2 Kings 8:16-24

2 Kings 8:16-24

[16] And in the fifth  year  of Joram  the son  of Ahab  king  of Israel,  Jehoshaphat  being then king  of Judah,  Jehoram  the son  of Jehoshaphat  king  of Judah  began to reign.  [17] Thirty  and two  years  old  was he when he began to reign;  eight  years  in Jerusalem.  [18] in the way  of the kings  of Israel,  as did  the house  of Ahab:  for the daughter  of Ahab  was his wife:  and he did  evil  in the sight  of the LORD.  [19] Yet the LORD  would  not destroy  Judah  for David  his servant's  sake, as he promised  him to give  him alway  a light,  and to his children.  [20] In his days  Edom  revolted  from under the hand  of Judah,  and made  a king  [21] So Joram  went over  to Zair,  and all the chariots  with him: and he rose  by night,  and smote  the Edomites  which compassed him about,  and the captains  of the chariots:  and the people  fled  into their tents.  [22] Yet Edom  revolted  from under the hand  of Judah  unto this day.  Then Libnah  revolted  at the same  time.  [23] And the rest  of the acts  of Joram,  and all that he did,  are they not written  in the book  of the chronicles  of the kings  of Judah?  [24] And Joram  slept  with his fathers,  and was buried  with his fathers  in the city  of David:  and Ahaziah  his son  reigned  in his stead.

What does 2 Kings 8:16-24 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Jehoshaphat appointed his son Jehoram coregent the year Jehoshaphat went off to join forces with Ahab in battle at Ramoth-gilead (853 B.C.). For the next five years Jehoram served with his father. In848 B.C. he began ruling alone and did so for the next eight years (until841 B.C.). His reign overlapped the reigns of Ahaziah and Jehoram (whom the NASB called Joram from now on) in Israel. It is possible that the writing prophet Obadiah ministered and wrote the Bible book that bears his name during Jehoram"s reign. [1]
Rather than following the godly example of his father, Jehoram chose to pursue idolatry and infidelity to Yahweh like his wife Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. If it had not been for His promise to David ( 2 Samuel 7:12-15), God would have cut off Jehoram"s line for his wickedness ( 2 Kings 8:19). Instead, he disciplined him and Judah by allowing Edom and Libnah to revolt against Judah successfully. Edom had come under Judah"s control during Jehoshaphat"s administration ( 2 Chronicles 20:1-29; cf. 1 Kings 22:47). Zair is another name for Seir or Edom. Chariots did not save Jehoram from defeat ( 2 Kings 8:21). Libnah was a town near the border between Judah and Philistia that seems to have revolted when the Philistines invaded Judah ( 2 Chronicles 21:16-17). Judah became weaker under Jehoram because of his wickedness. The king himself died a painful death ( 2 Chronicles 21:18-19).