horam began his reign by murdering all his brothers, a not uncommon
custom in those bloody days. He was completely under the influence of
his wife Athaliah, daughter of that evil house of Ahab and Jezebel,
from which no good ever came. He lost the kingdom of Edom which his
fathers had won, and died at last a miserable death, no one wishing
him to live any longer.)

Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat reigned in his stead. And he had
brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah,
and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of
Jehoshaphat king of Israel. And their father gave them great gifts, of
silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in
Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the
firstborn. Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his
father, and had strengthened himself, he slew all his brethren with
the sword, and others also of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was
thirty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight
years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel,
as did the house of Ahab: for his wife was the daughter of Ahab: and
he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David, {267} because
of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to
give a lamp to him and to his children alway. In his days Edom
revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over
themselves. Then Jehoram passed over with his captains, and all his
chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites
which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots. So Edom
revolted from under the hand of Judah, unto this day: then did Libnah
revolt at the same time from under his hand: because he had forsaken
the Lord, the God of his fathers. Moreover he made high places in the
mountains of Judah, and led Judah astray. And there came a writing to
him from Elijah the prophet, saying, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of
David thy father, 'Because thou hast not walked in the ways of
Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah; but hast
walked in the way of the kings of Israel; and also hast slain thy
brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself:
behold, the Lord will smite with a great plague thy people, and thy
children, and thy wives, and all thy substance: and thou shalt have
great sickness.'"