God’s Word Translation
2 Chronicles 21:13
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.
2 Chronicles 21:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thyself:
- New International Version (NIV)But you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your own family, men who were better than you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel and have enticed Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom, as the house of Ahab led Israel into whoredom, and also you have killed your brothers, of your father's house, who were better than you,
- New King James Version (NKJV)but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot like the harlotry of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers, those of your father’s household, who were better than yourself,
Context of 2 Chronicles 21:13
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. 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. Instead, 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. 15You will suffer from a chronic intestinal disease until your intestines come out.”
Read all of 2 Chronicles 212 Chronicles 21:13 word by word
וַתֵּ֗לֶךְ בְּדֶ֙רֶךְ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַתַּזְנֶ֤ה אֶת־יְהוּדָה֙ וְאֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם כְּהַזְנ֖וֹת בֵּ֣ית אַחְאָ֑ב וְגַ֨ם אֶת־אַחֶ֧יךָ בֵית־אָבִ֛יךָ הַטּוֹבִ֥ים מִמְּךָ֖ הָרָֽגְתָּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But hast walkedיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- of the kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and hast made Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- and the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- to go a whoringזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
- of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- and also hast slainהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
- thy brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- of thy father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
- betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 21:13
- 1 Kings 16:25Omri did what the Lord considered evil. He did more evil things than all ⌞the kings⌟ before him.
- 2 Chronicles 21:11Jehoram 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.
- Exodus 34:15Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in that land. When they chase after their gods as though they were prostitutes and sacrifice to them, they may invite you to eat the meat from their sacrifices with them.
- Deuteronomy 31:16The Lord said to Moses, “Soon you are going to lie down in death with your ancestors. When these people enter the land and are living among the foreigners there, they will chase after foreign gods as though they were prostitutes. They will abandon me and reject the promise I made to them.
- 2 Kings 9:22When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything alright, Jehu?” Jehu answered, “How can everything be alright as long as your mother continues her idolatry and witchcraft?”
- Jeremiah 3:8Judah saw that I sent unfaithful Israel away because of her adultery and that I gave Israel her divorce papers. But treacherous Judah, her sister, wasn’t afraid. She also acted like a prostitute.
- 2 Chronicles 21:4After Jehoram had taken over his father’s kingdom, he strengthened his position and then executed all his brothers and some of the officials of Israel.
- Genesis 4:10The Lord asked, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground.
- Genesis 42:21They said to each other, “We’re surely being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw how troubled he was when he pleaded with us for mercy, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in trouble now.”
- Judges 9:56So God paid back Abimelech for the evil he had done to his father when he killed his 70 brothers.
- 1 Kings 2:31The king answered, “Do as he said. Kill him, and bury him. You can remove the innocent blood—the blood which Joab shed—from me and my father’s family.
- Isaiah 26:21The Lord is going to come out from his dwelling place to punish those who live on earth for their sins. The earth will uncover the blood shed on it and will no longer cover up its dead bodies.
- Habakkuk 2:12“ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who builds a city by slaughter and founds a town by crime.’
- 1 John 3:12Don’t be like Cain. He was a child of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain murder his brother? Because the things Cain did were evil and the things his brother did had God’s approval.
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 21:13
- 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 21:13
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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