared their fate, would be growingly inconvenient, and would work in them a necessary disloyalty ( 9:1-5). On the ether showing, the "princes" now cut down may have shown partiality and affection to the six brothers, one or other of them.

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

GILL 5-11, "Jehoram was thirty two years old,.... Of these verses; see Gill on 2Ki_8:17, 2Ki_8:18, 2Ki_8:19, 2Ki_8:20, 2Ki_8:21, 2Ki_8:22

K&D, "Duration and spirit of Joram's reign. - These verses agree with 2Ki_8:17-22, with the exception of some immaterial divergences, and have been commented upon in the remarks on that passage. - In 2Ch_21:7 the thought is somewhat otherwise expressed than in 2Ki_8:19 : Jahve would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David; instead of, He would not destroy Judah

because of David His servant, as He had said. Instead of we have in the

Chronicle to give him a lamp, and that in respect of his sons, w being ,

inserted before to bring the idea more prominently forward. In regard to ,

2Ch_21:9, instead of 2 ,Ki_8:21, see on 2 Kings loc. cit. At the end of 2Ch_21:9 the words, and the people fled to their tents (2Ki_8:21), whereby the notice of Joram's attempt to bring Edom again under his sway, which is in itself obscure enough, becomes

yet more obscure.

ELLICOTT, "Verse 5 JEHORAMS IDOLATRY. THE REVOLT OF EDOM AD LIBAH (2 Chronicles 21:5-11).

This section is parallel with 2 Kings 8:17-22.

(5) Jehoram was thirty and two years old.2 Kings 8:17, he was; because the name had just occurred in the former verse.

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 21:5 Jehoram [was] thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

Ver. 5. Jehoram was thirty and two.] See 2 Kings 8:17.

PULPIT, "He reigned eight years. This rejoin dates to begin with the twenty-second or twenty-third year of the reign of his father Jehoshaphat, according to note on 2 Chronicles 21:1, above. The parallel of 2 Kings 8:17-21 may be consulted for our 2 Kings 8:5-11; our 2 Kings 8:11, 2 Kings 8:13 expound in clearer detail the "evil" that Jehoram wrought than the narrative of Kings.

6 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

CLARKE, "He had the daughter of Ahab to wife - This was Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, who was famous for her impieties and cruelty, as was her most profligate mother. It is likely that she was the principal cause of Jehorams cruelty and profaneness.

HERY 6-11, "III. That Jehoram was a most wicked king, who corrupted and debauched his kingdom, and ruined the reformation that his good father and grandfather had carried on: He walked in the way of the house of Ahab (2Ch_21:6), made high places, which the people were of themselves too forward to make, and did his utmost to set up idolatry again, 2Ch_21:11. 1. As for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, where he kept his court, he easily drew them into his spiritual whoredom: He caused them to commit fornication, seducing them to eat things sacrificed to idols, Rev_2:20. 2. The country people seem to have been brought to it with more difficulty; but those that would not be corrupted by flatteries were driven by force to partake in his abominable idolatries: He compelled Judah thereto. He used that power for the destruction of the church which was given him for the edification of it.

IV. That when he forsook God and his worship his subjects withdrew from their allegiance to him. 1. Some of the provinces abroad that were tributaries to him did so. The Edomites revolted (2Ch_21:8), and, though he chastised them (2Ch_21:9), yet he could not reduce them, 2Ch_21:10. 2. One of the cities of his own kingdom did so. Libnah revolted (2Ch_21:10) and set up for a free state, as of old it had a king of its own, Jos_12:15. And the reason is here given, not only why God permitted it, but why they did it; they shook off his government because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers, had become an idolater and a worshipper of false gods, and they could not continue subject to him without some danger of being themselves also drawn away from God and their duty. While he adhered to God they adhered to him; but, when he cast God off, they cast him off. Whether this reason will justify them in their revolt of no, it will justify God's providence which ordered it so.

V. That yet God was tender of his covenant with the house of David, and therefore would not destroy the royal family, though it was so wretchedly corrupted and degenerated, 2Ch_21:7. These things we had before, 2Ki_8:19-22. The tenour of the covenant was that David's seed should be visited for their transgressions, but the covenant should never be broken, Psa_89:30, etc.

JAMISO, "he walked ... as did the house of Ahab, for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife The precepts and examples of his excellent father were soon obliterated by his matrimonial alliance with a daughter of the royal house of Israel. Through the influence of Athaliah he abolished the worship of the Lord, and encouraged an introduction of all the corruptions prevalent in the sister kingdom. The divine vengeance was denounced against him, and would have utterly destroyed him and his house, had it not been for a tender regard to the promise made to David (2Sa_7:29; 2Ki_8:19).

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 21:6 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.

Ver. 6. And he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel.] He was an idolater, and therefore so cruel and bloody minded toward his innocent brethren. It is probable that he charged them with high treason, which ever was unicum crimen eorum qui crimine vacabant, saith Lipsius; but the Hebrews say that he slew them because they walked in the good ways of their father Jehoshaphat, and would not yield to his

idolatries; and then it was the worse: those princes might be put to death as their partisans.

For he had the daughter of Ahab to wife,] viz., Wicked Athaliah, that Jezebel of Jerusalem. She is called also the daughter of Omri, Ahabs father, to denote the deep ingraffing of idolatrous principles within her breast, as taking them from two such arch-idolaters.

PARKER, "Jehoram

"For he [Jehoram] had the daughter of Ahab to wife" ( 2 Chronicles 21:6).

THIS is not given as a fact, but is stated as an explanation. Such an explanation fills the heart with shame. Here is a man who did wickedly in the sight of the Lord, and when we begin to ask why he deported himself so viciously, we are told that "he had the daughter of Ahab to wife." What can there be in such an explanation to bring upon the cheek the blush of shame, and fill the heart with the fire of horror and resentment? He had the daughter of a bad man as his companion. How can some men be good when they must needs drink daily of an evil fountain, and come into association day by day with a breath hot and malarious as a pestilence? This woman makes no great demonstration of herself; we cannot say that to-day or tomorrow she will figure in some great tragedy, and show how terrible a thing it is to be the slave of sin. She may have been a silent woman; she may never have spoken above a whisper; but her whole life was set in a wrong direction. Every comment she made was discouraging to goodness, every attitude she assumed was inconsistent with the posture of prayer. We are not special pleaders on behalf of Jehoram, but we are bound to recognise that which is set down as one of the key-facts of his life. He was not bound to marry the daughter of Ahab; he selected her to be his life-companion. Men must reap the harvests which they themselves have sown. o man is at liberty to fall back upon secondary explanations, saying, Had I been better related, more comfortably situated; had my circumstances been more favourable,all such reasoning is tainted with the vice of selfishness. First let us settle how far we ourselves are responsible for the circumstances. A man must not light a fire and then complain of the heat. o man is at liberty to drink poison and then say that he is in pain, and ask for the pity of those who are round about him. Cause and effect must go together: "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." On the other hand, we are to recognise facts as we find them. How can some women be good? for they have no joy at home; when they open the window, the sun seems to pass by on the other side without blessing it; when they speak a generous word, they meet with no response; when they propose to begin a larger and nobler life, their suggestions are received with resentment or disdain. So again we ask, How can some men be good? How can a man lay hold with sense of security upon an inclined plane, so steep that he can hardly hold his own for a moment? Why ask the man to come upward, to advance, when the very geometry of life seems to be set against him? Still, we go back to origins and say, Who began this? There must be no mere

exchange of denunciation, but a common penitence, a common sorrow, a mutual amnesty, and a united recommencement. How musically these words might read! "For he had the daughter of Ahab to wife," need not have explained a vicious spirit, and an unpatriotic and unholy policy; such words would rhyme well with Wisdom of Solomon , progress, patriotism, philanthropy: "For he had the daughter of Ahab to wife," a woman who cheered him, understood him, supported him by her sympathy, and led the way to the brighter worlds which she wished him to claim and to enjoy. The words are right; it is the context that gives them blackness, and sting, and tincture of hell.

GUZIK, "2. (2 Chronicles 21:6-7) Why God showed mercy to Jehoram.

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for he had the daughter of Ahab as a wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. Yet the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.

a. He walked in the way of the kings of Israel: This was not a compliment. While the southern Kingdom of Judah had a mixture of godly and wicked kings, the northern Kingdom of Israel had nothing but evil, God-rejecting kings.

i. This was Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, who was famous for her impieties and cruelty, as was her most profligate mother. It is likely that she was the principle cause of Jehorams cruelty and profaneness. (Clarke)

ii. His father Jehoshaphat was a godly man who had a bad and sinful habit of making compromising associations. The worst fruit of this sinful tendency was not evident until after Jehoshaphats death.

b. Yet the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David: The implication is that Jehorams evil was great enough to justify such judgment, but God withheld it out of faithfulness to his ancestor David.

i. The lamp was more than a symbol of life and of testimony, it reminded the hearer of the covenant (Psalms 132:17, c.f. 2 Chronicles 21:7). (Wiseman)

ii. When God first made this promise to David it was not formally called a covenant (1 Chronicles 17, 2 Samuel 7). However, it was divinely called a covenant afterwards (2 Samuel 23:5; Psalms 89:3; Psa_89:34; Psalms 132:11-12). (Payne)

PULPIT, "The daughter of Ahab to wife. That is, Athaliah, called (2 Chronicles 22:2; 2 Kings 8:26) the daughter, that is, granddaughter, of Omri.

7 evertheless, because of the covenant the Lord had made with David, the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever.

ELLICOTT, "(7) The Lord would not destroy the house of David . . .An exegetical (not arbitrary, as Thenius asserts) expansion of The Lord would not destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant (Kings).

The covenant that he had made with David.Literally, for David. So Isaiah 55:3, I will make an everlasting covenant for you, even the sure mercies of David. This construction is generally used of the stronger imposing conditions on the weaker. (Comp. Joshua 9:6; 1 Samuel 11:1-2.) In the Pentateuch, God makes a covenant with (im or eth) His people (Genesis 15:16; Exodus 24:8).

To give a light to him and to his sons.Literally, a lamp. Some critics find another deviation here, and render 1 Kings 8:19, to give a lamp to him in respect of his sons. But many Hebrew MSS., and the LXX., Vulg., and Targum of that passage, read, and to his sons, as here. Syriac, On account of the oaths which he sware to David, to give to him a burning lamp, and to his sons all the days.

For ever.All the days.

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 21:7 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.

Ver. 7. As he promised to give a light to him.] Successionem stirpis regiae et splendidae. Out of this "light," or lamp, came at length that "Sun of righteousness," "the Light of the world," Christ Jesus. See on 2 Kings 8:19.

POOLE, "Because of the covenant that he had made with David; for which, in 2 Kings 8:19, it is for David his servants sake, i.e. not for Davids merits, but for Gods free promise and covenant, as it is here explained.

PULPIT, "The covenant a light his sons for ever (so 2 Samuel 7:12, 2 Samuel 7:13, 2 Samuel 7:15, 2 Samuel 7:16; 2 Samuel 23:5; 1 Kings 8:20, 1 Kings 8:24, 1 Kings 8:25; 1 Chronicles 22:10; Psalms 132:11, Psalms 132:12; Isaiah 55:3; Acts 13:34).

8 In the time of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against Judah and set up its own king.

JAMISO, "2Ch_21:8-17. Edom and Libnah revolt.

the Edomites revolted That nation had been made dependent by David, and down to the time of Jehoshaphat was governed by a tributary ruler (1Ki_22:47; 2Ki_3:9). But that king having been slain in an insurrection at home, his successor thought to ingratiate himself with his new subjects by raising the flag of independence [Josephus]. The attempt was defeated in the first instance by Jehoram, who possessed all the military establishments of his father; but being renewed unexpectedly, the Edomites succeeded in completely emancipating their country from the yoke of Judah (Gen_27:40). Libnah, which lay on the southern frontier and towards Edom, followed the example of that country.

COFFMA, "JEHORAM PROMPTLY LOST EDOM AD LIBAH

"In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. Then Jehoram passed over with his captains, and all his chariots with him; and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites that compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots. So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day: then did Libnah revolt at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Jehovah, the God of his fathers."

"What appears to have happened here is that Jehoram and his army went to teach the Edomites a lesson, but found out that the Edomites had surrounded him and his chariots."[3] The consequent loss of two subject peoples, the Edomites from east of Jordan, and those of Libnah from the area of the Philistines, was directly due to the wickedness of Jehoram and were the result of the judgment of God upon him.

Part of this chapter is parallel to 2 Kings 8:17-24, and our comments on some of these events are found in the Commentary on Second Kings.

ELLICOTT, "(8) In his days the Edomites revolted.2 Kings 8:20. See also 1 Kings 22:47, from which it appears that under Jehoshaphat a deputy, or viceroy, ruled in Edom. (Comp. 2 Chronicles 20:35, ote.)

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 21:8 In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.

Ver. 8. In his days the Edomites.] See on 2 Kings 8:20.

GUZIK, "B. The consequences of his sin

1. (2 Chronicles 21:8-11) Jehorams sinful compromise and the revolt of Edom and Libnah.

In his days the Edomites revolted against Judahs authority, and made a king over themselves. So Jehoram went out with his officers, and all his chariots with him. And he rose by night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots. Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judahs authority to this day. At that time Libnah revolted against his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit harlotry, and led Judah astray.

a. In his days the Edomites revolted against Judahs authority: For some time, Edom was essentially a client kingdom to Judah and owed them tribute (taxes). Under the reign of Jehoram, the leaders of Edom sensed weakness in Judah and their opportunity to free themselves.

i. othing else is known of trouble in Libnah, a town of uncertain location on Judahs western border not far from Lachish. (Selman)

ii. As long as the kings of Judah remained true to their allegiance to God, they were able to keep in subjection the surrounding nations; but just so soon as they revolted from God these people revolted from there. It was as though power descended into them from the source of all power; and when that link between themselves and God was broken, that between themselves and their subordinates was broken also. (Meyer)

iii. This applies to our passions; when we are properly submitted to God, our passions are properly submitted to us. When we come out from submission to God, we often find our passions flare up in seemingly overwhelming strength. It also

applies to the proper exercise of authority in any sphere home, government, church, society those who are submitted to God can be trusted to be submitted unto.

b. He rose by night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him: We arent told a specific outcome of this battle; perhaps it was inconclusive. Yet because of the Edoms continued revolt against Judah, it was evident that Judah did not exert itself over Edom against and they remained somewhat independent.

c. Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judahs authority: This is evidence of the weakness of the kingdom of Jehoram. He thought that the marriage alliance with Ahab and the Kingdom of Israel would make Judah stronger, but this act of disobedience only made them weaker because he had forsake the LORD God of his fathers.

d. Moreover he made high places: It was the policy of both his father Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:6) and his grandfather Asa (2 Chronicles 14:1-5) to work against these high places. Jehoram promoted them instead.

i. He is the first Judean king who actually constructed high places, among which is probably to be counted a Baal temple in Jerusalem (cf. 2 Chronicles 23:17). (Selman)

e. And caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit harlotry: Their idolatry was likened to harlotry for two reasons. First, the worship of these pagan sex/fertility gods and goddesses often involved immorality with a pagan priestess or priest. Second, since Israel was obligated to be faithful to God as a wife is obligated to be faithful to her husband, their idolatry was like harlotry in a spiritual sense.

PULPIT, "In his days the Edomites revolted made themselves a king. The expression, "in his days," scarcely fails intending to accentuate the mournful change now as compared with the state of things depicted in our 2 Chronicles 17:5-11.

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.

ELLICOTT, "(9) Then Jehoram went forth.And Jehoram passed over.

With his princes.Captains (im srv); Kings, to Zair, which appears to be a corruption of to Seir. The chronicler has substituted an intelligible for an obscure expression.

And he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in.Literally, and it came to pass, he rose. Brief as the notice is, it is evident that the verse relates not a victory of Jehorams, but his desperate escape by cutting his way through the enemys troops, which had surrounded him and his forces. (See on 2 Kings 8:21, where it is added, and the people fled to their tents.) (Syriac. And Jehoram passed over with his captains; and all his chariots with him. And it came to pass that when he rose in the night, he destroyed the Edomites, and the captains of the chariots came with him.)

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 21:9 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.

Ver. 9. And smote the Edomites.] But could not subdue them. They might be more troublesome, as Carthage was to Rome, when but half destroyed, than before he meddled with them.

PULPIT, "With his princes. The parallel, 2 Kings 8:21, reads, "to Zair." Of any such place nothing is known, and it has been proposed to supersede the word there by "Self," which a certain amount of similarity of the Hebrew characters might countenance. Possibly by some mishap, not so readily explainable by misoccurrence of characters simply, our words, "with his princes," should stand in place of "to Zair." It must be noted that the two first clauses of the verse in the parallel become something inconsequential (which is not the ease with the reading of our text), in that it says, "The king and chariots went forth to a place, and rose up by night," etc. The dislocation is, perhaps, not serious, but our text avoids it in reading, "The king, princes, and chariots went forth, and rose up by night and smote," etc.

10 To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah.

Libnah revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the Lord, the God of his ancestors.

K&D, "The chronicler concludes the account of the revolt of Edom and of the city of Libnah against Judah's dominion with the reflection: For he (Joram) had forsaken Jahve the God of the fathers, and consequently had brought this revolt upon himself,

the Lord punishing him thereby for his sin. Yea, even high places did he make. The $

placed at the beginning may be connected with & (cf. Isa_30:33), while the subject is

emphasized by : The same who had forsaken the God of the fathers, made also high places, which Asa and Jehoshaphat had removed, 2Ch_14:2, 2Ch_14:4; 2Ch_17:6. And he caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, i.e., seduced them into

the idolatrous worship of Baal. That the Hiph. * is to be understood of the spiritual whoredom of Baal-worship we learn from 2Ch_21:13 : as the house of Ahab caused to

commit fornication. +, and misled Judah, i.e., drew them away by violence from the

right way. + is to be interpreted in accordance with Deu_13:6, Deu_13:11.

BESO, "2 Chronicles 21:10. The same time did Libnah revolt Libnah seems to have set up for a free state. And the reason is here given, both why God permitted it, and why they did it, because Jehoram was become an idolater. While he adhered to God, they adhered to him; but when he cast God off, they cast him off. Whether this would justify them in their revolt or not, it justified Gods providence which suffered it.

ELLICOTT, "(10) Unto this day.See on 2 Chronicles 5:9. The date thus assigned is some time prior to the captivity. o account is taken of Amaziahs reduction of Edom (2 Chronicles 25:11-15), which was probably not permanent.

The same time also.Literally, then revolted Libnah at that time. 2 Kings 8:22 ends here. The chronicler adds, from under his (i.e., Jehorams) hand, and assigns a moral ground for the successful rebellion: For he had forsaken Jehovah, the God of his fathers. (Thenius can hardly be right in asserting that the chronicler meant to say that Libnah, as a city of the priests, refused obedience to the idolatrous king; nor Hitzig, in explaining the revolt as merely a religious secession. ) He forsook Jehovah, by walking in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, i.e., by adopting and popularising the worship of the Tyrian Baal, to please his wife and her people. In those days friendship with an alien race seems to have involved

recognition of their gods. (Comp. Amos 1:9 for the alliance between Tyre and Judah.)

Libnah.Syriac, the Edomites that lived in Libnah.

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 21:10 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.

Ver. 10. Did Libnah revolt.] See 2 Kings 8:22.

POOLE, "To wit, publicly and avowedly, setting him at defiance, as the next verse shows. And this is mentioned, either,

1. As the reason why the priests, whose city Libnah was, forsook him, because he had forsaken God; or rather,

2. As the reason why God raised up so many enemies against him, both from abroad and at home.

PULPIT, "Libnah because he had forsaken. The parallel states the revolt of Libnah also, but does not make the closing remark of our verse.

2 Chronicles 21:11Caused to commit fornication. Perhaps the meaning is exclusively here the infidelity of idolatry, but at any rate it includes this.

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.

BARES, "See 2Ki_8:18. The writer of Kings only tells us in general terms that Jehoram did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of the house of Ahab. Here, in 2Ch_21:11, 2Ch_21:13, we have particulars of his idolatry. Jehoram, it seems, seduced by the evil influence of his wife - Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab -permitted the introduction of Baal-worship, idolatrous altars in various high places,

groves (Asherahs), images, and pillars; the people were not only allowed, but compelled to take part in the new rites. To commit fornication is a common metaphor, signifying idolatry or spiritual unfaithfulness (compare the 2Ki_9:22 note).

CLARKE, "To commit fornication - That is, to serve idols. The Israelites were considered as joined to Jehovah as a woman is joined to her husband: when she associates with other men, this is adultery; when they served other gods, this was called by the same name, it was adultery against Jehovah. This is frequently the only meaning of the terms adultery and fornication in the Scriptures.

GILL, "Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah,.... Temples and altars for idols, which, being built on mountains, had the name of high places; and these Jehoram made or rebuilt were those which had been pulled down by Asa and Jehoshaphat:

and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication; that is, idolatry, drawing them by his own example to worship Baal, for he did what Ahab and his family did, 2Ch_21:6, and compelled Judah thereto; the inhabitants of Jerusalem falling into the same idolatrous practice with him, he forced the inhabitants of the cities, and in the country, to do the same, who it seems were not so willing and ready to comply therewith.

BESO, "2 Chronicles 21:11. He made high places ot to the Lord, whose sworn enemy he was, but to Baals, or false gods. Caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication Spiritual whoredom, or idolatry, seducing them to eat things sacrificed to idols, (Revelation 2:20,) not only by his counsel and example, but, as it follows, by force, by threats, and penalties.

COFFMA, "THAT WRITIG FROM ELIJAH REGARDIG JEHORAM

"Moreover he made high places in the montains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot, and led Judah astray. And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, the 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, but hast walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot, like as the house of Ahab did, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, who were better than thyself: behold, Jehovah will smite with a great plague thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy substance; and thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of thy sickness, day by day."

Some scholars have argued that Elijah was already deceased at the times of Jehoram and that he could not have written the letter mentioned here; but this

criticism is groundless for two reasons: (1) Elijah might indeed still have been living, a rather attractive argument for this having been cited by Myers.[4] That Elijah did indeed write this `document' and that it was sent during Elijah's lifetime was flatly declared by Josephus.[5] William Whiston, who translated the works of Josephus, however, insisted that Elijah had died four years previously to the times indicated here, and that the simplest explanation is that some copier inadvertently substituted the name Elijah for that of Elisha.[6] (2) The passage does not indicate that the "document"[7] (as the word is translated by Myers) was written during Elijah's lifetime. Furthermore, the Chronicler gives five other examples of prophets predicting disaster to kings before the event (2 Chronicles 12:5; 16:7; 19:2; 24:20; and 26:16).[8] In this light, we find no difficulty whatever in what is written here.

ELLICOTT, "(11) Moreover he made.There is a stress on the pronoun, he made, in contrast with Asa and Jehoshaphat, his worthier predecessors (2 Chronicles 17:6). Or he himself, and not the people. LXX., . From this point to the end of the reign the narrative is peculiar to the chronicler.

High places.For the worship of the foreign gods, as well as of the God of Israel.

Mountains.Many Heb. MSS., LXX., and Vulg., cities (a similar word); Syriac, Moreover he made high places in the mountain of Judah, and caused the azarites of Jerusalem to drink wine, and scattered those who were of the house of Judah.

And caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornicationi.e., the spiritual fornication of unfaithfulness to Jehovah, the only lawful spouse of Israel. (Comp. Hosea 2:5; Hosea 2:8; Hosea 2:13; Hosea 2:16-17; Hosea 2:19 :1 Chronicles 5:25.)

And compelled.Or, seduced (Deuteronomy 13:6; Deuteronomy 13:11). LXX., .

TRAPP, "2 Chronicles 21:11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah [thereto].

Ver. 11. Moreover he made high places.] (a) He restored what his father and grandfather had destroyed, Heroum filii noxae. The reason whereof some give is this, that God may show that good children are his gift alone. And again, good men are oft so intent upon the public affairs in state and church, that they neglect their private, and give not their children so good education as they should.

To commit fornication.] To worship Baal. See 2 Kings 9:22. This was the worse, because in Jerusalem, the holy city; and because he caused them to do it, partly by his allurements, and partly by affrightments; as did Julian also the apostate, qui persuadendo persecutus est.

POOLE, "He made high places; not to the Lord, whose sworn enemy he was, but to Baals, or false gods.

Caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication; not only by his counsel and example, but, as it follows, by force, by threats and penalties.

12 Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, which said:

This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah.

BARES, "This is the only notice which we have of Elijah in Chronicles. As a prophet of the northern kingdom, he engaged but slightly the attention of the historian of the southern one. The notice shows that Elijah did not confine his attention to the affairs of his own state, but strove to check the progress of idolatry in Judah. And it proves that he was alive after the death of Jehoshaphat 2Ch_21:13; a fact bearing

(1) upon the chronological order of 2Ki_2:1 (see the note), and

(2) showing that Elisha, who prophesied in the time of Jehoshaphat. 2Ki_3:11-19commenced his public ministry before his masters translation.

CLARKE, "There came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet - From 2Ki_2:11, it is evident that Elijah had been translated in the reign of Jehoshaphat, the father of Jehoram. How then could he send a letter to the son? Some say he sent it from heaven by an angel; others, that by the spirit of prophecy he foresaw this defection of Jehoram, and left the letter with Elisha, to be sent to him when this defection should take place; others say that Elijah is put here for Elisha; and others, that this Elijah was not the same that was translated, but another prophet of the same name. There are others who think that, as Elijah was still in the body, for he did not die, but was translated, he sent this letter from that secret place in which he was hidden by the

Almighty. All the versions have Elijah, and all the MSS. the same reading. Dr. Kennicott contends that Elisha was the writer; for Elijah had been taken up to heaven thirteen years before the time of this writing. Our margin says, the letter was written before his assumption, and refers to 2Ki_2:1.

These are all conjectures; and I could add another to their number, but still we should be where we were. I should adopt the conjecture relative to Elisha, were not every Hebrew MS., and all the Oriental versions, against it; to which may be added, that the author of this book does not once mention Elisha in any part of his work. It is certainly a possible case that this writing might have been a prediction of Jehorams impiety and miserable death, delivered in the time of the prophet, and which was now laid before this wicked king for the first time: and by it the prophet, though not among mortals, still continued to speak. I can see no solid reason against this opinion.

GILL, "And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet,.... Not what was written by him after his ascension to heaven, and from thence came to Jehoram, even seven years after that, as say some Jewish writers (z); nor was it a writing from another person of the same name in those times, since of such an one we nowhere read; nor from Elisha bearing the name of Elijah, having a double portion of his spirit on him, since he is never so called; but this was a writing of Elijah's before his ascension, who, foreseeing by a spirit of prophecy what Jehoram would be guilty of, wrote this, and gave it to one of the prophets, as Kimchi suggests, and most probably to Elisha, to communicate it to him at a proper time; and who might, as the above writer intimates, think it came immediately from heaven:

saying, thus saith the Lord God of David thy father; and from whose God he had departed, and to which ancestor of his he was so much unlike:

because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah; neither trod in the steps of his father nor grandfather.

HERY 12-19, "Here we have, I. A warning from God sent to Jehoram by a writing from Elijah the prophet. By this it appears that Jehoram came to the throne, and showed himself what he was before Elijah's translation. It is true we find Elisha attending Jehoshaphat, and described as pouring water on the hands of Elijah, after the story of Elijah's translation (2Ki_3:11); but that might be, and that description might be given of him, while Elijah was yet on earth: and it is certain that that history is put out of its proper place, for we read of Jehoshaphat's death, and Jehoram's coming to the crown, before we read of Elijah's translation, 1Ki_22:50. We will suppose that the time of his departure was at hand, so that he could not go in person to Jehoram; but that, hearing of his great wickedness in murdering his brethren, he left this writing it is probable with Elisha, to be sent him by the first opportunity, that it might either be a means to reclaim him or a witness against him that he was fairly told what would be in the end hereof. The message is sent him in the name of the Lord God of David his father (2Ch_21:12), upbraiding him with his relation to David as that which, though it was his honour, was an aggravation of his degeneracy. 1. His crimes are plainly charged upon him - his departure from the good ways of God, in which he had been educated, and which he had been directed and encouraged to walk in by the example of his good father and

grandfather, who lived and died in peace and honour (2Ch_21:12) - his conformity to the ways of the house of Ahab, that impious scandalous family - his setting up and enforcing idolatry in his kingdom - and his murdering his brethren because they were better than himself, 2Ch_21:13. These are the heads of the indictment against him. 2. Judgment is given against him for these crimes; he is plainly told that his sin should certainly be the ruin, (1.) Of his kingdom and family (2Ch_21:14): With a heavy stroke, even that of war and captivity, will the Lord smite thy people and thy children, etc. Bad men bring God's judgments upon all about them. His people justly suffer because they had complied with his idolatry, and his wives because they had drawn him to it. (2.) Of his health and life: Thou shalt have great sickness, very painful and tedious, and at last mortal, 2Ch_21:15. This he is warned of before, that his blood might be upon his own head, the watchman having delivered his soul; and that when these things so particularly foretold, came to pass, it might appear that they did not come by chance, but as the punishment of his sins, and were so intended. And now if, as he had learned of Ahab to do wickedly, he had but learned even of Ahab to humble himself upon the receipt of this threatening message from Elijah - if, like (1Ki_21:27), he had rent his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted - who knows but, like him, he might have obtained at least a reprieve? But it does not appear that he took any notice of it; he threw it by as waste-paper; Elijah seemed to him as one that mocked. But those that will not believe shall feel.

II. The threatened judgments brought upon him because he slighted the warning. No marvel that hardened sinners are not frightened from sin and to repentance by the threatenings of misery in another world, which is future and out of sight, when the certain prospect of misery in this world, the sinking of their estates and the ruin of their healths, will not restrain them from vicious courses.

1. See Jehoram here stripped of all his comforts. God stirred up the spirit of his neighbours against him, who had loved and feared Jehoshaphat, but hated and despised him, looking upon it as a scandalous thing for a nation to change their gods. Some occasion or other they took to quarrel with him, invaded his country, but, as it should seem, fought neither against small nor great, but the king's house only; they made directly to that, and carried away all the substance that was found in it. No mention is made of their carrying any away captive but the king's wives and his sons, 2Ch_21:17. Thus God made it evident that the controversy was with him and his house. Here it is only said, They carried away his sons; but we find (2Ch_22:1) that they slew them all.Blood for blood. He had slain all his brethren, to strengthen himself; and now all his sons are slain but one, and so he is weakened. If he had not been of the house of David, that one would not have escaped. When Jeroboam's house, and Baasha's, and Ahab's, were destroyed, there was none left; but David's house must not be wholly extirpated, though sometimes wretchedly degenerated, because a blessing was in it, no less a blessing than that of the Messiah.

2. See him tormented with sore diseases and of long continuance, such as were threatened in the law against those that would not fear the Lord their God, Deu_28:58, Deu_28:59. His disease was very grievous. It lay in his bowels, producing a continual griping, and with this there was a complication of other sore diseases. The affliction was moreover very tedious. Two years he continued ill, and could get no relief; for the disease was incurable, though he was in the prime of life, not forty years old. Asa, whose heart was p