Never surely did any kingdom change its king so much for the worse as Judah did, when Jehoram, one of the vilest, succeeded Jehoshaphat, one of the best. Thus were they punished for not making a better use of Jehoshaphat's good government, and their disaffectedness (or coldness at least) to his reformation, ch. xx. 33. Those that knew not now to value a good king are justly plagued with a bad one. Here is, I. Jehoram's elevation to the throne, ver. 1-3. II. The wicked course he took to establish himself in it, by the murder of his brethren, ver. 4. III. The idolatries and other wickedness he was guilty of, ver. 5, 6, 11. IV. The prophecy of Elijah against him, ver. 12-15. V. The judgments of God upon him, in the revolt of his subjects from him (ver. 8-10) and the success of his enemies against him, ver. 16, 17. VI. His miserable sickness and inglorious exit, ver. 18-20. VII. The preservation of the house of David notwithstanding, ver. 7.
Jehoram's Wicked Reign. (b. c. 889.)