Deep Dive

II Chronicles 21:18

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After all this, the LORD afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels.

Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Keil-Delitzsch Old Testament Commentaryv. 18

The second punishment fell upon the body and life of the king. The Lord smote him in his bowels to (with) disease, for which there was no healing. מרפּא לאין is in apposition to לחלי, literally, "to not being healing."

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Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 18

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).

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Tyndale Open Study Notesv. 18

21:18-20 Jehoram died after a long and painful bowel disease. He was not given the dignity of an honorary funeral rite (see 16:14) and was buried in disgrace away from the royal cemetery.

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