1 וַיִּשְׁכַּבH7901 יְהֽוֹשָׁפָטH3092 עִםH5973 אֲבֹתָיוH1 וַיִּקָּבֵרH6912 עִםH5973 אֲבֹתָיוH1 בְּעִירH5892 דָּוִידH1732 וַיִּמְלֹךְH4427 יְהוֹרָםH3088 בְּנוֹH1121 תַּחְתָּֽיוH8478
2 וְלֽוֹH0 אַחִיםH251 בְּנֵיH1121 יְהוֹשָׁפָטH3092 עֲזַרְיָהH5838 וִֽיחִיאֵלH3171 וּזְכַרְיָהוּH2148 וַעֲזַרְיָהוּH5838 וּמִיכָאֵלH4317 וּשְׁפַטְיָהוּH8203 כָּלH3605 אֵלֶּהH428 בְּנֵיH1121 יְהוֹשָׁפָטH3092 מֶלֶךְH4428 יִשְׂרָאֵֽלH3478
3 וַיִּתֵּןH5414 לָהֶםH1992 אֲבִיהֶםH1 מַתָּנוֹתH4979 רַבּוֹתH7227 לְכֶסֶףH3701 וּלְזָהָבH2091 וּלְמִגְדָּנוֹתH4030 עִםH5973 עָרֵיH5892 מְצֻרוֹתH4694 בִּֽיהוּדָהH3063 וְאֶתH853 הַמַּמְלָכָהH4467 נָתַןH5414 לִֽיהוֹרָםH3088 כִּיH3588 הוּאH1931 הַבְּכֽוֹרH1060
4 וַיָּקָםH6965 יְהוֹרָםH3088 עַלH5921 מַמְלֶכַתH4467 אָבִיוH1 וַיִּתְחַזַּקH2388 וַיַּהֲרֹגH2026 אֶתH853 כָּלH3605 אֶחָיוH251 בֶּחָרֶבH2719 וְגַםH1571 מִשָּׂרֵיH8269 יִשְׂרָאֵֽלH3478
5 בֶּןH1121 שְׁלֹשִׁיםH7970 וּשְׁתַּיִםH8147 שָׁנָהH8141 יְהוֹרָםH3088 בְּמָלְכוֹH4427 וּשְׁמוֹנֶהH8083 שָׁנִיםH8141 מָלַךְH4427 בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽםH3389
6 וַיֵּלֶךְH1980 בְּדֶרֶךְH1870 מַלְכֵיH4428 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 כַּאֲשֶׁרH834 עָשׂוּH6213 בֵּיתH1004 אַחְאָבH256 כִּיH3588 בַּתH1323 אַחְאָבH256 הָיְתָהH1961 לּוֹH0 אִשָּׁהH802 וַיַּעַשׂH6213 הָרַעH7451 בְּעֵינֵיH5869 יְהוָֽהH3068
7 וְלֹאH3808 אָבָהH14 יְהוָהH3068 לְהַשְׁחִיתH7843 אֶתH853 בֵּיתH1004 דָּוִידH1732 לְמַעַןH4616 הַבְּרִיתH1285 אֲשֶׁרH834 כָּרַתH3772 לְדָוִידH1732 וְכַאֲשֶׁרH834 אָמַרH559 לָתֵתH5414 לוֹH0 נִירH5216 וּלְבָנָיוH1121 כָּלH3605 הַיָּמִֽיםH3117
8 בְּיָמָיוH3117 פָּשַׁעH6586 אֱדוֹםH123 מִתַּחַתH8478 יַדH3027 יְהוּדָהH3063 וַיַּמְלִיכוּH4427 עֲלֵיהֶםH5921 מֶֽלֶךְH4428
9 וַיַּֽעֲבֹרH5674 יְהוֹרָםH3088 עִםH5973 שָׂרָיוH8269 וְכָלH3605 הָרֶכֶבH7393 עִמּוֹH5973 וַיְהִיH1961 קָםH6965 לַיְלָהH3915 וַיַּךְH5221 אֶתH853 אֱדוֹםH123 הַסּוֹבֵבH5437 אֵלָיוH413 וְאֵתH853 שָׂרֵיH8269 הָרָֽכֶבH7393
10 וַיִּפְשַׁעH6586 אֱדוֹםH123 מִתַּחַתH8478 יַדH3027 יְהוּדָהH3063 עַדH5704 הַיּוֹםH3117 הַזֶּהH2088 אָזH227 תִּפְשַׁעH6586 לִבְנָהH3841 בָּעֵתH6256 הַהִיאH1931 מִתַּחַתH8478 יָדוֹH3027 כִּיH3588 עָזַבH5800 אֶתH853 יְהוָהH3068 אֱלֹהֵיH430 אֲבֹתָֽיוH1
11 גַּםH1571 הוּאH1931 עָשָֽׂהH6213 בָמוֹתH1116 בְּהָרֵיH2022 יְהוּדָהH3063 וַיֶּזֶןH2181 אֶתH853 יֹשְׁבֵיH3427 יְרוּשָׁלִַםH3389 וַיַּדַּחH5080 אֶתH853 יְהוּדָֽהH3063
12 וַיָּבֹאH935 אֵלָיוH413 מִכְתָּבH4385 מֵֽאֵלִיָּהוּH452 הַנָּבִיאH5030 לֵאמֹרH559 כֹּהH3541 אָמַרH559 יְהוָהH3068 אֱלֹהֵיH430 דָּוִידH1732 אָבִיךָH1 תַּחַתH8478 אֲשֶׁרH834 לֹֽאH3808 הָלַכְתָּH1980 בְּדַרְכֵיH1870 יְהוֹשָׁפָטH3092 אָבִיךָH1 וּבְדַרְכֵיH1870 אָסָאH609 מֶֽלֶךְH4428 יְהוּדָֽהH3063
13 וַתֵּלֶךְH1980 בְּדֶרֶךְH1870 מַלְכֵיH4428 יִשְׂרָאֵלH3478 וַתַּזְנֶהH2181 אֶתH853 יְהוּדָהH3063 וְאֶתH853 יֹשְׁבֵיH3427 יְרוּשָׁלִַםH3389 כְּהַזְנוֹתH2181 בֵּיתH1004 אַחְאָבH256 וְגַםH1571 אֶתH853 אַחֶיךָH251 בֵיתH1004 אָבִיךָH1 הַטּוֹבִיםH2896 מִמְּךָH4480 הָרָֽגְתָּH2026
14 הִנֵּהH2009 יְהוָהH3068 נֹגֵףH5062 מַגֵּפָהH4046 גְדוֹלָהH1419 בְּעַמֶּךָH5971 וּבְבָנֶיךָH1121 וּבְנָשֶׁיךָH802 וּבְכָלH3605 רְכוּשֶֽׁךָH7399
15 וְאַתָּהH859 בָּחֳלָיִיםH2483 רַבִּיםH7227 בְּמַחֲלֵהH4245 מֵעֶיךָH4578 עַדH5704 יֵצְאוּH3318 מֵעֶיךָH4578 מִןH4480 הַחֹלִיH2483 יָמִיםH3117 עַלH5921 יָמִֽיםH3117
16 וַיָּעַרH5782 יְהוָהH3068 עַלH5921 יְהוֹרָםH3088 אֵתH853 רוּחַH7307 הַפְּלִשְׁתִּיםH6430 וְהָעַרְבִיםH6163 אֲשֶׁרH834 עַלH5921 יַדH3027 כּוּשִֽׁיםH3569
17 וַיַּעֲלוּH5927 בִֽיהוּדָהH3063 וַיִּבְקָעוּהָH1234 וַיִּשְׁבּוּH7617 אֵתH853 כָּלH3605 הָרְכוּשׁH7399 הַנִּמְצָאH4672 לְבֵיתH1004 הַמֶּלֶךְH4428 וְגַםH1571 בָּנָיוH1121 וְנָשָׁיוH802 וְלֹאH3808 נִשְׁאַרH7604 לוֹH0 בֵּןH1121 כִּיH3588 אִםH518 יְהוֹאָחָזH3059 קְטֹןH6996 בָּנָֽיוH1121
18 וְאַחֲרֵיH310 כָּלH3605 זֹאתH2063 נְגָפוֹH5062 יְהוָהH3068 בְּמֵעָיוH4578 לָחֳלִיH2483 לְאֵיןH369 מַרְפֵּֽאH4832
19 וַיְהִיH1961 לְיָמִיםH3117 מִיָּמִיםH3117 וּכְעֵתH6256 צֵאתH3318 הַקֵּץH7093 לְיָמִיםH3117 שְׁנַיִםH8147 יָצְאוּH3318 מֵעָיוH4578 עִםH5973 חָלְיוֹH2483 וַיָּמָתH4191 בְּתַחֲלֻאִיםH8463 רָעִיםH7451 וְלֹאH3808 עָשׂוּH6213 לוֹH0 עַמּוֹH5971 שְׂרֵפָהH8316 כִּשְׂרֵפַתH8316 אֲבֹתָֽיוH1
20 בֶּןH1121 שְׁלֹשִׁיםH7970 וּשְׁתַּיִםH8147 הָיָהH1961 בְמָלְכוֹH4427 וּשְׁמוֹנֶהH8083 שָׁנִיםH8141 מָלַךְH4427 בִּירוּשָׁלִָםH3389 וַיֵּלֶךְH1980 בְּלֹאH3808 חֶמְדָּהH2532 וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻהוּH6912 בְּעִירH5892 דָּוִידH1732 וְלֹאH3808 בְּקִבְרוֹתH6913 הַמְּלָכִֽיםH4428
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 We find here,
I. That Jehoshaphat was a very careful indulgent father to Jehoram. He had many sons, who are here named (
2Chr 21:2), and it is said (
2Chr 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 (
2Chr 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,
Deut 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 (
2Chr 17:7), are here called princes of Israel, as before
fathers of Israel (
2Chr 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.
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 (
2Chr 21:6), made high places, which the people were of themselves too forward to make, and did his utmost to set up idolatry again,
2Chr 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, Revel 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 (
2Chr 21:8), and, though he chastised them (
2Chr 21:9), yet he could not reduce them,
2Chr 21:10. 2. One of the cities of his own kingdom did so. Libnah revolted (
2Chr 21:10) and set up for a free state, as of old it had a king of its own,
Josh 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,
2Chr 21:7. These things we had before, (2Kgs: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,
Pss 89:30, etc.
12 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 (
2Kgs 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,
1Kgs 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 (
2Chr 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 (
2Chr 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,
2Chr 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 (
2Chr 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,
2Chr 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 (
1Kgs 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, 2Chr 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 (
2Chr 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, Deut 28:58,
Deut 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 perfect with God though in some instances he stepped aside, was diseased only in his feet; but Jehoram, whose heart was wicked, was struck in his inwards, and he that had no bowels of compassion towards his brethren was so plagued in his bowels that they fell out. Even good men, and those who are very dear to God, may be afflicted with diseases of this kind; but to them they are fatherly chastisements, and by the support of divine consolations the soul may dwell at ease even then when the body lies in pain. These sore diseases seized him just after his house was plundered and his wives and children were carried away. (1.) Perhaps his grief and anguish of mind for that calamity might occasion his sickness, or at least contribute to the heightening of it. (2.) By this sickness he was disabled to do any thing for the recovery of them or the revenge of the injury done him. (3.) It added, no doubt, very much to his grief, in his sickness, that he was deprived of the society of his wives and children and that all the substance of his house was carried away. To be sick and poor, sick and solitary, but especially to be sick and in sin, sick and under the curse of God, sick and destitute of grace to bear the affliction, and of comfort to counter-balance it - is a most deplorable case.
3. See him buried in disgrace. He reigned but eight years, and then
departed without being desired, 2Chr 21:20. Nobody valued him while he lived, none lamented him when he died, but all wished that no greater loss might ever come to Jerusalem. To show what little affection or respect they had for him, they would not
bury him in the sepulchres of the kings, as thinking him unworthy to be numbered among them who had governed so ill. The excluding of his body from the sepulchres of his fathers might be ordered by Providence as an intimation of the everlasting separation of the souls of the wicked after death, from the spirits of just men. This further disgrace they put upon him, that they
made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers, 2Chr 21:19. His memory was far from being sweet and precious to them, and therefore they did not honour it with any sweet odours or precious spices, though we may suppose that his dead body, after so long and loathsome a disease, needed something to perfume it. The generality of the people, though prone to idolatry, yet had no true kindness for their idolatrous kings. Wickedness and profaneness make men despicable even in the eyes of those who have but little religion themselves, while natural conscience itself often gives honour to those who are truly pious. Those that
despise God shall be lightly esteemed, as Jehoram was.
