2 Yehoram’s (Jehoram’s) younger brothers were Azaryah, Yehiel, Zekaryah (Zechariah), Azaryah, Mika’el (Michael), and Shefatyah, 3 and their father gave them many gifts of gold and silver and precious things, along with fortified cities in Yehudah (Judah), however he handed the kingdom over to Yehoram because he was the oldest son. 4 After Yehoram established firm control of his father’s kingdom, he had all his brothers killed, as well as some of Yisrael’s (Israel’s) leaders.

5 Yehoram was thirty-two years old when he became the king, and he ruled from Yerushalem (Jerusalem) for eight years. 6 He did many of the evil things that Yisrael’s kings had done, because he married one of King Ahav’s daughters and did things that Yahweh had said were evil. 7 Despite that, Yahweh wouldn’t eliminate David’s descendants, because of the promise he’d made with David to ‘keep his lamp burning’ forever.[ref]

8 Meanwhile, Edom had been under Yehudah’s control, but during Yehoram’s reign they rebelled and appointed their own king.[ref] 9 Yehoram took his commanders and all his chariots, and crossed the Yarden (Jordan) River, then at nighttime he attacked the Edomim who’d surrounded him and his chariots.[fn] 10 However, Edom successfully rebelled against Yehudah’s control, then Livnah also did the same, because Yehoram had abandoned Yahweh, his ancestors’ god. 11 He also built hilltop shrines around Yehudah, and he caused Yerushalem’s inhabitants to prostitute themselves,[fn] and he drove Yehudah away from Yahweh.

12 Then King Yehoram received a written message from the prophet Eliyah (Elijah): “Your father David’s god Yahweh says that you decided not to follow your father Yehoshafat’s (Jehoshaphat’s) example, or good King Asa’s, 13 but rather you imitated the behaviour of Yisrael’s (Israel’s) king, so because of that, you’ve caused Yerushalem’s inhabitants, as well as wider Yehudah, to commit adultery like Ahav’s family did. Also, you’ve killed your own blood brothers—people who were better than you. 14 So listen, now Yahweh is going to severely afflict your people, including your sons and your wives, as well as all your possessions, 15 and you yourself will get an intestinal disease that’ll get worse every day until your innards fall out.”

16 Then Yahweh stirred the Pelishtim up against Yehoram, as well as the Arabs who lived beside the Kushim, 17 and they attacked Yehudah. They did a lot of damage and took away everything valuable from the king’s palace. They also took his wives and sons, other than Yehoahaz, his youngest son.

18 After that, Yahweh caused an intestinal disease in Yehoram that couldn’t be cured, 19 and it progressed day after day until, after two years, his intestines fell out, and he died in a lot of pain. His people didn’t make a bonfire in his honour like they’d done for his ancestors.

20 Yehoram was thirty-two when he became king, and he ruled from Yerushalem (Jerusalem) for eight years. No one regretted it when he died, and his body was buried in ‘The City of David’, but not in the royal tombs.