21:2 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 a Israel.
(a) Read (2Ch 15:17) how by Israel he meant Judah.
21:4 Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father,
he strengthened himself, and b slew all his brethren with
the sword, and [divers] also of the princes of c Israel.
(b) Because the wicked always live in fear, and also are
ambitious, they become cruel and spare not to murder
them, whom by nature they ought most to cherish and
defend.
(c) Meaning, of Judah and Benjamin.
21:6 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
d wife: and he wrought [that which was] evil in the eyes
of the LORD.
(d) So that we see how it cannot be that we should join
with the wicked and serve God.
21:10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto
this day. The same time [also] did e Libnah revolt from
under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of
his fathers.
21:11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah,
and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit f
fornication, and compelled Judah [thereto].
(f) Meaning, idolatry because the idolater breaks promise
with God as the adulteress does to her husband.
21:12 And there came a writing to him from g 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,
(g) Some think that this was Elisha so called because he
had the Spirit in abundance, as had Elijah.
21:15 And thou [shalt have] great sickness by disease of thy
bowels, until h thy bowels fall out by reason of the
sickness day by day.
(h) We see this example daily practised on them who fall
away from God, and become idolaters and murderers of
their brethren.
21:16 Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of
the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that [were] near the
l Ethiopians:
(l) There were other Arabians in Africa southward toward
Egypt.
21:17 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 k Jehoahaz, the
youngest of his sons.
(k) Called also Ahaziah, as in (2Ch 22:1) or Azariah
in (2Ch 22:6).
21:20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign,
and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, l and departed
without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the
city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
(l) That is, as some write, he was not regarded but
deposed for his wickedness and idolatry so that his
son reigned 22 years (his father yet living) without
honour, and after his father's death he was confirmed
to reign still, as in (2Ch 22:2).
