2 Chronicles 21 9

2 Chronicles 21:9 kjv

Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.

2 Chronicles 21:9 nkjv

So Jehoram went out with his officers, and all his chariots with him. And he rose by night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots.

2 Chronicles 21:9 niv

So Jehoram went there with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night.

2 Chronicles 21:9 esv

Then Jehoram passed over with his commanders and all his chariots, and he rose by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders.

2 Chronicles 21:9 nlt

So Jehoram went out with his full army and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he went out at night and attacked them under cover of darkness.

2 Chronicles 21 verses

2 Chronicles 21 9 Meaning

2 Chronicles 21:9 describes how the long-subdued nation of Edom successfully rebelled against Judah's authority, maintaining its independence even up to the time of the chronicler's writing. Simultaneously, the Judahite city of Libnah also revolted. These rebellions represent clear manifestations of divine judgment and the deteriorating state of the kingdom under the exceedingly wicked King Jehoram.

2 Chronicles 21 9 Context

Chapter 21 of 2 Chronicles details the tragic and ungodly reign of Jehoram, son of the righteous King Jehoshaphat. Unlike his father, Jehoram adopted the wicked ways of the kings of Israel, largely due to his marriage to Athaliah, daughter of King Ahab and Jezebel. His reign began with horrific acts, including murdering all his brothers and some of the princes of Israel (2 Chr 21:4), plunging Judah into idolatry. The rebellions of Edom and Libnah recounted in this verse are presented as immediate divine judgments and visible signs of Jehoram's corrupt and failing leadership. They are not merely political events but direct consequences of the king's unfaithfulness to God, demonstrating the kingdom's rapid internal decay and external weakness under his unrighteous rule.

2 Chronicles 21 9 Word analysis

• So Edom: ’Ĕḏōwm (אֱדוֹם). Refers to the descendants of Esau, historically intertwined with and often antagonistic towards Israel. Edom had been subjugated by King David (2 Sam 8:14) and served Judah as a vassal state, providing a key trade route. Their rebellion signifies a significant loss of territorial control and influence for Judah, highlighting the diminishing strength of the kingdom.
• rebelled: pāšaʿ (פָּשַׁע). The Hebrew verb signifies a transgression, revolt, or an act of unfaithfulness. It implies breaking an existing allegiance, covenant, or agreement. In this context, it is not merely a political uprising but a violation of a sworn fealty to Judah, directly linking the political breakdown to moral and spiritual transgression on the part of Jehoram.
• against Judah’s authority: mittaḥaṯ yaḏ Yəhûḏâ (מִתַּחַת יַד יְהוּדָה). Literally translated as "from under the hand of Judah." This idiomatic phrase powerfully denotes a casting off of direct control, suzerainty, or submission. It emphasizes Judah's loss of military, political, and economic dominance over Edom.
• to this day: ‘aḏ hayyōwm hazzeh (עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה). A common historical marker used by the Chronicler (and Deuteronomistic historians) to indicate that the situation or outcome described persisted from Jehoram's reign up to the time the biblical account was written, implying a lasting consequence of Jehoram's sin and divine judgment on his kingdom.
• and Libnah rebelled: Liḇnâ pāšə‘â (וְלִבְנָה פָּשְׁעָה). Libnah was a strategic Levitical city in Judah itself, situated in the Shephelah. Its rebellion (using the same word pāšaʿ) signifies not just an external revolt but internal fracturing and disloyalty within Jehoram's own kingdom. This highlights the severity and pervasive nature of the judgment against his reign.
• at the same time: bā‘ēṯ hahhî’ ‘immāhem (בָּעֵת הַהִיא עִמָּהֶם). This phrase emphasizes the simultaneity of the two rebellions – Edom's external revolt and Libnah's internal one. Their concurrent occurrence underlines the immediate and widespread breakdown of Jehoram's control, a direct result of his flagrant disobedience and a clear sign of God's hand in orchestrating these consequences. The phrase confirms that both foreign vassals and internal cities were abandoning their allegiance due to the ungodliness and weakness emanating from the throne.

2 Chronicles 21 9 Bonus section

• The chronicler, consistent with his theological framework, highlights immediate and observable consequences for the sins of kings. Jehoram's murderous acts and promotion of idolatry swiftly lead to loss of territory and internal stability.
• The fact that Edom, long under Israelite/Judean dominion, successfully broke free after Jehoram's actions underscores the concept of spiritual strength influencing temporal power. As Jehoram moved further from God, his control over his kingdom waned.
• The inclusion of Libnah's internal rebellion points to the spiritual contamination within Judah itself. Jehoram's evil actions not only weakened his hand against external foes but also corrupted and fragmented the very people he ruled.
• The parallel account in 2 Kings 8:20-22 offers a similar report but without the chronicler's explicit moral condemnation woven into the narrative as directly connected judgment for the king's sin. The chronicler specifically frames these events as outcomes of Jehoram’s "walking in the ways of the kings of Israel."
• These rebellions were merely the initial physical consequences of Jehoram’s reign, foreshadowing greater devastations described later in the chapter, including attacks from Philistines and Arabs, and a fatal disease (2 Chr 21:16-19).

2 Chronicles 21 9 Commentary

2 Chronicles 21:9 presents a grim illustration of divine retribution for Jehoram's apostasy. The immediate consequence of his fratricide and widespread idolatry, following the way of Ahab, is the tangible disintegration of his kingdom. Edom's successful rebellion, having been under Judah's dominion since David, marks a significant geopolitical setback and fulfills an ancient prophecy for Esau’s descendants (Gen 27:40). More strikingly, the rebellion of Libnah, an internal Judahite city, reveals a severe crisis of internal trust and loyalty, further emphasizing the rot at the core of Jehoram's rule. The chronicler uses this dual revolt—external (Edom) and internal (Libnah)—to powerfully convey how a king's unfaithfulness directly impacts national stability and integrity. The phrase "to this day" underscores the enduring nature of these negative consequences, linking Jehoram's personal sins to lasting historical disadvantages for Judah. This serves as a warning that departure from God’s statutes inevitably leads to disorder and weakened national strength, illustrating God's sovereign hand in governing nations based on the obedience or disobedience of their leaders.