Jehoram

Jehovah-exalted. (1.) Son of Toi, king of Hamath, sent by his father to congratulate David on the occasion of his victory over Hadadezer (2 Sam. 8:10). (2.) A Levite of the family of Gershom (1 Chr. 26:25). (3.) A priest sent by Jehoshaphat to instructruct the people in Judah (2 Chr. 17:8). (4.) The son of Ahab and Jezebel, and successor to his brother Ahaziah on the throne of Israel. He reigned twelve years, B.C. 896-884 (2 Kings 1:17; 3:1). His first work was to reduce to subjection the Moabites, who had asserted their independence in the reign of his brother. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, assisted Jehoram in this effort. He was further helped by his ally the king of Edom. Elisha went forth with the confederated army (2 Kings 3:1-19), and at the solicitation of Jehoshaphat encouraged the army with the assurance from the Lord of a speedy victory. The Moabites under Mesha their king were utterly routed and their cities destroyed. At Kir-haraseth Mesha made a final stand. The Israelites refrained from pressing their victory further, and returned to their own land. Elisha afterwards again befriended Jehoram when a war broke out between the Syrians and Israel, and in a remarkable way brought that war to a bloodless close (2 Kings 6:23). But Jehoram, becoming confident in his own power, sank into idolatry, and brought upon himself and his land another Syrian invasion, which led to great suffering and distress in Samaria (2 Kings 6:24-33). By a remarkable providential interposition the city was saved from utter destruction, and the Syrians were put to flight (2 Kings 7:6-15). Jehoram was wounded in a battle with the Syrians at Ramah, and obliged to return to Jezreel (2 Kings 8:29; 9:14, 15), and soon after the army proclaimed their leader Jehu king of Israel, and revolted from their allegiance to Jehoram (2 Kings 9). Jehoram was pierced by an arrow from Jehu’s bow on the piece of ground at Jezreel which Ahab had taken from Naboth, and there he died (2 Kings 9:21-29). (5.) The eldest son and successor of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. He reigned eight years (B.C. 892-885) alone as king of Judah, having been previously for some years associated with his father (2 Chr. 21:5, 20; 2 Kings 8:16). His wife was Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. His daughter Jehosheba was married to the high priest Jehoiada. He sank into gross idolatry, and brought upon himself and his kingdom the anger of Jehovah. The Edomites revolted from under his yoke, and the Philistines and the Arabians and Cushites invaded the land, and carried away great spoil, along with Jehoram’s wives and all his children, except Ahaziah. He died a painful death from a fearful malady, and was refused a place in the sepulchre of the kings (2 Kings 8:16-24; 2 Chr. 21).

(whom Jehovah has exalted).

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. 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, 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. A priest employed by Jehoshaphat to instruct the people. 2 Chr 17:8.

exaltation of the Lord

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. 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, 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.