2 Chronicles 21:4

2 Chronicles 21:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When Jehoram had ascended the throne of his father and was established, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now when Jehoram was established over the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself and killed all his brothers with the sword, and also others of the princes of Israel.

Context of 2 Chronicles 21:4

2He had the following brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah. All were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel. 3Their father gave them many gifts: silver, gold, and other expensive things, along with fortified cities in Judah. But Jehoshaphat gave the kingdom to Jehoram, who was the firstborn. After 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. 5Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king, and he ruled for 8 years in Jerusalem. 6He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as Ahab’s family had done, because his wife was Ahab’s daughter. So he did what the Lord considered evil.

2 Chronicles 21:4 word by word

וַיָּ֨קָם יְהוֹרָ֜ם עַל־מַמְלֶ֤כַת אָבִיו֙ וַיִּתְחַזַּ֔ק וַיַּהֲרֹ֥ג אֶת־כָּל־אֶחָ֖יו בֶּחָ֑רֶב וְגַ֖ם מִשָּׂרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now when Jehoramיְהוֹרָםyehôrâm · JehoramH3088
• was risen upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• to the kingdomמַמְלָכָהmamlâkâh · kingdomH4467
• of his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• he strengthenedחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: strengthenH2388
• himself, and slewהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• all his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• with the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• also of the princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 21:4

• 2 Chronicles 21:17They fought against Judah, broke into the country, and took away everything that could be found in the royal palace. They even took Jehoram’s sons and wives. The only son left was Ahaziah, Jehoram’s youngest son.
• 2 Chronicles 22:8When Jehu was executing judgment on Ahab’s family, he found Judah’s leaders (Ahaziah’s nephews) who were serving Ahaziah, and he killed them.
• Genesis 4:8Cain talked to his brother Abel. Later, when they were in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
• Judges 9:5Then he went to his father’s home in Ophrah. There he executed his 70 brothers, Jerubbaal’s sons. But Jotham, Jerubbaal’s youngest son, survived because he hid.
• 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 21:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Slew all his brethren - What a truly diabolic thing is the lust of power! it destroys all the charities of life, and renders those who are under its influence the truest resemblants of the arch fiend. That he might sit the more secure upon his throne, this execrable man imbrues his hands in the blood of his own brothers! There are more instances of this species of cruelty among bad Asiatic kings than among any other class of men. The history of every…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The execution of several “princes of Israel” (i. e. of Judah; see 2 Chronicles 20:34 note) implies that Jehoram‘s brothers found supporters among the chief men of the country, and that Jehoram‘s sole sovereignty was not established without a struggle.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-7Jehoram, whose wife was Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Chronicles 18:1; 21:6; 22:2), was the first king from David's line to receive a completely negative evaluation. His murders (2 Chronicles 21:4) seriously threatened the dynasty's survival, which was only preserved because of the Lord's loyal faithfulness to David (21:7). On three other occasions, violence against the royal family nearly ended the dynasty (see 2 Chronicles 21:17; 22:8–9…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-42Ch 21:1-4. Jehoram Succeeds Jehoshaphat. 1-4. Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers ... Jehoram ... reigned--The late king left seven sons; two of them are in our version named Azariah; but in the Hebrew they appear considerably different, the one being spelt "Azariah," and the other "Azariahu." Though Jehoshaphat had made his family arrangements with prudent precaution, and while he divided the functions of royalty in his lifetime (compare 2Ki 8:16), as…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Chronicles 21:4

• Fratricide
• Homicide
• Jehoram
• King
• Michael

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Jehoram
• Jehoram; Joram
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Fornication
• Jehoash
• Michael
• Revolt
• Athaliah

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