After all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. What it was is not agreed upon; some take it be an "hernia", or rupture; others, the falling of the "anus", or a fistula in it; others, the colic, or iliac passion; but generally it is thought to be a dysentery, or bloody flux; the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord broke him.' read more
And it came to pass that in process of time, after the end of two years ,.... So long he was afflicted and tortured with the above disease: his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness ; either in like manner as Judas's did, Acts 1:18 or as in the manner the bowels of Arius are said to do, while sitting on the seat of the vault F1 Sozomen. Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c. 29, 30. ; or perhaps only what was contained in the bowels is meant, if it was the colic: so he died of sore diseases... read more
Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years ,.... See 2 Kings 8:17 , and departed without being desired ; to live, either by himself, being weary of life through the pain he endured; or by his people, he being so wicked a prince, and so ill beloved by them, that nobody wished to have him live, but were glad to hear of his death; the meaning is, he died unlamented; his death is expressed by a departing out of this world into another, a... read more
The Lord smote him - "And after all these things the Word of the Lord smote his bowels," etc. - Targum. read more
After the end of two years , his bowels fell out - The Targum seems to intimate that he had a constipation and inflammation in his bowels; and that at last his bowels gushed out. No burning - "His people made no burning of aromatic woods for him, as they had done for his forefathers." - Targum. See on 2 Chronicles 16:14 ; (note). read more
Departed without being desired - He was hated while he lived, and neglected when he died; visibly cursed of God, and necessarily execrated by the people whom he had lived only to corrupt and oppress. No annalist is mentioned as having taken the pains to write any account of his vile life. This summary mention of him consigns him to the execration of posterity, and holds in the view of every prudent governor, the rock on which he split and wrecked the state. read more
A reign of unmitigated shame. To the career of Jehoshaphat of almost exemplary excellence, that of Jehoram, his son, forms a contrast most humiliating. Obviously it is not the least painful feature of this latter that it so inevitably forces into our memory the parental fault, which, if it were not the cause and very foundation of an eldest son s abandoned character and course of conduct, could not fail to have given opportunity for it, and could not fail to incur the responsibility before... read more
An incurable disease ; i.e. it was so severe that it was in this case incurable. read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 21:12-20
Here we have, I. A warning from God sent to Jehoram by a writing from Elijah the prophet. By this it appears that Jehoram came to the throne, and showed himself what he was before Elijah's translation. It is true we find Elisha attending Jehoshaphat, and described as pouring water on the hands of Elijah, after the story of Elijah's translation (2 Kgs. 3:11); but that might be, and that description might be given of him, while Elijah was yet on earth: and it is certain that that history is put... read more