II
C H R O N I C L E S
CHAP. XXI.
Never
surely did any kingdom change its king so much for the worse as
Judah
did, when Jehoram, one of the vilest,
succeeded Jehoshaphat, one of the best. Thus were they punished for not making
a better use of Jehoshaphat's good government, and their disaffectedness (or
coldness at least) to his reformation, ch. xx. 33. Those that knew not
now to value a good king are justly plagued with a bad one. Here is, I.
Jehoram's elevation to the throne, ver. 1-3. II. The wicked course he took to
establish himself in it, by the murder of his brethren, ver. 4. III. The
idolatries and other wickedness he was guilty of, ver. 5, 6, 11. IV. The
prophecy of Elijah against him, ver. 12-15. V. The judgments of God upon him,
in the revolt of his subjects from him (ver. 8-10) and the success of his
enemies against him, ver. 16, 17. VI. His miserable sickness and inglorious
exit, ver. 18-20. VII. The preservation of the house of David notwithstanding,
ver. 7.
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Jehoram's Wicked Reign.
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B.
C. 889.
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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.
We find here,
I. That Jehoshaphat was a very careful indulgent father to Jehoram. He had
many sons, who are here named (v. 2), and it is said (v. 13)
that they were better than Jehoram, had a great deal more wisdom and virtue,
and lived up to their education, which he went counter to. They were very
hopeful, and any of them more fit for the crown than he; and yet, because he
was the first-born (v. 3), his father secured the kingdom to him, and
portioned his brethren and disposed of them so as that they would be easy and
give him no disturbance; as Abraham, when he made Isaac his heir, dismissed
his other children with gifts. Herein Jehoshaphat was very kind and fair to
his son, which might have obliged him to be respectful to him, and tread in
the steps of so good a father. But it is no new thing for the children that
have been most indulged by their parents to be least dutiful to them. Whether
in doing this he acted wisely and well for his people, and was just to them, I
cannot say. His birthright entitled him to a double portion of his father's
estate, Deut. xxi. 17. But if he appeared utterly unfit for government (the
end of which is the good of the people), and likely to undo all that his
father had done, it would have been better perhaps to have set him aside, and
taken the next that was hopeful, and not inclined as he was to idolatry. Power
is a sacred thing, with which men may either do much good or much hurt; and
therefore Detur digniori--Let him that deserves it have it. Salus
populi suprema lex--The security of the people is the first
consideration.
II. That Jehoram was a most barbarous brother to his father's sons. As soon as
he had settled himself in the throne he slew all his brethren with the sword,
either by false accusation, under colour of law, or rather by assassination.
By some wicked hand or other he got them all murdered, pretending (it is
likely) that he could not think himself safe in the government till they were
taken out of the way. Those that mean ill themselves are commonly, without
cause, jealous of those about them. The wicked fear where no fear is, or
pretend to do so, in order to conceal their malice. Jehoram, it is likely,
hated his brethren and slew them for the same reason that Cain hated Abel and
slew him, because their piety condemned his impiety and won them that esteem
with the people which he had lost. With them he slew divers of the princes of
Israel, who adhered to them, or were likely to avenge their death. The princes
of Judah, those who had taught the good knowledge of the Lord (ch. xvii.
7), are here called princes of Israel, as before fathers of Israel (ch.
xix. 8), because they were Israelites indeed, men of integrity. The sword
which the good father had put into their hands this wicked son sheathed in
their bowels. Woe unto him that thus foundeth a kingdom in blood (Hab.
ii. 12); it will prove a foundation that will sink the superstructure.
III. That Jehoram was a most wicked king, who corrupted and debauched his
kingdom, and ruined the reformation that his good father and grandfather had
carried on: He walked in the way of the house of Ahab (v. 6),
made high places, which the people were of themselves too forward to make, and
did his utmost to set up idolatry again, v. 11. 1. As for the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, where he kept his court, he easily drew them into
his spiritual whoredom: He caused them to commit fornication, seducing
them to eat things sacrificed to idols, Rev. ii. 20. 2. The country
people seem to have been brought to it with more difficulty; but those that
would not be corrupted by flatteries were driven by force to partake in his
abominable idolatries: He compelled Judah thereto. He used that power
for the destruction of the church which was given him for the edification of
it.
IV. That when he forsook God and his worship his subjects withdrew from their
allegiance to him. 1. Some of the provinces abroad that were tributaries to
him did so. The Edomites revolted (v. 8), and, though he chastised them
(v. 9), yet he could not reduce them, v. 10. 2. One of the
cities of his own kingdom did so. Libnah revolted (v. 10) and set up
for a free state, as of old it had a king of its own, Josh. xii. 15. And the
reason is here given, not only why God permitted it, but why they did it; they
shook off his government because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers,
had become an idolater and a worshipper of false gods, and they could not
continue subject to him without some danger of being themselves also drawn
away from God and their duty. While he adhered to God they adhered to him;
but, when he cast God off, they cast him off. Whether this reason will justify
them in their revolt of no, it will justify God's providence which ordered it
so.
V. That yet God was tender of his covenant with the house of David, and
therefore would not destroy the royal family, though it was so wretchedly
corrupted and degenerated, v. 7. These things we had before, 2 Kings
viii. 19-22. The tenour of the covenant was that David's seed should be
visited for their transgressions, but the covenant should never be broken, Ps.
lxxxix. 30, &c.
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Jehoram's
Miserable End.
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B.
C. 884.
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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.
Here we have, I. A warning from God sent to Jehoram by a writing from Elijah
the prophet. By this it appears that Jehoram came to the throne, and showed
himself what he was before Elijah's translation. It is true we find Elisha
attending Jehoshaphat, and described as pouring water on the hands of Elijah,
after the story of Elijah's translation (2 Kings iii. 11); but that might be,
and that description might be given of him, while Elijah was yet on earth: and
it is certain that that history is put out of its proper place, for we read of
Jehoshaphat's death, and Jehoram's coming to the crown, before we read of
Elijah's translation, 1 Kings xxii. 50. We will suppose that the time of his
departure was at hand, so that he could not go in person to Jehoram; but that,
hearing of his great wickedness in murdering his brethren, he left this
writing it is probable with Elisha, to be sent him by the first opportunity,
that it might either be a means to reclaim him or a witness against him that
he was fairly told what would be in the end hereof. The message is sent him in
the name of the Lord God of David his father (v. 12), upbraiding
him with his relation to David as that which, though it was his honour, was an
aggravation of his degeneracy. 1. His crimes are plainly charged upon him--his
departure from the good ways of God, in which he had been educated, and which
he had been directed and encouraged to walk in by the example of his good
father and grandfather, who lived and died in peace and honour (v.
12)-- his conformity to the ways of the house of Ahab, that impious scandalous
family--his setting up and enforcing idolatry in his kingdom--and his
murdering his brethren because they were better than himself, v. 13.
These are the heads of the indictment against him. 2. Judgment is given
against him for these crimes; he is plainly told that his sin should certainly
be the ruin, (1.) Of his kingdom and family (v. 14): "With a heavy
stroke, even that of war and captivity, will the Lord smite thy people and
thy children," &c. Bad men bring God's judgments upon all about
them. His people justly suffer because they had complied with his idolatry,
and his wives because they had drawn him to it. (2.) Of his health and life:
"Thou shalt have great sickness, very painful and tedious, and at last
mortal," v. 15. This he is warned of before, that his blood might
be upon his own head, the watchman having delivered his soul; and that when
these things so particularly foretold, came to pass, it might appear that they
did not come by chance, but as the punishment of his sins, and were so
intended. And now if, as he had learned of Ahab to do wickedly, he had but
learned even of Ahab to humble himself upon the receipt of this threatening
message from Elijah--if, like (1 Kings xxi. 27), he had rent his clothes,
put on sackcloth, and fasted--who knows but, like him, he might have
obtained at least a reprieve? But it does not appear that he took any notice
of it; he threw it by as waste-paper; Elijah seemed to him as one that
mocked. But those that will not believe shall feel.
II. The threatened judgments brought upon him because he slighted the warning.
No marvel that hardened sinners are not frightened from sin and to repentance
by the threatenings of misery in another world, which is future and out of
sight, when the certain prospect of misery in this world, the sinking of their
estates and the ruin of their healths, will not restrain them from vicious
courses.
1. See Jehoram here stripped of all his comforts. God stirred up the spirit
of his neighbours against him, who had loved and feared Jehoshaphat, but
hated and despised him, looking upon it as a scandalous thing for a nation to
change their gods. Some occasion or other they took to quarrel with him,
invaded his country, but, as it should seem, fought neither against small nor
great, but the king's house only; they made directly to that, and carried
away all the substance that was found in it. No mention is made of their
carrying any away captive but the king's wives and his sons, v.
17. Thus God made it evident that the controversy was with him and his house.
Here it is only said, They carried away his sons; but we find (ch.
xxii. 1) that they slew them all. Blood for blood. He had slain all his
brethren, to strengthen himself; and now all his sons are slain but one, and
so he is weakened. If he had not been of the house of David, that one would
not have escaped. When Jeroboam's house, and Baasha's, and Ahab's, were
destroyed, there was none left; but David's house must not be wholly
extirpated, though sometimes wretchedly degenerated, because a blessing was in
it, no less a blessing than that of the Messiah.
2. See him tormented with sore diseases and of long continuance, such
as were threatened in the law against those that would not fear the Lord
their God, Deut. xxviii. 58, 59. His disease was very grievous. It lay in
his bowels, producing a continual griping, and with this there was a
complication of other sore diseases. The affliction was moreover very tedious.
Two years he continued ill, and could get no relief; for the disease was
incurable, though he was in the prime of life, not forty years old. Asa, whose
heart was perfect with God though in some instances he stepped aside, was
diseased only in his feet; but Jehoram, whose heart was wicked, was struck in
his inwards, and he that had no bowels of compassion towards his brethren was
so plagued in his bowels that they fell out. Even good men, and those who are
very dear to God, may be afflicted with diseases of this kind; but to them
they are fatherly chastisements, and by the support of divine consolations the
soul may dwell at ease even then when the body lies in pain. These sore
diseases seized him just after his house was plundered and his wives and
children were carried away. (1.) Perhaps his grief and anguish of mind for
that calamity might occasion his sickness, or at least contribute to the
heightening of it. (2.) By this sickness he was disabled to do any thing for
the recovery of them or the revenge of the injury done him. (3.) It added, no
doubt, very much to his grief, in his sickness, that he was deprived of the
society of his wives and children and that all the substance of his house was
carried away. To be sick and poor, sick and solitary, but especially to be
sick and in sin, sick and under the curse of God, sick and destitute of grace
to bear the affliction, and of comfort to counter-balance it--is a most
deplorable case.
3. See him buried in disgrace. He reigned but eight years, and then departed
without being desired, v. 20. Nobody valued him while he lived,
none lamented him when he died, but all wished that no greater loss might ever
come to Jerusalem. To show what little affection or respect they had for him,
they would not bury him in the sepulchres of the kings, as thinking him
unworthy to be numbered among them who had governed so ill. The excluding of
his body from the sepulchres of his fathers might be ordered by Providence as
an intimation of the everlasting separation of the souls of the wicked after
death, from the spirits of just men. This further disgrace they put upon him,
that they made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers, v.
19. His memory was far from being sweet and precious to them, and therefore
they did not honour it with any sweet odours or precious spices, though we may
suppose that his dead body, after so long and loathsome a disease, needed
something to perfume it. The generality of the people, though prone to
idolatry, yet had no true kindness for their idolatrous kings. Wickedness and
profaneness make men despicable even in the eyes of those who have but little
religion themselves, while natural conscience itself often gives honour to
those who are truly pious. Those that despise God shall be lightly
esteemed, as Jehoram was.
Contents
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