God’s Word Translation
2 Chronicles 21:12
12Then a letter came to him from the prophet Elijah. It read, “This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: You haven’t followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or the ways of King Asa of Judah.
2 Chronicles 21:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
- New International Version (NIV)Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, which said: “This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: ‘You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, "Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, 'Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
- New King James Version (NKJV)And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus says the Lord God of your father David: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
Context of 2 Chronicles 21:12
10So Edom rebelled against Judah’s rule and is still independent today. At the same time Edom rebelled, Libnah rebelled because Jehoram had abandoned the Lord 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. Then a letter came to him from the prophet Elijah. It read, “This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: You haven’t 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. 14The Lord will strike a great blow to your people, your sons, your wives, and all your property because you did this.
Read all of 2 Chronicles 212 Chronicles 21:12 word by word
וַיָּבֹ֤א אֵלָיו֙ מִכְתָּ֔ב מֵֽאֵלִיָּ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אֱלֹהֵי֙ דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֔יךָ תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־הָלַ֙כְתָּ֙ בְּדַרְכֵי֙ יְהוֹשָׁפָ֣ט אָבִ֔יךָ וּבְדַרְכֵ֖י אָסָ֥א מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And there cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- a writingמִכְתָּבmiktâb · writingH4385
- to him from Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
- the prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- Because thou hast not walkedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
- in the waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- of Jehoshaphatיְהוֹשָׁפָטyehôshâphâţ · JehoshaphatH3092
- of Asaאָסָא'âsâ' · AsaH609
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 21:12
- 2 Kings 2:1When the Lord was going to take Elijah to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha left Gilgal.
- Jeremiah 36:2“Take a scroll, and write on it everything that I have dictated to you about Israel, Judah, and all the other nations from the time I spoke to you during the reign of Josiah until today.
- Ezekiel 2:9As I looked, I saw a hand stretched out toward me. In it was a scroll.
- Daniel 5:5Suddenly, the fingers of a person’s hand appeared and wrote on the plaster wall opposite the lamp stand of the royal palace. The king watched as the hand wrote.
- 2 Kings 2:11As they continued walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses separated the two of them, and Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm.
- 2 Chronicles 17:3The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, who lived in the old way like his ancestor David. Jehoshaphat didn’t dedicate his life to serving other gods—the Baals.
- 1 Kings 22:43Jehoshaphat carefully followed the example his father Asa had set and did what the Lord considered right.
- 2 Chronicles 14:2Asa did what the Lord his God considered good and right.
- 1 Kings 15:11Asa did what the Lord considered right, as his ancestor David had done.
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 21:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12There came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet - From 2 Kings 2:11, it is evident that Elijah had been translated in the reign of Jehoshaphat, the father of Jehoram. How then could he send a letter to the son? Some say he sent it from heaven by an angel; others, that by the spirit of prophecy he foresaw this defection of Jehoram, and left the letter with Elisha, to be sent to him when this defection should take place; others say that Elijah is put…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12This is the only notice which we have of Elijah in Chronicles. As a prophet of the northern kingdom, he engaged but slightly the attention of the historian of the southern one. The notice shows that Elijah did not confine his attention to the affairs of his own state, but strove to check the progress of idolatry in Judah. And it proves that he was alive after the death of Jehoshaphat 2 Chronicles 21:13; a fact bearing (1) upon the chronological order of 2…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-20Verses 12-20 A warning from God was sent to Jehoram. The Spirit of prophecy might direct Elijah to prepare this writing in the foresight of Jehoram's crimes. He is plainly told that his sin should certainly ruin him. But no marvel that sinners are not frightened from sin, and to repentance, by the threatenings of misery in another world, when the certainty of misery in this world, the sinking of their estates, and the ruin of their health, will not…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-15Elijah the prophet wrote a letter to Jehoram, warning him of punishment for his disobedience.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1512-15. there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet--That prophet's translation having taken place in the reign of Jehoshaphat [2Ki 2:11, 12], we must conclude that the name of Elijah has, by the error of a transcriber, been put for that of Elisha.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Chronicles 21:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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