1.
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.
2.
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.
3.
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.
4.
Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel.
5.
Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
6.
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD.
7.
Howbeit 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.
8.
In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.
9.
Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.
10.
So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.
11.
Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.
12.
And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD 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,
13.
But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself:
14.
Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:
15.
And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.
16.
Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians:
17.
And they came up into Judah, and brake 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 never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
18.
And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
19.
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 sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
20.
Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
‘UNWEPT, UNHONOURED, AND UNSUNG’
‘He departed without being desired.’
2 Chronicles 21:20
It is related of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat—a worthy father’s foolish son—that after a reign of eight years ‘he departed without being desired.’
1. Desired— this use of the word is extremely rare.— Desire properly denotes a forward-looking emotion—an emotion directed to the attainment of an object from which pleasure is expected: it is here employed to denote a backward-looking emotion—the regretful emotion with which we contemplate a lost joy. In this sense the word is found nowhere else in the Bible. Indeed, it would seem that in this instance the translators indulged in the poet’s license of employing an old word in a new sense, putting it to a service for which no precedent could have been adduced. Alone of all the translators, ancient or modern, whom we have been able to compare, they have succeeded in giving an exact representation of the Hebrew original. And this they have done with such an exquisite sense of fitness that the word in the new signification has taken its place, if not in the English of everyday life, at least in the language as written by its graver masters.
II. Let us note that this text in the Chronicles has a lesson for all.—It is a legitimate object of ambition to the godly man, to be so useful and honourable in his life, that when he departs the whole circle of his neighbours, and acquaintances, and kindred shall mourn for him with affectionate regrets—to be so zealous in good works while he lives that he shall be desired when he dies. Put the right monarch on the throne of your being; not self, but your spirit, indwelt and energised by the Spirit of Christ.
Illustration
‘Wickedness always means disintegration. Under Jehoram, Jehoshaphat’s son, the kingdom threatened to break up. Edom revolted, a plague was on the people, the Philistines and Arabians made incursions into the country, and finally a terrible disease brought the king’s life to a close. So when the flesh rules us, when we answer the electric bells that ring up in our soul from below, when we pander to the promptings of the body, acting as though our essential nature were only physical—disintegration at once begins to work through all our being, our life is invaded with anxieties and annoyances, our sleep is broken, our peace has fled.’