Jehoram in Biblical History

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Who is Jehoram?
JEHO'RAM
, frequently JO'RAM (whom Jehovah has exalted). 1. The eldest son of Jehoshaphat, and his successor as king of Judah. He reigned eight years, b.c. 892-885, perhaps for the first years as the associate of his father. 1 Kgs 22:50; 2 Kgs 8:10, [scripture]2 Kgs. 8:17; 2 Chr 21:1-3. He married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and proved himself as wicked as his relatives. One of the first acts of his government was to put to death his six brothers and several of the chief men of the kingdom. 2 Chr 21:4. To punish him for this and other abominations of his reign, 2 Chr 21:11-13, the Edomites, who had long been subject to the throne of Judah, revolted, and secured their independence. 2 Chr 21:8-10. One of his own cities also revolted, and about the same time he received a writing from Elijah, admonishing him of the dreadful calamities which he was bringing on himself by his wicked conduct. In due time these calamities came upon him and his kingdom. Their territory was overrun with enemies; the king's palace was plundered, and the royal family, except the youngest son, made prisoners. The king himself was smitten with a terrible and incurable disease, which carried him to the grave unlamented, and he was buried without royal honors. 2 Chr 21:14-20. 1. Jehoram, the son of Ahab and Jezebel, and king of Israel, b.c. 896-884. 2 Kgs 1:17; 2 Kgs 3:1. He was not so bad as his parents, but yet he did evil in the sight of the Lord, bowing down to the golden calves. 2 Kgs 3:2, 2. The friendly intercourse between Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, and Ahab was kept up by Jehoram, and so, when the king of Moab rebelled, he obtained the help of Judah and Edom to bring him to terms. Distressed by lack of water after a seven days' march, on the insistence of Jehoshaphat, they inquired of the Lord through Elisha, who prophesied victory if an odd plan was adopted -viz., to dig trenches which, when filled with water by the Lord, would appear streams of blood to the Moabites, who would conjecture that there had been internal strife, and so would be induced to attack the camp without the usual caution. The ruse was successful, and the Moabites were repulsed with great loss. The allies pursued them into Moab, beating down the cities and stopping up wells and felling trees, thus devastating the land. In the city Kir-haraseth was the king of Moab brought to bay. He attempted to cut his way through, but, foiled in that, he offered his eldest son as a propitiatory sacrifice unto the Moabitish war-god, Chemosh -a performance which so horrified the Israelites that they abandoned the siege and returned home. See 2 Kgs 3:4-27 (v. 27, second clause, best reads, There was great indignation in Israel"). When fighting against Syria, Jehoram was informed of their king's secret counsels by Elisha, but when the Syrian army was miraculously delivered into his power the prophet forbade their slaughter. 2 Kgs 6:8-23. Subsequently, Samaria was besieged by Benhadad and reduced to dreadful straits. Jehoram laid the blame upon Elisha and determined his death, but afterward changed his mind. Man's extremity was God's opportunity. By a miracle plenty was restored unto the famishing city, as Elisha announced, and after this event the king's friendly feeling for the prophet returned. 2 Kgs 8:4-6. The seven-year famine of 2 Kgs 8:1 may have been that mentioned in 2 Kgs 4:38-44. A revolution in Syria gave Jehoram opportunity, in connection with his nephew Ahaziah, to recover Ramoth-gilead from the Syrians, but in the battle he was wounded, and while in Jezreel, whither he had gone for healing, Jehu revolted and slew him as he tried to escape, and his body was cast "in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite," according to the prophecy of Elijah. 1 Kgs 21:21-29; see 2 Kgs 8:28 and 2 Kgs 9:14-27. With the life of Jehoram ended the reign of the house of Omri. 1. A priest employed by Jehoshaphat to instruct the people. 2 Chr 17:8.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'jehoram' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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