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2 Chronicles 21

21. Jehoram King of Judah

Jehoram’s Reign

21

Jehoshaphat slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David; his son Jehoram succeeded him.²He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Judah.³Their father gave them many gifts, of silver, gold, and valuable possessions, together with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.⁴When Jehoram had ascended the throne of his father and was established, he put all his brothers to the sword, and also some of the officials of Israel.⁵Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.⁶He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done; for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.⁷Yet 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 descendants forever.

Revolt of Edom

⁸ In his days Edom revolted against the rule of Judah and set up a king of their own.⁹Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots. He set out by night and attacked the Edomites, who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders.¹⁰So Edom has been in revolt against the rule of Judah to this day. At that time Libnah also revolted against his rule, because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his ancestors.

Elijah’s Letter

¹¹ Moreover he made high places in the hill country of Judah, and led the inhabitants of Jerusalem into unfaithfulness, and made Judah go astray.¹²A letter came to him from the prophet Elijah, saying: “Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David: Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or in the ways of King Asa of Judah,¹³but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into unfaithfulness, as the house of Ahab led Israel into unfaithfulness, and because you also have killed your brothers, members of your father’s house, who were better than yourself,¹⁴see, the Lord will bring a great plague on your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions,¹⁵and you yourself will have a severe sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out, day after day, because of the disease.”

¹⁶ The Lord aroused against Jehoram the anger of the Philistines and of the Arabs who are near the Ethiopians.¹⁷They came up against Judah, invaded it, and carried away all the possessions they found that belonged to the king’s house, along with his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son.

Disease and Death of Jehoram

¹⁸ After all this the Lord struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease.¹⁹In course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his ancestors.²⁰He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He departed with no one’s regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Hebrews 4:6-11

4. A Sabbath Rest for God's People

⁶Since therefore it remains open for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,⁷again he sets a certain day—“today”—saying through David much later, in the words already quoted,

“Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts.”

⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later about another day.⁹So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God;¹⁰for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his.¹¹Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.

Psalm 37:1-40

37. Psalm 37

Psalm 37

Exhortation to Patience and Trust

Of David.

1

Do not fret because of the wicked;

do not be envious of wrongdoers,

2

for they will soon fade like the grass,

and wither like the green herb.

 

3

Trust in the Lord, and do good;

so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.

4

Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 

5

Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him, and he will act.

6

He will make your vindication shine like the light,

and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

 

7

Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;

do not fret over those who prosper in their way,

over those who carry out evil devices.

 

8

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.

Do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9

For the wicked shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

 

10

Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;

though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.

11

But the meek shall inherit the land,

and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

 

12

The wicked plot against the righteous,

and gnash their teeth at them;

13

but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he sees that their day is coming.

 

14

The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows

to bring down the poor and needy,

to kill those who walk uprightly;

15

their sword shall enter their own heart,

and their bows shall be broken.

 

16

Better is a little that the righteous person has

than the abundance of many wicked.

17

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

but the Lord upholds the righteous.

 

18

The Lord knows the days of the blameless,

and their heritage will abide forever;

19

they are not put to shame in evil times,

in the days of famine they have abundance.

 

20

But the wicked perish,

and the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;

they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

 

21

The wicked borrow, and do not pay back,

but the righteous are generous and keep giving;

22

for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land,

but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

 

23

Our steps are made firm by the Lord,

when he delights in our way;

24

though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong,

for the Lord holds us by the hand.

 

25

I have been young, and now am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

or their children begging bread.

26

They are ever giving liberally and lending,

and their children become a blessing.

 

27

Depart from evil, and do good;

so you shall abide forever.

28

For the Lord loves justice;

he will not forsake his faithful ones.

 

The righteous shall be kept safe forever,

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

29

The righteous shall inherit the land,

and live in it forever.

 

30

The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,

and their tongues speak justice.

31

The law of their God is in their hearts;

their steps do not slip.

 

32

The wicked watch for the righteous,

and seek to kill them.

33

The Lord will not abandon them to their power,

or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.

 

34

Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way,

and he will exalt you to inherit the land;

you will look on the destruction of the wicked.

 

35

I have seen the wicked oppressing,

and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.

36

Again I passed by, and they were no more;

though I sought them, they could not be found.

 

37

Mark the blameless, and behold the upright,

for there is posterity for the peaceable.

38

But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;

the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.

 

39

The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;

he is their refuge in the time of trouble.

40

The Lord helps them and rescues them;

he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them,

because they take refuge in him.