- 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. 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. And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.
- Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself and slew all his brethren with the sword, and diverse also of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife and he wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless, 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.
- In his days, the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah and made themselves a king. Then Jehoram went forth with his princes and all his chariots with him, and he rose up by night and smote the Edomites who encompassed him in, and the captains of the chariots. So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day.
- The same time did Libnah revolt from under his hand because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers. Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah to it.
- And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus says the Lord 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, but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go whoring like unto the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also have slain your brethren of your father’s house, who were better than yourself. Behold, with a great plague will the Lord smite your people, and your children, and your wives, and all your goods; and you shall have great sickness by disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day.
- Moreover, the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabians that were near the Ethiopians, and they came up into Judah, and broke 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 not a son left him save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
- And after all this, the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. 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 awful diseases. And his people made no burning for him like the burning of his fathers.
- Thirty-two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Nevertheless, they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchers of the kings. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his stead; for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest.
Chapter 8