أخبار الأيام الثاني ٢١:٢٠

The repetition of his age and the length of his reign (cf. Ch2 21:6) is accounted for by the fact that the last section of this chapter is derived from a special source, wherein these notes likewise were contained. The peculiarity of the language and the want of the current expressions of our historian also favour the idea that some special authority has been used here. "And he departed, mourned by none." Luther erroneously translates, "and walked in a way which was not right" (und wandelt das nicht fein war), after the "ambulavit non recte" of the Vulg.; for חמדּה denotes, not a good walk, but desiderium, חמדּה בּלא, sine desiderio, i.e., a nemine desideratus. הלך, to depart, i.e., die, as Gen 15:2. Moreover, though he was buried in the city of David, yet he was not laid in the graves of the kings, by which act also a judgment was pronounced upon his reign; cf. Ch2 24:25 and Ch2 26:23.

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, Ch2 20:33. 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 (Ch2 21:1-3). II. The wicked course he took to establish himself in it, by the murder of his brethren (Ch2 21:4). III. The idolatries and other wickedness he was guilty of (Ch2 21:5, Ch2 21:6, Ch2 21:11). IV. The prophecy of Elijah against him (Ch2 21:12-15). V. The judgments of God upon him, in the revolt of his subjects from him (Ch2 21:8-10) and the success of his enemies against him (Ch2 21:16, Ch2 21:17). VI. His miserable sickness and inglorious exit (Ch2 21:18-20). VII. The preservation of the house of David notwithstanding (Ch2 21:7).