King of Judah
Joram, King of Judah
JOR-am · Also called Jehoram, Joram
Jehoshaphat's son, who secured his throne by murdering his own brothers, led Judah into Baal worship under the influence of his wife Athaliah, daughter of Ahab, and died of a prolonged, painful bowel disease that the text presents as divine judgment.
Life and work
Joram, more commonly called Jehoram in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, became king after his father Jehoshaphat and immediately consolidated power by killing all of his brothers along with some officials of Israel (2 Chronicles 21:1-4). He is not the Joram son of Ahab who ruled the northern kingdom at the same moment under the same two names; the deciding phrase in the text is almost always "the son of Jehoshaphat" or "king of Judah" in the same clause.
He married Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and under her influence 'walked in the way of the kings of Israel,' leading Judah into Baal worship; the text says he did evil because of this marriage alliance, describing it as being joined to the house of Ahab (2 Kings 8:16-19; 2 Chronicles 21:6).
During his reign Edom revolted successfully against Judah's control, and the town of Libnah also rebelled, both linked in the text to his unfaithfulness (2 Kings 8:20-22; 2 Chronicles 21:8-10). The prophet Elijah sent him a letter condemning his brother-killing and idolatry and predicting a plague on his people and a severe illness for himself (2 Chronicles 21:12-15).
Philistines and Arabians subsequently raided Judah, carrying off his wives and all his sons except the youngest, Ahaziah, and Joram then developed an intestinal disease that grew worse over two years until 'his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died of severe diseases'; the text notes that, unlike other kings, 'he departed without being missed' and was buried in David's city but not in the tombs of the kings (2 Chronicles 21:16-20).
- Occupation
- King of Judah
- Places
- Jerusalem
Extra-biblical evidence
No confirmed extra-biblical inscription naming this Joram/Jehoram of Judah has been identified.
Scripture references
- 2 Kings 8:16-24 — Reign summary, marriage to Athaliah, Edom's revolt
- 2 Chronicles 21:1-20 — Murder of his brothers, Elijah's letter, illness, and death
- Matthew 1:8 — Named as 'Joram' in Jesus's genealogy
Further reading
- Jewish Encyclopedia (1906): Jehoram (Joram) — public-domain encyclopaedia; covers both kings in one article, under clearly separate headings
- Encyclopaedia Britannica (1911): Jehoram — via Wikisource — public-domain reference text; gives almost no absolute dates, and says so
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