King Jehoram (Joram)

How He Became King: After the death of his father Jehoshaphat
When He Began Reigning: 32 years old
Reign Length: 8 years
Ruled Over: Judah
Type of King: Evil
Prophet: Elijah
Death: God cursed him and his bowels fell out
Burial: Buried in Jerusalem, but not in the tomb of the kings

Jehoram became king after his father Jehoshaphat died. Jehoshaphat had many sons, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn:

2 Chronicles 21:1: “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.”

Jehoram began reigning when he was 32 years old and he reigned over Judah for 8 years. He was a wicked ruler. His wife was Ahab’s daughter:

2 Kings 8:17: “Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
18 And he walked 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.”

He was so evil that he murdered all of his brothers:

2 Chronicles 21:4: “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.”

Because of his great wickedness, God sent Elijah to tell him that God was going to curse him and he would die:

2 Chronicles 21:12: “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.”

The Lord also stirred up the Philistines and the Arabians against him. They broke into the king’s palace and stole everything that he had – including his wives and children:

2 Chronicles 21:16: “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.”

The only son they left behind was Jehoahaz, his youngest.

While Jehoram was king the Edomites revolted. Jehoram fought against them but was unable to end the revolt:

2 Kings 8:20: “In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
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.”

After Edom revolted, Libnah revolted as well – but Jehoram was unable to bring them back under his control. Nor was that the end of his problems. God kept his promise and smote the king with a terrible disease. After Jehoram had been sick for two years, his bowels fell out and he died. He was a wicked man who departed without ever having been desired. He was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the tomb of the kings:

2 Chronicles 21:20: “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.”

After he died, Ahaziah his son ruled in his stead.