2 Chronicles 21 4

2 Chronicles 21:4 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.

2 Chronicles 21:4 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.

2 Chronicles 21:4 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.

2 Chronicles 21:4 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.

2 Chronicles 21:4 nlt

But when Jehoram had become solidly established as king, he killed all his brothers and some of the other leaders of Judah.

2 Chronicles 21 verses

2 Chronicles 21 4 Meaning

This verse details King Jehoram's initial act upon consolidating power in Judah: the violent execution of his brothers and other key leaders. This was a ruthless purge designed to eliminate potential rivals and secure his reign, starkly indicating his wicked character from the outset, contrasting sharply with his righteous father, Jehoshaphat.

2 Chronicles 21 4 Context

Chapter 21 of 2 Chronicles details the reign of Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, King of Judah. Immediately following his righteous father's peaceful and prosperous rule (Ch 17-20), Jehoram ascends the throne, yet deviates entirely from his father's godly example. The previous chapter described God's deliverance of Judah under Jehoshaphat's faith. This verse, 21:4, marks a drastic turn, showing Jehoram's early wickedness and establishment of a brutal and tyrannical rule. This act of violence sets the tone for his entire reign, explaining the divine judgment and various calamities that follow, including revolts, plunder, disease, and a disgraceful death, as outlined in the rest of the chapter. Historically, the purge reflects the instability and brutality often seen in ancient Near Eastern royal successions, where rivals, especially siblings, were frequently eliminated. The Chronicler emphasizes this act to highlight Jehoram's deliberate wickedness and the breaking of the Davidic covenant's righteous principles.

2 Chronicles 21 4 Word analysis

• Now when Jehoram (וַיִּתְחַזֵּק יְהוֹרָם):
  • Jehoram (יְהוֹרָם, Yehoram): Means "Yahweh is exalted" or "Yahweh is high." This name is ironic given his wicked actions, as his life demonstrated no exaltation of God but rather self-exaltation. He was Jehoshaphat's oldest son and heir.
• had taken over the kingdom (חֲזַק עַל הַמַּמְלָכָה, chazaq al hammamlachah):
  • Chazaq (חֲזַק): Hebrew root meaning "to be strong," "to be firm," "to strengthen." Here, the hiphil stem indicates an active strengthening. It signifies not just taking power but forcefully asserting his authority and position. This was a deliberate consolidation, often involving the removal of any potential threats.
• and had established himself (וַיִּתְחַזֵּק, vayitchazzeq):
  • This repeats the root chazaq but in the hithpael (reflexive) stem, "he strengthened himself." The repetition emphasizes the deliberate, forceful, and self-serving nature of his power grab. It underlines a conscious choice to establish an unchallengeable, authoritarian rule through his own strength, rather than relying on or submitting to divine guidance, contrasting sharply with his father's approach.
• he killed (וַיַּהֲרֹג, vayyaharog):
  • Hārāg (הָרַג): Common Hebrew verb meaning "to kill," "to slay," "to murder." It leaves no doubt about the nature of his act: a violent execution. The Qal stem indicates a direct and completed action.
• all his brothers (אֶת-כָּל-אֶחָיו, et-kol-echav):
  • Kol (כָּל): "All," "every." The term "all" is absolute and emphasizes the totality of the purge. 2 Chr 21:2 names his six younger brothers. This was a systemic elimination of any legitimate alternative claimants to the throne, ensuring his unchallenged succession, a common ruthless practice in the ancient Near East.
  • This action directly violated the familial bonds and the Mosaic law's sanctity of life.
• with the sword (בַּחֶרֶב, bacherev):
  • Cherev (חֶרֶב): "Sword." This specifies the instrument, signifying a direct, violent, and likely public execution. It underscores the brutal nature of his power consolidation, a display of force rather than divine sanction or peaceful transition.
• and also some of the princes of Israel (וְגַם מִשָּׂרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, vegam misarei Yisrael):
  • Śārê (שָׂרֵי): "Princes," "officials," "chiefs." This refers to key governmental or societal leaders within Judah, not necessarily from the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
  • This indicates a wider purge beyond his family, suggesting that he also eliminated any influential figures who might oppose his wicked reign or hold different political views. It illustrates his paranoia and desire for absolute, unchecked control, eradicating both dynastic and political threats.

2 Chronicles 21 4 Bonus section

The Chronicler, writing for the post-exilic community, emphasizes retribution theology—that immediate and direct consequences follow righteous or wicked behavior, especially for kings. Jehoram's heinous act of killing his brothers, explicitly mentioned by Elijah in the prophetic letter (2 Chr 21:13), serves as the clear starting point and justification for all the calamities that subsequently befall him and Judah. This severe domestic violence within the Davidic lineage underscores the degree of Jehoram's moral depravity and his complete break from the covenant. His actions here align more closely with wicked northern kings like Omri or Ahab, whose daughter, Athaliah, Jehoram married (2 Chr 21:6), rather than his own father, Jehoshaphat, who sought to implement justice throughout the land. This set the stage for later extreme acts of royal violence, such as Athaliah's subsequent massacre of the remaining royal seed (2 Chr 22:10), indicating a recurring pattern of bloodlust within the royal house once unrighteousness took root.

2 Chronicles 21 4 Commentary

2 Chronicles 21:4 presents the chilling prelude to Jehoram's unrighteous reign, marking a swift descent from his father Jehoshaphat's godly legacy. His brutal act of consolidating power by murdering his own brothers and eliminating key leaders reveals a heart set on self-preservation and tyranny from the very beginning. This ruthlessness sets the trajectory for his rule, which will be characterized by idolatry, rebellion against God's ways, and subsequent divine judgment, including disease, national revolt, and a inglorious death, as described later in the chapter. The Chronicler emphasizes this bloody purge to underline Jehoram's profound wickedness and the severe consequences that follow such deliberate defiance of God's covenant and law, illustrating the principle that evil actions sow the seeds for their own bitter harvest.Examples:

• A ruler's immediate, violent crackdown on perceived rivals instead of fostering unity and trust.
• The pursuit of power through unethical means leading to future instability or personal ruin.
• Ignoring moral boundaries for personal gain.