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(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
2 Chronicles 21:1–11, “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. 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 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. 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, 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. 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. In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king. 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. 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. Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.”
After Jehoshaphat died he was replaced as king by his son Jehoram. Jehoshaphat did everything he could make sure there was an orderly transition of power. He took his other sons away from Jerusalem and gave them positions so that they wouldn’t be a threat to the new king. However, Jehoram, the new king, made sure that he appointed his own people to powerful positions so that there would be no internal threat to his throne. After that he executed all his brothers to make sure that they would never be a threat to him. This was an evil thing for him and completely against the Lord’s Law. He was influenced by his connection with Ahab’s family. After he made an alliance with Ahab, he married one of Ahab’s daughters. He followed all the evil practices of that family, including offering his own children to the fire god in sacrifice. He led the people astray and encouraged them to worship the fertility gods with complete abandon.
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