Jehoram King of Israel

2022-11-06

Since Ahaziah king of Israel had no son, Jehoram, another son of Ahab, reigned when he died. He learned some from his father’s and brother’s idolatry and put away the image of Baal, but he never did turn from the wickedness of Jeroboam’s sins.

Moab continued to rebel against Israel during his reign, but Jehoram the king allied with Jehoshaphat king of Judah for help. Since the king of Judah had allied himself between his family in the past, he agreed to go up with Jehoram to bring Moab back under submission. They went up through Edom, and their king also joined them in the endeavor. Along the way, they had no water. “And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!” (2 Kings 3:10).

Jehoshaphat, as before, wanted to consult a prophet of the LORD. They found Elisha the prophet, knowing that the LORD was with him. Elisha agreed to help them only because Jehoshaphat, a true worshipper of the LORD, was present. He instructed them to dig ditches. Water came from Edom and filled the ditches, so they had water. The sunrise reflected on the water, and when the Moabites saw it, it looked like blood, and therefore they thought their adversaries where dead. This gave the chance for Israelites to rise up and defeat the Moabites off-guard. The Moabites lost because of the Lord’s deliverance.

Jehoram and Ahaziah king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead to fight Hazael king of Syria, and Jehoram was wounded. Jehu, Jehoram’s captain of his army, was anointed king by a servant of Elisha. This new king rose up and slew Jehoram for the wickedness of him and his family. Jehoram had asked him, “Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” (2 Kings 9:22). The dynasty of Omri came to an end.

Though Jehoram had done less wickedly than his family, it was not good enough. The religion of the calves, though attributed to the LORD, was still wicked. We must come to the LORD in His way, not in the way we feel like we should. When Elisha said that he only regarded Jehoshaphat’s presence, that should have been a hint that things were not right for Jehoram.

This is a part of the Kings of Israel series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.