Who is…
Jehoram
Meaning: Jehovah-exalted
This is the name of 5 Biblical men of the Old Testament period.
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King Jehoram, ruler of Kingdom of Israel
He is the son of the infamously wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, and successor to his brother Ahaziah on the throne of the Kingdom of Israel.
He reigned 12 years, 896-884 BC (2 Kings 1:17; 3:1). His first work was to reduce to subjection the Moabites, who had asserted their independence in the reign of his brother. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (Judea), assisted Jehoram in this effort. He was further helped by his ally the king of Edom.
Elisha went forth with the confederated army (2 Kings 3:1-19), and at the solicitation of King Jehoshaphat encouraged the army with the assurance from the Lord of a speedy victory.
The Moabites under Mesha their king were utterly routed and their cities destroyed. At Kir-haraseth Mesha made a final stand. The Israelites refrained from pressing their victory further, and returned to their own land.
Elisha afterwards again befriended Jehoram when a war broke out between the Syrians and Israel, and in a remarkable way brought that war to a bloodless close (2 Kings 6:23).
But Jehoram, becoming confident in his own power, sank into idolatry, and brought upon himself and his land another Syrian invasion, which led to great suffering and distress in Samaria (2 Kings 6:24-33). By a remarkable providential interposition the city was saved from utter destruction, and the Syrians were put to flight (2 Kings 7:6-15).
Jehoram was wounded in a battle with the Syrians at Ramah, and obliged to return to Jezreel (2 Kings 8:29; 9:14-15), and soon after the army proclaimed their leader Jehu king of Israel, and revolted from their allegiance to Jehoram (2 Kings 9).
Jehoram was pierced by an arrow from Jehu's bow on the piece of ground at Jezreel which Ahab had taken from Naboth, and there he died (2 Kings 9:21-29).
Relatives of Israel’s King Jehoram
More information
- What is The Kingdom of Israel?
- What is Moab?
- Who are the Moabites?
- About idolatry and false gods in the Bible
- About idols in the Bible
- About the KINGS in the Bible
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Jehoram, King of Judah
also known as: Joram
This is the eldest son and successor of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. His reign overlapped with a different Jehoram who was king of Israel (Ahab’s son).
His life is recorded in 2 Kings 8:16-24 and 2 Chronicles 21:1-20.
He reigned 8 years (892-885 BC) alone as king of Judah, having been previously for some years associated with his father (2 Chronicles 21:5; 21:20; 2 Kings 8:16).
His wife was Athaliah, the daughter of wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.
His daughter Jehosheba was married to the high priest Jehoiada.
He sank into gross idolatry, following the idolatrous practices of the northern kingdom, and brought upon himself and his kingdom the anger of Yahweh.
After he became king, he killed all his brothers to eliminate rivals. Their father had given them gifts and charge of fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the throne to Jehoram as the firstborn. Once Jehoram’s position was secure, “he strengthened himself and killed all his brothers with the sword, and also others of the princes of Israel.”
A letter attributed to Elijah condemned him specifically for murdering his brothers, “who were better than” he was. Judgment followed: raids that took his possessions, wives, and sons (except the youngest, Ahaziah), then a fatal intestinal disease. He died unmourned and was not buried in the tombs of the kings.
The Edomites revolted from under his yoke, and the Philistines and the Arabians and Cushites invaded the land, and carried away great spoil, along with Jehoram’s wives and all his children, except Ahaziah.
He died a painful death from a fearful malady, and was refused a place in the sepulchre of the kings (2 Kings 8:16-24; 2 Chronicles 21).
Relatives of Judah’s King Jehoram
- Father: King Jehoshaphat
- Brothers:
—Azariah
—Jehiel
—Zechariah
—Azariah, aka Azariahu and Azaryahu. —Why two sons with essentially the same name? The most straightforward explanations are:
The name was very popular and pious. Jehoshaphat may simply have given two sons the same thanksgiving name after two different times he felt God had helped him. In everyday life they would have been told apart by extra labels (“Azariah the younger,” “Azariah son of [this wife],” etc.). The Chronicler did not bother recording those extra details. Repeating a favored family name was not unheard of, and Azariah appears dozens of times in the Old Testament for different people.
—Michael
—Shephatiah - Wives: Athaliah—daughter of Ahab and Jezebel
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Prince Jehoram
His is a son of Toi, king of Hamath, sent by his father to congratulate David on the occasion of his victory over Hadadezer (2 Samuel 8:10).
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Jehoram the Levite
He is of the family of Gershom (1 Chronicles 26:25).
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Jehoram, the priest
He was sent by King Jehoshaphat to instruct the people in the Kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 17:8).