2 Kings 8:16 kjv
And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.
2 Kings 8:16 nkjv
Now in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoshaphat having been king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat began to reign as king of Judah.
2 Kings 8:16 niv
In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah.
2 Kings 8:16 esv
In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, began to reign.
2 Kings 8:16 nlt
Jehoram son of King Jehoshaphat of Judah began to rule over Judah in the fifth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab, king of Israel.
2 Kings 8 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 15:25 | Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year... | Example of a similar chronological synchronism |
| 1 Kgs 22:41-43 | Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah... He walked in all the way of Asa... | Jehoshaphat's good reign |
| 1 Kgs 22:49 | Jehoshaphat built large merchant ships... to go to Ophir for gold... | Further detail on Jehoshaphat's reign |
| 2 Kgs 1:17 | ...Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel... | Accession of Joram (Israel) to throne |
| 2 Kgs 3:1 | Now Joram the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat... | Accession of Joram (Israel) |
| 2 Kgs 8:17 | Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years... | Full reign of Jehoram (Judah) detailed |
| 2 Kgs 8:18 | He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab... | Jehoram (Judah)'s wickedness revealed |
| 2 Kgs 8:19 | Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David... | God's covenant with David upheld despite sin |
| 2 Chr 17:3-6 | The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David... | Jehoshaphat's righteousness |
| 2 Chr 18:1 | Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab. | Unwise alliance leading to future problems |
| 2 Chr 20:31-34 | Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old... | Summary of Jehoshaphat's good rule |
| 2 Chr 21:1 | And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers... and Jehoram his son reigned in his place. | Succession after Jehoshaphat's death |
| 2 Chr 21:5-6 | Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years... He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel... | Jehoram (Judah)'s reign confirmed |
| 2 Chr 21:7 | However, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant... | God's faithfulness to Davidic covenant |
| Prov 27:23 | Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds... | Implied responsibility of rulers for their kingdom, relevant to how Kings are presented |
| Deut 17:15-20 | You may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses... | Principles for Israelite kingship |
| Jer 33:17-21 | For thus says the LORD: 'David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel... | Promise of perpetual Davidic lineage |
| Isa 9:6-7 | For to us a child is born, to us a son is given... Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end... | Fulfillment of Davidic covenant in Messiah |
| Luke 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High... he will reign over the house of Jacob forever... | Christ as the ultimate Davidic King |
| Matt 1:8 | ...Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram... | Jehoram (Judah) in Christ's genealogy |
2 Kings 8 verses
2 Kings 8 16 Meaning
2 Kings 8:16 serves as a chronological anchor, precisely dating the commencement of Jehoram's (of Judah) co-regency with his father Jehoshaphat, by synchronizing it with the reign of Joram (son of Ahab) in Israel. This verse carefully distinguishes between the two kings named Jehoram/Joram, who ruled concurrently, by clearly stating their parentage and kingdom.
2 Kings 8 16 Context
This verse is situated within the Deuteronomistic History, specifically the Books of Kings, which chronicle the history of Israel and Judah's monarchies. The primary literary function of 2 Kings 8:16 is to provide a precise chronological synchronism between the reigns of the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah). The constant linking of the two royal lines through concurrent reign dates is a characteristic feature of Kings, designed to provide a cohesive historical account despite the political division.
Historically, co-regencies were common in the ancient Near East, serving to ensure a smooth transition of power, provide a successor with administrative experience, or allow an ailing elder king to delegate responsibilities. The mention that "Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah" when his son Jehoram "began to reign" strongly indicates such a co-regency. This also clarifies potential discrepancies in total reign years when added up without accounting for overlaps. The marriage alliance between Jehoram of Judah (son of Jehoshaphat) and Athaliah (daughter of Ahab and Jezebel) is a crucial background element that intertwined the royal houses of Judah and Israel, despite their different spiritual and political paths. This verse chronologically introduces Jehoram, whose reign would prove to be a dark period for Judah due to his allegiance to the wicked ways of Ahab's house.
2 Kings 8 16 Word analysis
- In the fifth year: A specific numerical chronological marker. This detail is crucial for the Deuteronomistic Historian's method of providing precise synchronisms between the Northern and Southern Kingdoms' reigns, essential for constructing a cohesive timeline.
- Joram: יוֹרָם (Yoram) or יְהוֹרָם (Yehoram). Both forms mean "Yahweh is exalted" or "Yahweh has risen." This is Joram, king of Israel, the son of Ahab. His reign is a continuation of the Omride dynasty's wickedness, though not always as blatant as Ahab's. He ascended the throne in Samaria.
- the son of Ahab: This clear designation differentiates this Joram from the other king of the same name (Jehoram of Judah). Ahab was Israel's most notorious idolatrous king, heavily promoting Baal worship, and his family line brought great wickedness to Israel and even influenced Judah.
- king of Israel: Denotes the Northern Kingdom, the ten tribes that seceded from the Davidic monarchy after Solomon. Its kings are consistently assessed negatively by the biblical writers due to their adherence to Jeroboam's golden calf cult and later, Baal worship.
- Jehoshaphat: יְהוֹשָׁפָט (Yehoshaphat), meaning "Yahweh has judged" or "Yahweh has decided." He was a righteous king of Judah, generally praised for walking in the ways of his ancestor David, though criticized for his alliance with the house of Ahab (1 Kgs 22:44; 2 Chr 19:2).
- being then king of Judah: This phrase indicates that Jehoshaphat was still reigning at the time his son Jehoram began to rule, confirming a co-regency. This was not unusual and served practical purposes in royal successions.
- Jehoram: יְהוֹרָם (Yehoram). This is the son of Jehoshaphat and the king of Judah, the Southern Kingdom. The same name as the king of Israel, necessitating the additional descriptors for clarity in biblical texts. This Jehoram would later marry Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, a disastrous union for Judah.
- the son of Jehoshaphat: This identifies the specific "Jehoram" in question, the heir to the Davidic throne in Jerusalem, ensuring no confusion with Joram of Israel. His lineage links him to the promises made to David.
- king of Judah: Denotes the Southern Kingdom, comprising the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, which maintained the Davidic dynasty and the Jerusalem Temple as the central place of worship (at least ideally).
- began to reign: This marks the official commencement of Jehoram of Judah's time on the throne, likely signifying the start of his co-regency with his father Jehoshaphat, as discussed in context. His full independent reign started upon his father's death (2 Kgs 8:17).
2 Kings 8 16 Bonus section
- The naming convention "Joram/Jehoram" (both variants of the same name meaning "Yahweh is exalted") for two simultaneous kings, one in Israel and one in Judah, frequently leads to confusion for readers unfamiliar with biblical chronology. The Bible intentionally uses full parentage and kingdom affiliation to distinguish them.
- The concept of co-regency helps resolve some chronological difficulties and overlaps found in the dating of Israelite and Judahite kings when compared with extra-biblical sources or calculated purely on sequential reigns without overlaps. The "began to reign" while the father "was still king" is the key indicator of such a system.
- The synchronism provided in this verse underscores the unified history perspective of the Books of Kings. Despite being politically divided, the biblical narrative continually treats Israel and Judah as intertwined entities under God's overarching providence, judging their kings against common divine standards.
2 Kings 8 16 Commentary
2 Kings 8:16, while seemingly a simple chronological note, holds significant import for the narrative of the divided monarchy. It anchors the start of Jehoram of Judah's reign in synchrony with Joram of Israel, two kings sharing essentially the same name, a detail crucial for avoiding confusion and for the Deuteronomistic historian's meticulous chronological framework. The verse confirms a co-regency between Jehoshaphat and his son Jehoram in Judah. This was a common practice that facilitated smooth power transitions and ensured experienced leadership, especially with older kings like Jehoshaphat who had reigned for a long period (25 years, according to 1 Kings 22:42).
More subtly, this chronological precise timing introduces Jehoram of Judah. Although this verse itself is neutral, the subsequent verses (2 Kgs 8:18-19) immediately expose his spiritual decline, as he walked "in the ways of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab." This prefigures the devastating impact of the previous generation's alliance (Jehoshaphat's alliance with Ahab in 1 Kings 22), particularly through Jehoram's marriage to Athaliah, Ahab's daughter. Thus, this seemingly dry historical note subtly sets the stage for a period of moral corruption within the Davidic line in Judah, highlighting the lasting consequences of ungodly alliances and the ever-present tension between the divine covenant promises and human failing.