Chapter 21

1 Jehoram, succeeding Jehoshaphat, slayeth his brethren. 5 His wicked reign. 8 Edom and Libnah revolt. 12 The prophecy of Elijah against him in writing. 16 Philistines and Arabians oppress him. 18 His incurable disease, infamous death, and burial.

2. Israel. Though this is the term generally applied to the northern kingdom, it is sometimes used, also, for the southern kingdom (see chs. 21:1, 6; 21:4; 28:19, 27).

3. Great gifts. Compare the policy of Rehoboam in the endowment and settlement of his sons (ch. 11:23).

With fenced cities. Jehoshaphat made his sons rulers of important cities, thus giving them power and influence in the domain, and made them, in a degree, rivals of their brother Jehoram.

Jehoram. Jehoram received the kingdom while Jehoshaphat was still alive (2 Kings 8:16), becoming coregent in the 17th year of Jehoshaphat’s reign (see on 2 Kings 1:17; 3:1).

The firstborn. This was the usual rule (see Deut. 21:15–17). But there were exceptions, as in the case of Solomon (1 Chron. 28:5), Abijah (2 Chron. 11:18–22), and Jehoahaz (ch. 36:1; cf. vs. 2–5).

4. Was risen up. This was presumably after the death of Jehoshaphat, as soon as Jehoram had gained control of the situation and felt himself secure.

Slew all his brethren. They had probably come to exercise considerable influence in the cities their father had given them, and Jehoram no doubt felt that they were a threat to his security on the throne. His wife Athaliah, who later slew all the seed royal (ch. 22:10), may have influenced him in the perpetration of this drastic deed.

Also of the princes. This would imply that Jehoram’s brothers had found sympathizers and supporters among the leading men of the country.

5. Thirty and two years old. Verses 5–10 are parallel to 2 Kings 8:17–22, which passage, plus the opening and closing formulas, constitutes the entire record of Jehoram’s reign that appears in Kings.

Eight years. This seems to have been the length of his sole reign, though he reigned an additional period as coregent (see Vol. II, pp. 148, 150).

7. Because of the covenant. “For David his servant’s sake” (2 Kings 8:19).

8. The Edomites revolted. During the reign of Jehoshaphat, Edom had no king (1 Kings 22:47), and the country seems to have been under the control of Judah, for Jehoshaphat based his navy at Ezion-geber (2 Chron. 20:36), south of Edom.

9. Smote the Edomites. This is evidently a report, not of a victory, but of Jehoram’s desperate escape by cutting his way out of an encirclement by Edomite forces. In the parallel passage, 2 Kings 8:21, the detail is added that “the people fled into their tents.” Jehoram did not succeed in reducing Edom but was fortunate to be able to make his escape.

10. Unto this day. Amaziah later gained a measure of success in Edom (ch. 25:11–15), but this seems not to have been permanent. Under John Hyrcanus, in the 2d century b.c., the Edomites (then living in southern Judah) were once more reduced to vassalage.

Forsaken the Lord God. This detail is not found in the parallel passage of 2 Kings 8:22, which states merely that Libnah revolted. Libnah was in the lowland of Judah near Makkedah and Lachish (Joshua 10:29–31), near the Philistine border, but its site is uncertain. It is probably to be identified with Tell es\РS\aЖfйµ. Its revolt was no doubt aided by Philistine attacks on Judah under Jehoram (2 Chron. 21:16, 17).

11. Made high places. Jehoram’s predecessors, Asa and Jehoshaphat, had removed the high places (chs. 14:3; 17:6).

To commit fornication. Under the influence of his wife Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, Jehoram encouraged the worship of heathen gods in Judah. Such worship involved participation in the immoral practices of the native Canaanite cults (see Vol. II, pp. 38–41).

12. From Elijah. This is the only reference to Elijah in Chronicles. A full record of the prophet’s work is found in 1 Kings 17–19, 21; 2 Kings 1, 2. Elijah was a prophet of the northern kingdom, and since the narrative in Chronicles is concerned primarily with the history of Judah, he receives only incidental mention. The account of Elijah’s translation is recorded in 2 Kings 2, but the account of Jehoram’s reign does not occur till 2 Kings 8. Biblical events are not always related in strict chronological sequence.

Thou hast not walked. This phrase makes it clear that Elijah’s words were a personal message addressed directly to Jehoram, and that Elijah had not yet ascended (see PK 213).

13. Hast slain thy brethren. It does not seem likely that Jehoram would have slain his brethren till after his father’s death. It is thus indicated that Elijah had not yet ascended when Jehoram began his sole reign; however, see on v. 12.

14. With a great plague. Transgression invites disciplinary penalty (see on 2 Kings 9:8). In this instance both king and people were to suffer because both were guilty. The stroke fell primarily upon the king (2 Chron. 21:15), because the greatest measure of guilt was his, but it also fell upon the nation in the form of an invasion by the Philistines, Arabians, and Ethiopians (v. 16).

15. Great sickness. See vs. 18, 19 for the fulfillment of this prediction.

16. The Lord stirred up. Compare 1 Kings 11:14, 23. There is no notice in Kings of this raid into Judah by the Philistines, Arabians, and Ethiopians. Israel’s neighbors were always her traditional enemies and were ready to attack her whenever the opportunity afforded.

17. All the substance. The language may be interpreted as describing a sack of Jerusalem, but that is not necessarily the case. The king may have been reduced to such desperate straits as to have bought off the invaders by the payment of a heavy ransom, including the palace treasures. Certain members of the king’s family may have found themselves outside the capital when overtaken by the sudden attack (see ch. 22:1).

Jehoahaz. Elsewhere called Ahaziah (2 Chron. 22:1; 2 Kings 8:24–26), and in one place Azariah (2 Chron. 22:6). Basically Jehoahaz and Ahaziah are equivalent names, composed of the same elements (“Jehovah” and “Ahaz”), with the divine name in the one case coming at the beginning (Jeho-ahaz) and in the other (Ahaz-iah) at the end of the name.

19. Made no burning for him. They did not show Jehoram the usual honor in the burning of aromatic woods and spices, which was usual at the funerals of kings (see 2 Chron. 16:14; Jer. 34:5).

20. Without being desired. So wicked had he been and so little good had he accomplished that the nation experienced no regrets at his departure.

Not in the sepulchres. A mark of dishonor (see ch. 24:25).

Ellen G. White comments

1-25PP 45-51

1 DA 769

1-3GC 455; PK 180; PP 47, 336; 9T 212

2 GC 453; ML 140

2, 3 EW 217; GC 52; MM 215; PP 111; SR 145; 8T 197

3 DA 281; MB 99; 4T 147, 247

4 PP 112

6 PP 96; SR 66

7 MH 415; PP 56; 2T 300; 8T 264

8 AH 27; ML 136; PP 46; SR 58; 3T 77, 153

8, 9 Ed 20

8-17MYP 364

9 AH 27; Ed 23; PP 47, 48, 84; 6T 368; 8T 288

15 AH 27; CD 396; CT 147; Ed 21; FE 314, 327, 419, 512; LS 355;MH 261; ML 112; PP 47, 50; SR 24; 1T 568; 3T 77, 153; 4T 410

16 3T 50

16, 17 CH 108; Ed 23; 3T 72; 4T 11

17 CS 65; CT 12; EW 125, 147; GC 532; MH 449; PP 48, 53, 60; SR 24; 2T 561; 5T 365; 6T 386

18 AH 25; PP 56

18-20PP 46

19, 20 PP 51

21-23PP 56

22 AH 99; 3T 484

23 MB 99

23-25COL 310; FE 141

24 AH 25, 341; MB 99; PP 46

25 PP 445; SR 38