2 Chronicles Chapter 21

At a Glance

  • The chapter shifts focus to Jehoram, Jehoshaphat’s son, and the consolidation of power under a ruler who embodies a dangerous drift away from Davidic fidelity.
  • Historical & Literary Context.
  • Within the Chronicles’ corrective history, this chapter serves as a cautionary tale about dynastic fidelity.
  • - Covenant failure and prophetic rebuke: Jehoram’s deviation and Elijah’s warning.
  • - The fragility of dynastic power when not anchored in the LORD.

Chapter Overview

The chapter shifts focus to Jehoram, Jehoshaphat’s son, and the consolidation of power under a ruler who embodies a dangerous drift away from Davidic fidelity. Jehoram ascends the throne, strengthens his grip, and follows the path of Ahab’s house—marrying into that line and adopting their infamous patterns of evil. The theological tension is explicit: despite a covenant with David and despite a divine intent to sustain his line, the king’s reign is marked by idolatry (high places) and political and military misadventures that culminate in revolt by Edom and Libnah. Elijah’s prophetic word to Jehoram warns that his current path will bring judgment, contrasting the faithfulness of his father Jehoshaphat with the waywardness of his own rule. Edom’s revolt signals the fragility of political power when the king abandons covenant fidelity. The chapter records the consequences of personal and national disobedience, including relics of the monarchy’s collapse and the persistent theme of the Davidic line being preserved by God despite human error. The narrative closes with signs of looming doom for the house of David because of the king’s choices, underscoring the seriousness of leadership aligned against God’s purposes.

Historical & Literary Context

Within the Chronicles’ corrective history, this chapter serves as a cautionary tale about dynastic fidelity. It sits after Jehoshaphat’s reform and before subsequent upheavals, illustrating how quickly a king’s alignment with neighboring powers and idolatries can undermine a family’s covenantal destiny. The genre maintains a moral lens: even a covenantal king can falter, and the narrative uses prophetic speech (Elijah’s letter) to reframe governance as conscienced by God’s law. The chronicler’s aim is to educate future generations about the costs of deviating from the Lord’s ways and to remind readers that divine mercy is not a license for ongoing disobedience but rather a call to repentance and faithfulness for the Davidic line.

Key Themes

- Covenant failure and prophetic rebuke: Jehoram’s deviation and Elijah’s warning.

- The fragility of dynastic power when not anchored in the LORD.

- Idolatry’s infiltration into the royal sphere (high places in Judah).

- God’s purposes for Davidic lineage: despite kingly failure, the covenant remains.

Modern Application

This chapter invites reflection on leadership accountability and the dangers of mixing faith with power politics. Takeaways:

- Leaders must stay faithful to core values rather than chasing political alliances that compromise integrity.

- Idolatry can creep in through subtle compromise; vigilance in spiritual life is essential for families and institutions.

- Prophetic voices—whether scripture, conscience, or mentors—serve as corrective mercy to avert catastrophe; listen and respond with repentance.

- The wider arc of Scripture shows God maintaining purposes through imperfect leaders, inviting readers to trust in God’s overarching plan while striving for righteousness.

Cross-References: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 17; Malachi 3; 2 Samuel 7; Isaiah 55

Recommended Personas: Elijah (prophetic call and warning), David (the covenantal king who faced consequences), Jesus (fulfillment of faithful king in opposition to failure)

Chapter Text

1

Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

2

And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.

3

And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn.

4

Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel.

5

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

6

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD.

7

Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.

8

In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.

9

Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.

10

So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.

11

Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.

12

And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

13

But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thyself:

14

Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:

15

And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.

16

Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians:

17

And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

18

And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

19

And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.

20

Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

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