II Kings 8:18
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And Jehoram walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done. For he married a daughter of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Joram had married a daughter of Ahab, namely Athaliah (Kg2 8:26), and walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, transplanting the worship of Baal into his kingdom. Immediately after the death of Jehoshaphat he murdered his brothers, apparently with no other object than to obtain possession of the treasures which his father had left them (Ch2 21:2-4). This wickedness of Joram would have been followed by the destruction of Judah, had not the Lord preserved a shoot to the royal house for David's sake. For ניר לו לתת see Kg1 11:36. The following word לבניו serves as an explanation of ניר לו, "a light with regard to his sons," i.e., by the fact that he kept sons (descendants) upon the throne.
Open source ↗The passages of story recorded in this chapter oblige us to look back. I. We read before of a Shuuammite woman that was a kind benefactor to Elisha; now here we are told how she fared the better for it, afterwards, in the advice Elisha gave her, and the favour the king showed her for his sake (Kg2 8:1-6). II. We read before of the designation of Hazael to be king of Syria (Kg1 19:15), and here we have an account of his elevation to that throne and the way he forced for himself to it, by killing his master (Kg2 8:7-15). III. We read before of Jehoram's reigning over Judah in the room of his father Jehoshaphat (Kg1 22:50), now here we have a short and sad history of his short and wicked reign (Kg2 8:16-24), and the beginning of the history of the reign of his son Ahaziah (Kg2 8:25-29).
Open source ↗8:18 evil in the Lord’s sight: Not only did Jehoram marry Ahab’s daughter Athaliah but he followed the example of the kings of Israel in worshiping idols. Some have suggested that Ps 45 was composed in honor of the marriage between Jehoram and Athaliah, which joined the royal houses of Judah and Israel (see Ps 45:12; Athaliah was the daughter of Jezebel, the princess of Tyre). While the marriage created temporary harmony between the kingdoms, it brought disastrous spiritual results. Under Athaliah’s influence, Jehoram instituted various false forms of worship (2 Chr 21:11), including worship of Baal (2 Kgs 11:17-18).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel.
And Jehoram walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done. For he married a daughter of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD.
You have kept the statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab’s house; you have followed their counsel. Therefore I will make you a desolation, and your inhabitants an object of contempt; you will bear the scorn of the nations.”
I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab, and I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a bowl—wiping it and turning it upside down.
Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.
Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you.
but you have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and have caused Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab prostituted itself. You have also killed your brothers, your father’s family, who were better than you.
(Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel.
For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.