1 J ehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with in the City of David. Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

Jehoshaphat died, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jehoram became king in his place.

2 H e had brothers: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah, all the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.

Jehoram’s brothers were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel.

3 T heir father gave them great gifts of silver, gold, and precious things, together with fortified cities in Judah, but the kingdom he gave to Jehoram, the firstborn.

Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold, and things of much worth. He gave them strong cities in Judah. But he made Jehoram king, because he was the first-born.

4 W hen Jehoram had ascended to the kingship of his father, he strengthened himself and slew all his brethren with the sword and also some of Israel’s princes.

Now when Jehoram had become king in the place of his father, and had made himself strong, he killed all his brothers with the sword. He killed some of the leaders of Israel also.

5 J ehoram at thirty-two years of age began his eight-year reign in Jerusalem.

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king. And he ruled for eight years in Jerusalem.

6 H e walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for he married the daughter of Ahab and did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.

He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as those of Ahab’s house did. (For Ahab’s daughter was his wife.) He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord.

7 B ut the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because He had made a covenant with David and promised to give a light to him and to his sons forever.

Yet the Lord would not destroy the family of David, because of the agreement He had made with David. He had promised to give a light to him and his sons forever.

8 I n Jehoram’s days, the Edomites revolted from the rule of Judah and set up for themselves a king.

In the days of Jehoram, Edom turned against the rule of Judah, and set up a king of their own.

9 T hen Jehoram passed over with his captains and all his chariots, and rose up by night and smote the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot captains.

Then Jehoram crossed over with his captains and all his war-wagons. He went during the night and destroyed the Edomites who had gathered around him and the captains of the war-wagons.

10 S o Edom revolted from the rule of Judah to this day. Then Libnah also revolted from Jehoram’s rule, because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his fathers.

So Edom has been against the rule of Judah to this day. Libnah turned against Jehoram’s rule at the same time, because he had left the Lord God of his fathers.

11 M oreover, he made idolatrous high places in the hill country of Judah and debauched spiritually the inhabitants of Jerusalem and led Judah astray.

And Jehoram made high places in the mountains of Judah. He caused the people of Jerusalem to give themselves over to sin. And he made Judah sin.

12 A nd there came a letter to Jehoram from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

Then a letter came to him from Elijah the man of God, saying, “The Lord God of your father David says, ‘You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat, and the ways of King Asa of Judah.

13 B ut have walked in the ways of Israel’s kings, and made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem play the harlot like the harlotry of Ahab’s house, and also have slain your brothers of your father’s house, who were better than you,

But you have walked in the way of the kings of Israel. You have caused Judah and the people of Israel to give themselves over to sin, as those of Ahab’s house did. And you have killed your brothers, your own family, who were better than you.

14 B ehold, the Lord will smite your people, and your children, your wives, and all your possessions with a great plague.

So see, the Lord is going to send a bad disease upon your people, your sons, your wives, and all you have.

15 A nd you yourself shall have a severe illness because of an intestinal disease, until your bowels fall out because of the sickness, day after day.

You yourself will suffer a bad sickness, a disease of your stomach. Your insides will come out because of the sickness, day by day.’”

16 A nd the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the anger of the Philistines and of the Arabs who were near the Ethiopians.

Then the Lord made the Philistines and the Arabs who were near the Ethiopians angry against Jehoram.

17 T hey came against Judah, invaded it, and carried away all the possessions found in and around the king’s house, together with his sons and his wives; so there was not a son left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest.

They came and fought against Judah, and carried away all the things they found in the king’s house, together with his sons and his wives. No son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest.

18 A nd after all this, the Lord smote with an incurable intestinal disease.

After all this the Lord caused a sickness in Jehoram’s stomach, which could not be cured.

19 I n process of time, after two years, his bowels fell out because of his disease. So he died in severe distress. And his people made no funeral fire to honor him, like the fires for his fathers.

After that time, at the end of two years, his insides came out because of his sickness. And he died in much pain. His people made no fire for him like the fires made for his fathers.

20 T hirty-two years old was Jehoram when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being wanted. Yet they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. And no one felt bad when he died. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the graves of the kings.