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2 Kings Chapter
Twenty-one
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 21
This
chapter relates Jehoram's succession to the throne of Judah
and the murders
and idolatries committed by him
2 Chronicles 21:1
the revolt of the Edomites from him
and some of his own people
2 Chronicles 21:8
a writing of Elijah to him
threatening a great plague to him and his family
2 Chronicles 21:12
the raising up of several enemies against him
2 Chronicles 21:16
his sickness
death
and burial
2 Chronicles 21:18.
2 Chronicles
21:1 And Jehoshaphat
rested with his fathers
and was buried with his fathers in the City of David.
Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.
YLT
1And Jehoshaphat lieth with
his fathers
and is buried with his fathers in the city of David
and Jehoram
his son reigneth in his stead.
Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers
.... See Gill
on 1 Kings 22:50.
2 Chronicles
21:2 2 He
had brothers
the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah
Jehiel
Zechariah
Azaryahu
Michael
and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.
YLT
2And he hath brethren
sons
of Jehoshaphat
Azariah
and Jehiel
and Zechariah
and Azariah
and Michael
and Shephatiah; all these [are] sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel
And he had brethren
the sons of Jehoshaphat
.... That is
Jehoram had
who succeeded him: their names follow:
Azariah
and Jehiel
and Zechariah
and Azariah
and Michael
and
Shephatiah; two of them were of the same name; though it may be observed
that in the Hebrew text they are somewhat distinguished
the latter is called
Azariah; Jehiel is said
by the JewsF24T. Hieros. Sanhedrin
fol.
29. 4.
to be the same with Hiel that rebuilt Jericho; indeed it was rebuilt
in the times of Jehoshaphat
and was a city of the tribe of Benjamin
Joshua 18:21 which
was under his jurisdiction; but it can never be thought that he would ever
suffer a son of his to rebuild it; besides
he is expressly said to be a
Bethelite
1 Kings 16:34
all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel; which
generally
since the division of the kingdom
designs the ten tribes
but
cannot be the meaning here
because Jehoshaphat was only king of two tribes
Judah and Benjamin; they were tribes of Israel indeed
and so he was king of a
part of Israel; and besides
many out of the ten tribes came and settled in his
kingdom
and were under his government; though some think he is so called
because he concerned himself so much for the kingdom of Israel
and more than
for his own; but the Vulgate Latin
Septuagint
Syriac
and Arabic versions
all read king of Judah; wherefore some are of opinion that Israel is a mistake
of the transcriber; but this need not be supposed
since he was of right king
of Israel
and was in fact king of two tribes that belonged to Israel.
2 Chronicles
21:3 3 Their
father gave them great gifts of silver and gold and precious things
with
fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram
because he was
the firstborn.
YLT
3and their father giveth to
them many gifts of silver and of gold
and of precious things
with fenced
cities in Judah
and the kingdom he hath given to Jehoram
for He [is] the
first-born.
And their father gave them great gifts of silver
and of gold
and
of precious things
.... As jewels and precious stones; or precious garments
as the
Targum
in like manner as Abraham gave to his sons
when he sent them from
Isaac:
with fenced cities in Judah; not as their own
property
but he appointed them governors in them
to defend them against an
enemy
and as a mark of honour to them:
but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram
because he was the
firstborn; strictly observing the law in Deuteronomy 21:16
which was not always done; though it was reckoned by the Heathens contrary to
the law of nations to give the kingdom to the youngerF25Justin. e
Trogo
l. 16. c. 2. .
2 Chronicles 21:4 4 Now when Jehoram was
established over the kingdom of his father
he strengthened himself and killed
all his brothers with the sword
and also others of the princes of
Israel.
YLT
4And Jehoram riseth up over
the kingdom of his father
and strengtheneth himself
and slayeth all his
brethren with the sword
and also -- of the heads of Israel.
Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father
.... Succeeded
him in it
and reigned alone
for he had reigned with his father some years
before his death; see Gill on 2 Kings 8:16
he strengthened himself; in the kingdom
by some
means or another closely attaching the greater part of the princes
and people
of the land
unto him
when he thought himself well settled and established on
the throne; though some understand it of making strong
or hardening his heart
to do what is next mentioned:
and slew all his brethren with the sword; either to get
their riches into his hands
or lest
being religious princes
they should
oppose his restoring idolatry
and for that reason the people should depose
him
and set up one of them; and therefore he dispatched them out of the way to
secure himself
and carry his point:
and divers also of the princes of Israel; such who had
removed out of the ten tribes
for the sake of religion
and therefore would
never agree to the introduction of idolatry among them
for which reason
Jehoram slew them; and perhaps they might express their disapprobation and
abhorrence of his murder of his brethren.
2 Chronicles 21:5 5 Jehoram was
thirty-two years old when he became king
and he reigned eight years in
Jerusalem.
YLT
5A son of thirty and two
years [is] Jehoram in his reigning
and eight years he hath reigned in
Jerusalem
Verses 5-10
Jehoram was thirty two years old
.... Of these verses; see
Gill on 2 Kings 8:17
2 Kings 8:18
2 Kings 8:19
2 Kings 8:20
2 Kings 8:21
2 Kings 8:22
2 Chronicles 21:6 6 And he walked in the way
of the kings of Israel
just as the house of Ahab had done
for he had the
daughter of Ahab as a wife; and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.
YLT
6and he walketh in the way
of the kings of Israel
as did the house of Ahab
for a daughter of Ahab hath
been to him for a wife
and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah
2 Chronicles 21:7 7 Yet the Lord would not
destroy the house of David
because of the covenant that He had made with
David
and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.
YLT
7and Jehovah hath not been
willing to destroy the house of David
for the sake of the covenant that He
made with David
and as He had said to give to him a lamp
and to his sons --
all the days.
2 Chronicles 21:8 8 In his days Edom revolted
against Judah’s authority
and made a king over themselves.
YLT
8In his days hath Edom
revolted from under the hand of Judah
and cause a king to reign over them;
2 Chronicles 21:9 9 So Jehoram went out with
his officers
and all his chariots with him. And he rose by night and attacked
the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots.
YLT
9and Jehoram passeth over
with his heads
and all the chariots with him
and it cometh to pass
he hath
risen by night and smiteth the Edomites who are coming round against him
and
the princes of the chariots
2 Chronicles 21:10 10 Thus Edom has been in
revolt against Judah’s authority to this day. At that time Libnah revolted
against his rule
because he had forsaken the Lord God of his
fathers.
YLT
10and Edom revolteth from under
the hand of Judah unto this day; then doth Libnah revolt at that time from
under his hand
because he hath forsaken Jehovah
God of his fathers
2 Chronicles 21:11 11 Moreover he made high
places in the mountains of Judah
and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to
commit harlotry
and led Judah astray.
YLT
11also
he hath made high
places in the mountains of Judah
and causeth the inhabitants of Jerusalem to
commit whoredom
and compelleth Judah.
Moreover
he made high places in the mountains of Judah
.... Temples
and altars for idols
which
being built on mountains
had the name of high
places; and these Jehoram made or rebuilt were those which had been pulled down
by Asa and Jehoshaphat:
and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication; that is
idolatry
drawing them by his own example to worship Baal
for he did what Ahab
and his family did
2 Chronicles 21:6
and compelled Judah thereto; the inhabitants of Jerusalem falling into the same
idolatrous practice with him
he forced the inhabitants of the cities
and in
the country
to do the same
who it seems were not so willing and ready to
comply therewith.
2 Chronicles 21:12 12 And a letter came to him
from Elijah the prophet
saying
Thus says the Lord God of your
father David: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your
father
or in the ways of Asa king of Judah
YLT
12And there cometh in unto
him a writing from Elijah the prophet
saying
`Thus said Jehovah
God of David
thy father
Because that thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy
father
and in the ways of Asa king of Judah
And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet
.... Not what
was written by him after his ascension to heaven
and from thence came to
Jehoram
even seven years after that
as say some Jewish writersF26Seder
Olam Rabba
c. 17. Ganz. Tzemach David
par. 1. fol. 12. 1. A. M. 3050. ; nor
was it a writing from another person of the same name in those times
since of
such an one we nowhere read; nor from Elisha bearing the name of Elijah
having
a double portion of his spirit on him
since he is never so called; but this
was a writing of Elijah's before his ascension
who
foreseeing by a spirit of
prophecy what Jehoram would be guilty of
wrote this
and gave it to one of the
prophets
as Kimchi suggests
and most probably to Elisha
to communicate it to
him at a proper time; and who might
as the above writer intimates
think it
came immediately from heaven:
saying
thus saith the Lord God of David thy father; and from
whose God he had departed
and to which ancestor of his he was so much unlike:
because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy
father
nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah; neither trod in the
steps of his father nor grandfather.
2 Chronicles
21:13 13 but
have walked in the way of the kings of Israel
and have made Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot like the harlotry of the house of
Ahab
and also have killed your brothers
those of your father’s household
who
were better than yourself
YLT
13and thou dost walk in the
way of the kings of Israel
and dost cause Judah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem to commit whoredom like the whoredoms of the house of Ahab
and also
thy brethren
the house of thy father
who are better than thyself
thou hast
slain;
And hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel
....
Worshipping the calves
and even Baal
with other idols
as they did:
and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a
whoring
like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab; meaning
spiritual whoredoms or idolatries:
and hast also slain thy brethren of thy father's house
which were
better than thyself; more religious
more humane
more prudent
and fitter for
government.
2 Chronicles
21:14 14 behold
the Lord
will strike your people with a serious affliction—your children
your wives
and all your possessions;
YLT
14lo
Jehovah is smiting -- a
great smiting -- among thy people
and among thy sons
and among thy wives
and
among all thy goods –
Behold
with a great plague will the Lord smite thy people
.... They
going into the same idolatry with himself willingly
at least great part of
them
and therefore deserved to be smitten
and which would be a punishment to
him:
and thy children
and thy wives
and all thy goods; which should
be carried captive
as the event shows.
2 Chronicles
21:15 15 and
you will become very sick with a disease of your intestines
until your
intestines come out by reason of the sickness
day by day.
YLT
15and thou
with many
sicknesses
with disease of thy bowels
till thy bowels come out
by the
sickness
day by day.'
And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels
.... Which was
a just retaliation to him
for having no bowels of compassion on his brethren
whom he slew:
until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day; that
continuing day after day
and even year after year
the space of two years
as
appears from 2 Chronicles 21:19.
2 Chronicles
21:16 16 Moreover
the Lord
stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabians who were
near the Ethiopians.
YLT
16And Jehovah waketh up
against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines
and of the Arabians
who [are]
beside the Cushim
Moreover
the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the
Philistines
.... Which had been depressed in the times of Jehoshaphat
to
whom they brought their presents and tribute willingly
2 Chronicles 17:11.
and of the Arabians that were near the Ethiopians; not the
Ethiopians of Africa
as the Targum
for the Arabians were not near them
but
the Chusaean Arabs or Midianites
see Numbers 12:1. The
Targum is
the Word of the Lord did this.
2 Chronicles
21:17 17 And
they came up into Judah and invaded it
and carried away all the possessions
that were found in the king’s house
and also his sons and his wives
so that
there was not a son left to him except Jehoahaz
[a] the
youngest of his sons.
YLT
17and they come up into
Judah
and rend it
and take captive all the substance that is found at the
house of the king
and also his sons
and his wives
and there hath not been
left to him a son except Jehoahaz the youngest of his sons.
And they came up into Judah
and brake into it
&c. l In
an hostile manner:
and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's
house
his gold
silver
and precious things
the rich furniture of his
palace; no mention is made of any other plunder in the city
or the country; so
that they seem to have had their principal eye to the king's palace
and the
spoil of that; being so directed by the providence of God
who had stirred them
up to do this as a punishment of Jehoram:
and his sons also
and his wives; these they also carried
away
all but Athaliah
who hid herself; he through his disease not being able
to make any opposition
or to get any forces together to withstand them:
so that there was never a son left him
save Jehoahaz
the youngest
of his sons; the same that is called Ahaziah and Azariah
2 Chronicles 22:1
so the prophecy in 2 Chronicles 21:14
was fulfilled.
2 Chronicles 21:18 18 After all this the Lord struck him in
his intestines with an incurable disease.
YLT
18And after all this hath
Jehovah plagued him in his bowels by a disease for which there is no healing
After all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable
disease. What it was is not agreed upon; some take it be an
"hernia"
or rupture; others
the falling of the "anus"
or
a fistula in it; others
the colic
or iliac passion; but generally it is
thought to be a dysentery
or bloody flux; the Targum is
"the Word of the
Lord broke him.'
2 Chronicles 21:19 19 Then it happened in the
course of time
after the end of two years
that his intestines came out
because of his sickness; so he died in severe pain. And his people made no
burning for him
like the burning for his fathers.
YLT
19and it cometh to pass
from
days to days
and at the time of the going out of the end of two years
his
bowels have gone out with his sickness
and he dieth of sore diseases
and his
people have not made for him a burning like the burning of his fathers.
And it came to pass that in process of time
after the end of two
years
.... So long he was afflicted and tortured with the above
disease:
his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness; either in
like manner as Judas's did
Acts 1:18 or as in
the manner the bowels of Arius are said to do
while sitting on the seat of the
vaultF1Sozomen. Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c. 29
30. ; or perhaps only what
was contained in the bowels is meant
if it was the colic:
so he died of sore diseases; he seems to have had a
complication of them
and these very painful and distressing:
and the people made no burning for him
like the burnings of his
fathers; as they did for his grandfather Asa
2 Chronicles 16:14
they did not burn spices or odoriferous wood
as the Targum; though his body
because of the stench of it
needed it
as Jarchi observes.
2 Chronicles 21:20 20 He was thirty-two years
old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and
to no one’s
sorrow
departed. However they buried him in the City of David
but not in the
tombs of the kings.
YLT
20A son of thirty and two
[years] was he in his reigning
and eight years he hath reigned in Jerusalem
and he goeth without desire
and they bury him in the city of David
and not in
the graves of the kings.
Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign
and he
reigned in Jerusalem eight years
.... See 2 Kings 8:17
and departed without being desired; to live
either by
himself
being weary of life through the pain he endured; or by his people
he
being so wicked a prince
and so ill beloved by them
that nobody wished to
have him live
but were glad to hear of his death; the meaning is
he died
unlamented; his death is expressed by a departing out of this world into
another
a phrase more than once used for death in the New Testament
see John 13:1
howbeit
they buried him in the city of David
but not in the
sepulchres of the kings; they showed him some respect for the sake of his father
by
burying him in the city of David
but denied him the honour of lying in the
royal sepulchres
see 2 Kings 8:24.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)