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

2And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn. 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. 5Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of Yhwh.

2 Chronicles 21:4 word by word

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

• 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 21:17And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
• 2 Chronicles 22:8And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.
• Genesis 4:8And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
• Judges 9:5And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
• 1 John 3:12Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

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