2 Chronicles 21 10

2 Chronicles 21:10 kjv

So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.

2 Chronicles 21:10 nkjv

Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judah's authority to this day. At that time Libnah revolted against his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.

2 Chronicles 21:10 niv

To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah. Libnah revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the LORD, the God of his ancestors.

2 Chronicles 21:10 esv

So Edom revolted from the rule of Judah to this day. At that time Libnah also revolted from his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers.

2 Chronicles 21:10 nlt

Even so, Edom has been independent from Judah to this day. The town of Libnah also revolted about that same time. All this happened because Jehoram had abandoned the LORD, the God of his ancestors.

2 Chronicles 21 verses

2 Chronicles 21 10 Meaning

2 Chronicles 21:10 records a significant consequence of King Jehoram's wickedness: Edom's permanent revolt from Judah's control and the concurrent internal rebellion of Libnah. These events are explicitly presented as direct judgments because Jehoram had deliberately abandoned the covenant God whom his ancestors worshipped, highlighting the dire impact of a king's spiritual apostasy on his nation's stability and territorial integrity.

2 Chronicles 21 10 Context

This verse immediately follows a description of King Jehoram of Judah's utterly wicked reign, marked by the murder of his own brothers and key officials (2 Chr 21:4), and his adoption of the idolatrous practices of the northern kingdom's kings (2 Chr 21:6). His marriage to Athaliah, daughter of King Ahab, profoundly influenced him towards apostasy. The revolts of Edom and Libnah are presented as the initial and very direct consequences of his unfaithfulness and are specifically attributed to his abandonment of the LORD. They mark the beginning of God's escalating judgment on Jehoram, which continues throughout the rest of chapter 21, including a severe letter from Elijah, a plague, and his ultimate painful death. The Chronicler emphasizes that Jehoram's personal sins directly led to the national downfall, demonstrating God's sovereign hand in the political and social outcomes for the kingdom based on the king's fidelity to the covenant.

2 Chronicles 21 10 Word analysis

• So: This transitional word (Hebrew, waw) connects the consequences directly to the preceding actions, signifying a causal link. It highlights that the events of revolts are not mere political occurrences but divine judgments.
• Edom: (Hebrew: ’Edowm, אֱדוֹם). Refers to the descendants of Esau, brother of Jacob. They were a perennial rival and enemy of Israel and Judah, living to their southeast. Subjugated by David, Edom's revolt here signifies a significant loss of tributary control and regional influence for Judah.
• revolted: (Hebrew: pāsha‘, פָּשַׁע). This strong verb means "to rebel," "to transgress," or "to revolt." It implies a breaking of alliance, a transgression against a rightful authority. Its use emphasizes the moral and covenantal dimension of the political act.
• from under the hand of: (Hebrew: mittaḥat yad, מִתַּחַת יַד). This is an idiomatic expression denoting a release from control, dominion, or subjugation. It illustrates Judah's diminished power and Edom's newfound independence.
• Judah: The southern kingdom, the spiritual lineage through David, but now led astray by Jehoram.
• unto this day: (Hebrew: ‘ad hay-yōm haz-zeh, עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה). A common biblical phrase indicating that a described condition or event had lasting significance and continued up to the time of the Chronicler's writing. It stresses the permanence of Edom's freedom from Judah's direct control.
• At the same time also: Indicates synchronicity and parallel judgment. The external revolt (Edom) is immediately coupled with an internal defection.
• Libnah: (Hebrew: Libnāh, לִבְנָה). A city in the Shephelah (foothills) of Judah, a Levitical city, mentioned in Joshua as a royal city (Josh 10:29). Its defection signals a deeper crisis: loss of allegiance from a key internal city, perhaps due to discontent with Jehoram’s ungodly reign, or loss of divine protection.
• his hand: Refers specifically to King Jehoram. The directness links the consequence to his personal actions and loss of kingly authority.
• because he had forsaken: (Hebrew: ‘āzav, עָזַב). The definitive reason for the calamities. ‘Azav means to "abandon," "desert," or "leave." It's a deliberate and profound turning away, not a passive error. This clause is key to the Chronicler's theology, attributing national decline to royal apostasy.
• the LORD God of his fathers: (Hebrew: Yahweh Elohim, יהוה אֱלֹהִים). Emphasizes Jehoram's abandonment of the specific covenant God (Yahweh) known to and worshipped by his faithful predecessors (e.g., David, Solomon, Jehoshaphat). This adds culpability, as he rejected a revealed, personal God with whom his lineage had a covenant relationship.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah": This phrase depicts a geopolitical power shift and loss of dominion for Judah, signifying divine withdrawal of support for Jehoram’s rule.
  • "At the same time also Libnah revolted from under his hand": This parallel statement underscores the immediate and widespread nature of the judgment, showing internal fragmentation mirroring external loss. The kingdom suffered both geographically and politically due to the king's actions.
  • "because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers": This causal clause is the theological core of the verse. It attributes the specific national disasters (external revolt and internal defection) directly to Jehoram's religious apostasy. The Chronicler presents history as divinely governed, with consequences directly tied to obedience or disobedience.

2 Chronicles 21 10 Bonus section

The repeated phrase "unto this day" in Chronicles underscores the Chronicler's perspective on history, presenting these events as having long-lasting repercussions beyond the immediate king's reign. It served as a historical memory for the post-exilic audience, reinforcing the concept that God's judgments (and blessings) have enduring effects. This narrative of Jehoram also implicitly contrasts his reign with his father Jehoshaphat, who, despite some failings, generally sought the LORD and experienced prosperity and victory. The clear deterioration under Jehoram, immediately following a generally faithful king, emphasizes the individual responsibility of each ruler before God.

2 Chronicles 21 10 Commentary

2 Chronicles 21:10 vividly illustrates the Chronicler's consistent theological message: the prosperity and security of Judah (and its kings) were directly contingent upon their fidelity to the LORD. Jehoram’s reign, marked by an unprecedented level of wickedness (murder and adoption of northern kingdom idolatry, especially through the influence of Athaliah, Ahab’s daughter), reaped severe judgment. The revolts of Edom, a long-standing subordinate territory, and particularly Libnah, a city within Judah itself, are portrayed not as random political instabilities but as divinely orchestrated consequences of Jehoram’s active "forsaking" of the LORD God of his fathers. This verse serves as a potent warning that rejecting God leads to internal and external disintegration, showing that God's covenant loyalty extends to upholding His standards, even if it means weakening the human monarchy to demonstrate divine justice.