1. Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David; his son Jehoram succeeded him as king.
2. He had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel.
3. Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold, and [other] presents, as well as fortified towns in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the first-born.
4. Jehoram proceeded to take firm hold of his father's kingdom and put to the sword all his brothers, as well as some of the officers of Israel.
5. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years.
6. He followed the practices of the kings of Israel doing what the House of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab; he did what was displeasing to the LORD.
7. However, the LORD refrained from destroying the House of David for the sake of the covenant he had made with David, and in accordance with his promise to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants for all time.
8. During his reign, the Edomites rebelled against Judah's rule and set up a king of their own.
9. Jehoram advanced [against them] with his officers and all his chariotry. He arose by night and attacked the Edomites, who surrounded him and the chariot commanders.
10. Edom has been in rebellion against Judah, to this day; Libnah also rebelled against him at that time, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.
11. Moreover, he built shrines in the hill country of Judah; he led astray the inhabitants of Jerusalem and made Judah wayward.
12. A letter from Elijah the prophet came to him which read, "Thus says the LORD God of your father David: Since you have not followed the practices of your father Jehoshaphat and the practices of King Asa of Judah,
13. but have followed the practices of the kings of Israel, leading astray Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem as the House of Ahab led them astray, and have also killed your brothers of your father's house, who were better than you,
14. therefore, the LORD will inflict a great blow upon your people, your sons, and your wives and all your possessions.
15. As for you, you will be severely stricken with a disorder of the bowels year after year until your bowels drop out."
16. The LORD stirred up the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabs who were neighbors of the Cushites against Jehoram.
17. They marched against Judah, breached its defenses, and carried off all the property that was found in the king's palace, as well as his sons and his wives. The only son who remained was Jehoahaz, his youngest.
18. After this, the LORD afflicted him with an incurable disease of the bowels.
19. Some years later, when a period of two years had elapsed, his bowels dropped out because of his disease, and he died a gruesome death. His people did not make a fire for him like the fire for his fathers.
20. He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He departed unpraised, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
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