2 Chronicles 21 20

2 Chronicles 21:20 kjv

Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

2 Chronicles 21:20 nkjv

He was thirty-two years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and, to no one's sorrow, departed. However they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 21:20 niv

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one's regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 21:20 esv

He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 21:20 nlt

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. No one was sorry when he died. They buried him in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery.

2 Chronicles 21 verses

2 Chronicles 21 20 Meaning

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. Upon his death, there was no public mourning or regret for him, signifying a deeply unpopular and unsuccessful reign. He was buried in the City of David, the traditional burial ground for Judah's kings, but notably, he was excluded from the prestigious royal tombs reserved for honored monarchs, reflecting a judgment of dishonor on his legacy due to his wickedness and rebellion against the Lord.

2 Chronicles 21 20 Context

This verse serves as the grim epitaph and summation of King Jehoram's reign, marking the end of a particularly dark period in Judah's history. It is directly preceded by accounts of Jehoram's suffering from a divinely inflicted incurable disease, which culminated in his agonizing death (2 Chr 21:18-19). The chapter recounts how Jehoram, influenced by his wicked wife Athaliah (daughter of Ahab), forsook the ways of his righteous father Jehoshaphat and grandfather Asa. His reign began with fratricide, murdering all his brothers (2 Chr 21:4), and continued with a deliberate effort to lead Judah and Jerusalem into idolatry by erecting high places (2 Chr 21:11). The prophet Elijah even sent him a letter prophesying the severe consequences of his actions, including a great plague upon his people, family, possessions, and an incurable disease for himself (2 Chr 21:12-15). Therefore, 2 Chronicles 21:20 chronicles the final, public demonstration of God's judgment against a deeply unrighteous king, contrasting his disgraced end with the honored burials typically accorded to Judean monarchs who walked in the Lord's ways.

2 Chronicles 21 20 Word analysis

• Jehoram: יְהוֹרָם (Yehôram). A theophoric name meaning "Yahweh is exalted" or "Yahweh is high." Ironically, his actions entirely contradicted the meaning of his name, as he debased God and led his people away from Him. The chronicler frequently highlights the disjunction between names and deeds.

• was thirty-two years old: Indicates the relatively young age at which he ascended the throne, suggesting a potential for a longer, more impactful reign, which instead became one of brief destruction.

• reigned for eight years: A remarkably short reign for a king of Judah, especially when compared to his father Jehoshaphat (25 years) or grandfather Asa (41 years), underscoring the swiftness of divine judgment. The brevity is another marker of his ungodly rule and its end.

• in Jerusalem: The capital and the spiritual center, yet he corrupted it profoundly, desecrating the place meant for the worship of the one true God.

• and he departed: This phrase, typically a softened euphemism for death ("he slept with his fathers"), takes on a starker tone here.

• with no one's regret: לְלֹא חֶמְדָּה (lᵉlo chemdah). Literally "without desire" or "without pleasure." This is a crucial phrase. It means he was not missed, desired, or mourned by the people. This is a severe indictment for a king, showing how despised he was due to his oppression and idolatry. It signifies utter unpopularity and the public's relief at his passing. This contrasts sharply with the deep mourning for good kings like David (1 Ki 2:10) or Josiah (2 Chr 35:24).

• and they buried him in the city of David: The traditional burial place for the Davidic kings. This signifies that despite his wickedness, he still received a royal burial in the established family necropolis, recognizing his legitimate succession.

• but not in the tombs of the kings: This is the culmination of his ignominious end and the central point of the verse's judgment. The "tombs of the kings" (קִבְרוֹת הַמְּלָכִים, qivrot hammelakim) were specifically designated, more prestigious sepulchers within the City of David for those considered truly honorable or righteous rulers. His exclusion was a public mark of dishonor, denying him the prestigious memorial reserved for those whose reigns were deemed beneficial and pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. It signifies historical and divine judgment, an eternal stain on his legacy. This differentiates him even from other buried kings in the "City of David."

• "he departed with no one's regret, and they buried him...but not in the tombs of the kings": This entire clause is a powerful statement of Jehoram's catastrophic failure as a king, especially in God's eyes. It summarizes his complete disgrace: unmourned by his subjects and dishonored in his burial. This double emphasis on disfavor marks the depth of divine condemnation against him. The absence of regret and exclusion from the proper royal burial are directly linked to his extensive wickedness documented in the preceding verses. It highlights that true royalty, in the Chronicler's theology, is defined not just by lineage or power, but by obedience and righteousness before God.

2 Chronicles 21 20 Bonus section

The account of Jehoram's death and burial fulfills parts of Elijah's prophecy (2 Chr 21:12-15). While the letter predicted "a great plague" on his people and family, and an "incurable disease" on him, the nature of his death—unmourned and dishonored—is the societal reflection of that divine judgment. The detail about his exclusion from the royal tombs is a specific marker of God's judicial decree through historical consequence, highlighting the Davidic covenant's conditions. It emphasizes that royal privilege does not exempt one from divine reckoning for personal sin and leadership failures that affect an entire nation.

2 Chronicles 21 20 Commentary

2 Chronicles 21:20 delivers a powerful and concise verdict on the reign of King Jehoram, serving as a solemn theological statement on the consequences of rebellion against God. The brevity of his eight-year reign, contrasted with the prosperity often enjoyed by righteous kings, underscores God's swift judgment. The profound dishonor of "departing with no one's regret" signals that his subjects found him an oppressive and burdensome ruler, celebrating or feeling relief at his death. This sentiment stands in stark contrast to the deep lamentation reserved for revered kings who ruled righteously. Furthermore, his exclusion from the "tombs of the kings" in the City of David, while still buried within the royal complex, symbolizes the ultimate spiritual and historical rejection. This final, posthumous disgrace publicly affirmed that he forfeited the honorable legacy typically afforded to Judah's legitimate monarchs because he fundamentally violated his covenant responsibilities to God and his people. The verse is thus not merely a historical record but a moral and spiritual assessment, reinforcing the Chronicler's recurring theme that prosperity and honor are tied to faithfulness, and disaster and disgrace to apostasy.