[1] Jehosh'aphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in
the city of David; and Jeho'ram his son reigned in his stead. [2] He had
brothers, the sons of Jehosh'aphat: Azari'ah, Jehi'el, Zechari'ah,
Azari'ah, Michael, and Shephati'ah; all these were the sons of Jehosh'aphat
king of Judah. [3] Their father gave them great gifts, of silver, gold, and
valuable possessions, together with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave
the kingdom to Jeho'ram, because he was the first-born. [4] When Jeho'ram
had ascended the throne of his father and was established, he slew all his
brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel. [5]
Jeho'ram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight
years in Jerusalem. [6] And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as
the house of Ahab had done; for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he
did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. [7] Yet the LORD would not
destroy the house of David, because of the covenant which he had made with
David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons for
ever. [8] In his days Edom revolted from the rule of Judah, and set up a
king of their own. [9] Then Jeho'ram passed over with his commanders and
all his chariots, and he rose by night and smote the E'domites who had
surrounded him and his chariot commanders. [10] So Edom revolted from the
rule of Judah to this day. At that time Libnah also revolted from his rule,
because he had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers. [11] Moreover he
made high places in the hill country of Judah, and led the inhabitants of
Jerusalem into unfaithfulness, and made Judah go astray. [12] And a letter
came to him from Eli'jah the prophet, saying, "Thus says the LORD, the God
of David your father, `Because you have not walked in the ways of
Jehosh'aphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, [13] but
have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have led Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem into unfaithfulness, as the house of Ahab led
Israel into unfaithfulness, and also you have killed your brothers, of your
father's house, who were better than yourself; [14] behold, the LORD will
bring a great plague on your people, your children, your wives, and all
your possessions, [15] and you yourself will have a severe sickness with a
disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the disease,
day by day.'" [16] And the LORD stirred up against Jeho'ram the anger of
the Philistines and of the Arabs who are near the Ethiopians; [17] and they
came up against Judah, and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions
they found that belonged to the king's house, and also his sons and his
wives, so that no son was left to him except Jeho'ahaz, his youngest son.
[18] And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable
disease. [19] In course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came
out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no
fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers. [20] He was
thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in
Jerusalem; and he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the
city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
