1Jehoshaphat died and was buried in the royal tombs in David’s City and his son Jehoram succeeded him as king. 2Jehoram son of King Jehoshaphat of Judah had six brothers: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah. 3Their father gave them large amounts of gold, silver, and other valuable possessions, and placed each one in charge of one of the fortified cities of Judah. But because Jehoram was the oldest, Jehoshaphat made him his successor. 4Jehoram was in firm control of the kingdom. He had all his brothers killed, and also some Israelite officials. 5Jehoram became king at the age of thirty-two. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. 6He followed the wicked example of King Ahab and the other kings of Israel. He married one of Ahab’s daughters. He sinned against Jehovah. 7Jehovah was not willing to destroy the dynasty of David. This is because he made a covenant with David and promised that his descendants would always continue to rule. 8During Jehoram’s time Edom rebelled against Judah and chose its own king. 9Jehoram took all his chariot commanders to attack. The Edomites and their chariot commanders surrounded him. He got up during the night and broke through their lines. 10So Edom rebelled against Judah’s rule and is still independent today. At the same time Edom rebelled, Libnah rebelled because Jehoram had abandoned Jehovah the God of his ancestors. 11Jehoram made illegal places of worship in the hills of Judah. This caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to chase after foreign gods as if they were prostitutes. So he led Judah astray. 12A letter came to him from the prophet Elijah. It read: This is what Jehovah the God of your ancestor David says: You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or the ways of King Asa of Judah. 13Instead, you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel. You, like Ahab’s family, have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to chase after foreign gods as if they were prostitutes. You have killed your brothers, your father’s family. Your brothers were better than you. 14Jehovah will strike a great blow to your people, your sons, your wives, and all your property because you did this. 15You will be affected by a painful stomach disease and suffer until you die. 16Later Jehovah caused the Philistines and the Arabs who lived near the Ethiopians to become angry with Jehoram. 17They invaded Judah and stole the royal property from the palace. They led Jehoram’s wives and sons away as prisoners. The only one left behind was Ahaziah, his youngest son. 18After this happened; Jehovah struck Jehoram with an incurable stomach disease. 19Two years later Jehoram died in terrible pain. No bonfire was built to honor him. The people had done this for his ancestors, but not him. 20Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king. He ruled eight years from Jerusalem. He died, and no one even felt sad. He was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the royal tombs.