2 Chronicles 21 18

2 Chronicles 21:18 kjv

And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

2 Chronicles 21:18 nkjv

After all this the LORD struck him in his intestines with an incurable disease.

2 Chronicles 21:18 niv

After all this, the LORD afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels.

2 Chronicles 21:18 esv

And after all this the LORD struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

2 Chronicles 21:18 nlt

After all this, the LORD struck Jehoram with an incurable intestinal disease.

2 Chronicles 21 verses

2 Chronicles 21 18 Meaning

This verse details the beginning of divine judgment upon King Jehoram of Judah. Following a series of wicked acts including the murder of his brothers and leading Judah into idolatry, the Lord afflicted him with a severe, internally-manifested, and ultimately incurable disease of the bowels. It signifies God's direct retribution for Jehoram's unfaithfulness and defiance of His covenant.

2 Chronicles 21 18 Context

Chapter 21 of 2 Chronicles narrates the short, wicked reign of King Jehoram of Judah, son of Jehoshaphat. Jehoram ascended the throne after his righteous father but immediately began a course of action contrary to the Lord, largely influenced by his wife Athaliah, daughter of wicked King Ahab and Jezebel of Israel. His first act as king was to murder all his brothers to consolidate power (2 Chr 21:4). He then led Judah into idolatry, mimicking the ways of the kings of Israel (2 Chr 21:6). As a direct result of his egregious sinfulness, the prophet Elijah (likely posthumously, as the letter refers to past events, or prophetically before his rapture) sent a letter prophesying divine judgment: a severe plague on his people, family, property, and Jehoram himself an incurable bowel disease. Verse 18 is the commencement of this predicted judgment, marking God's direct intervention in Jehoram's life due to his unrelenting apostasy and cruelty. Historically, the kingdom of Judah was expected to live in obedience to the Mosaic Covenant, with blessings for faithfulness and curses (including disease and political instability) for disobedience, a pattern prominent in Deuteronomic theology. This verse perfectly illustrates the fulfillment of those covenantal curses upon a wicked monarch.

2 Chronicles 21 18 Word analysis

• After all this: This phrase connects the affliction directly to the preceding actions of Jehoram detailed in the chapter: his murder of his brothers, his walk in the ways of Ahab, and his leading Judah astray (2 Chr 21:4-6). It highlights a causal link between sin and judgment, signifying that God's judgment is a consequence, not arbitrary.
• the Lord: This refers to Yahweh (YHWH), the covenant God of Israel. Emphasizes that this affliction was not a random misfortune or a natural course of events, but a direct, deliberate act of divine agency and sovereign judgment.
• struck: The Hebrew verb is nagaph (נָגַף), which means "to smite," "to strike," or "to beat." It implies a forceful, decisive, and often punitive action by God. This word is often used in the context of a divine blow or plague. It is an act of judgment that causes harm.
• Jehoram: King of Judah. His name, Yehoram (יְהוֹרָם), means "YHWH is exalted" or "YHWH is high." This meaning stands in stark contrast to his ungodly life and humiliating demise, underscoring the irony of his chosen path versus his name's significance.
• with an incurable disease: The Hebrew for "incurable disease" is makhleh le-makhon (מַחֲלֵה לָא רְפוּאׇה in Aramaic text, but Hebrew context uses words indicating no cure, machaleh en merpa meaning "sickness of no healing"). Makhleh (מַחֲלֵה) refers to "sickness" or "illness." The phrase denotes a condition from which there is no recovery by human means, indicating the divine and definitive nature of the judgment. It was beyond the ability of any physician to heal.
• of his bowels: This specific detail is critical. "Bowels" (מֵעִים - me'im) refers to the internal organs, particularly the intestines. This internal affliction signifies a pervasive corruption, mirroring Jehoram's internal depravity. Furthermore, it points to a shameful, debilitating, and prolonged suffering (as detailed in v.19, "his intestines came out"). This deeply unpleasant and humiliating affliction was a fitting physical manifestation of his moral and spiritual putrefaction.

• "After all this the Lord struck Jehoram": This phrase group highlights the immediate and direct divine response to Jehoram's accumulated wickedness. "After all this" serves as a chronological marker but more significantly as a judgment predicate, affirming that his punishment was directly proportional to and a consequence of his many grievous sins. The "Lord" (YHWH) explicitly acting underscores God's active involvement in human affairs, especially in delivering justice for unrighteousness, demonstrating that no king, even God's anointed, is exempt from divine judgment for covenant disobedience.
• "an incurable disease of his bowels": This phrase details the specific nature of the divine judgment. The "incurable" aspect stresses the finality and gravity of God's verdict, removing any hope of recovery by human means, and highlighting its divine origin. The localization to the "bowels" emphasizes an internal, humiliating, and drawn-out suffering. In ancient Near Eastern thought, diseases of the bowels were particularly repulsive and dishonoring, correlating directly to the moral repulsion and dishonor of Jehoram's life and reign. This internal decay physically reflected the moral decay within him.

2 Chronicles 21 18 Bonus section

• The type of disease (internal, debilitating bowel disorder leading to the expulsion of intestines as per 2 Chr 21:19) suggests a most humiliating and agonizing end, starkly different from a king dying honorably in battle or peacefully in his bed. This detail underscores the depth of divine displeasure.
• The judgment on Jehoram, specified by Elijah in a letter (2 Chr 21:12-15), showcases the long reach of prophecy and its exact fulfillment. It implies that God’s warnings are serious and will be executed if ignored.
• Jehoram's end stands in contrast to his father Jehoshaphat, a generally righteous king, emphasizing the individual responsibility before God despite one's lineage. It also highlights the dangerous influence of his wife Athaliah, who tied him to the wicked house of Ahab.
• The text later records that Jehoram's death was unmourned, and he was not buried in the royal tombs, signifying complete rejection and dishonor even posthumously (2 Chr 21:20). This physical affliction was merely the beginning of his ignominious end.

2 Chronicles 21 18 Commentary

2 Chronicles 21:18 reveals a poignant moment of divine justice in the life of King Jehoram. It encapsulates the principle that unrepentant sin inevitably invites God's righteous judgment. The verse portrays God's direct hand in meting out retribution, not as an act of caprice, but as the fulfillment of prior warnings and a consequence for egregious apostasy and bloodshed. The "incurable disease of his bowels" was a precise and humiliating judgment, a fitting reflection of the inner corruption and moral sickness that characterized Jehoram's reign, leading him to shed innocent blood and promote idolatry. It served as a clear public demonstration of God's power and a stark reminder that even kings are accountable to the Lord of Hosts. This prolonged, debilitating suffering (leading to his intestines coming out in v.19) underscored the severity of his offenses and stood in stark contrast to the blessings promised for obedience. The account of Jehoram serves as a profound warning that persistence in sin leads to dire and often public consequences, demonstrating that while God is patient, He is also just.