Jehoram (Israel)

Jehoram (Israel), also called Joram, was the son of Ahab and became king of Israel in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat of Judah, reigning in Samaria for twelve years (2 Kings 3:1). His reign is dated 852 to 841 BC. He was the last king of Ahab's house, killed in Jehu's coup (2 Kings 9:24; 2 Kings 10:11). He succeeded Ahaziah son of Ahab, who had reigned two years and died without a son (1 Kings 22:51; 2 Kings 1:17). 2 Kings 1:17 also places his accession in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat of Judah (2 Kings 1:17).

Jehoram did evil in the sight of the LORD, though not as his father and mother had done, and he removed the sacred pillar of Baal that Ahab had made (2 Kings 3:2). Yet he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which had led Israel into sin, and did not turn from them (2 Kings 3:3).

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The Campaign against Moab

After Ahab's death, Mesha king of Moab, who paid Israel tribute in lambs and wool, rebelled (2 Kings 3:4-5). Jehoram, Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom marched through the Desert of Edom, and after seven days had no water (2 Kings 3:6-9). Elisha sent him to his parents' prophets, and would not have looked at him but for Jehoshaphat (2 Kings 3:13-14). At Elisha's word, water flowed from Edom the next morning (2 Kings 3:16-20). The morning sun made it look "as red as blood" to the Moabites, who came to plunder and were routed (2 Kings 3:22-24). Israel ruined their land until only Kir-Hareseth, the modern Kerak east of the Dead Sea, was left (2 Kings 3:25). There the king of Moab offered his firstborn son as a burnt offering on the city wall; there was "great fury against the Israelites", and they withdrew (2 Kings 3:26-27).

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Elisha and the Arameans

The king of Israel tore his clothes at an Aramean letter asking him to cure Naaman (2 Kings 5:5-7). When Ben-hadad besieged Samaria and famine set in, Jehoram, whom the text calls only "the king of Israel", vowed to behead Elisha, who called him "this murderer" (2 Kings 6:24-32). The LORD made the Arameans flee, lifting the siege as Elisha foretold (2 Kings 7:1-16).

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Wounded and Killed

Jehoram later fought Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, joined by Ahaziah king of Judah, and the Arameans wounded him (2 Kings 8:28; 2 Chronicles 22:5). He returned to Jezreel to recover, and Ahaziah went down to visit him there (2 Kings 8:29). Meanwhile, at Elisha's command, a young prophet anointed Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel at Ramoth-gilead and charged him to strike down the house of Ahab (2 Kings 9:1-7). Jehu conspired against Jehoram and drove to Jezreel (2 Kings 9:14-16). Jehoram and Ahaziah rode out in their chariots and met him on the property of Naboth the Jezreelite (2 Kings 9:21). When Jehoram asked whether he came in peace, Jehu answered by naming the idolatry and witchcraft of his mother, Jezebel (2 Kings 9:22). Jehoram turned to flee, warning Ahaziah of treachery, and Jehu shot him between the shoulders with an arrow that pierced his heart (2 Kings 9:23-24). Jehu ordered his body thrown onto Naboth's plot of ground, citing the word of the LORD against Ahab concerning Naboth's blood (2 Kings 9:25-26). The LORD had told Elijah that, since Ahab humbled himself, the calamity would fall on his house "in the days of his son" (1 Kings 21:28-29).

Jehu then destroyed those who remained of Ahab's house in Jezreel and in Samaria (2 Kings 10:11; 2 Kings 10:17). Jehoram's death ended the dynasty of Omri.

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Beyond the Biblical Account

The Mesha Stele, engraved when a sanctuary was erected to the god Kemosh, relates King Mesha's recovery of many Moabite territories from Israel. Christopher Rollston, writing for the Society of Biblical Literature's Bible Odyssey, reads the Tel Dan Stele, most likely commissioned by Hazael, as its king's claim "[I killed Jeho]ram son of [Ahab]", with the names restored, where 2 Kings 9 credits Jehu (2 Kings 9:24).