JEHORAM.
The Evil Son of a Good Father.
(Jehoram began his reign by murdering all his brothers, a not uncommon custom in those bloody days. He was completely under the influence of his wife Athaliah, daughter of that evil house of Ahab and Jezebel, from which no good ever came. He lost the kingdom of Edom which his fathers had won, and died at last a miserable death, no one wishing him to live any longer.)
Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat 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 fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn. Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he slew all his brethren with the sword, and others also of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was thirty and 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, as did the house of Ahab: for his wife was the daughter of Ahab: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.
Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David, [{267}] because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his children alway. In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. Then Jehoram passed over with his captains, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots. So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, unto this day: then did Libnah revolt at the same time from under his hand: because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his fathers. Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and led Judah astray. And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, 'Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah; but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel; and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself: behold, the Lord will smite with a great plague thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy substance: and thou shalt have great sickness.'"
And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians which are beside the Ethiopians: and they came up against Judah, and raided, 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 never a son left him, save Ahaziah, the youngest of his sons. And after all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. And he died of sore [{268}] diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years: and he departed without being desired; and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchers of the kings.
AHAZIAH.
(Ahaziah, the youngest son of Jehoram, next came to the throne, for it seems that a marauding band of Arabians had actually raided Jerusalem and had slain the older children of the king. Ahaziah was a poor weak king who ruled weakly, and was killed, while on a visit to the king of Israel, by Jehu, the usurper of the throne.)
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. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. Twenty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Athaliah the daughter of Ahab.
He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab: for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction. He walked also after their counsel, and went with Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram. And he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Joram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, [{270}] because he was sick. Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went unto Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Joram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. And the fate of Joram overtook him also, for he was slain by the hand of Jehu.