2 Chronicles 21 (Divrei HaYamim Bet) in Hebrew and English
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Text (469) 608-99442 Chronicles, Chapter 21
Yehoshafat dies and Yehoram reigns, slays his brothers and walks in the ways of the house of Achav; Edom and Livnah revolt, a writing comes to him from Eliyahu the prophet, the Pelishtim and the Arvim carry off his house, and he dies of a disease of the bowels.
21:1Now Yehoshafat (Jehoshaphat) slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Yehoram (Jehoram) his son reigned in his stead.
אוַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב יְהֽוֹשָׁפָט֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר עִם־אֲבֹתָ֖יו בְּעִ֣יר דָּוִ֑יד וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יְהוֹרָ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃
21:2And he had brethren the sons of Yehoshafat, Azaryah (Azariah), and Yechi’el (Jehiel), and Zecharyahu (Zechariah), and Azaryahu (Azariah), and Micha’el (Michael), and Shefatyahu (Shephatiah): all these were the sons of Yehoshafat king of Israel.
בוְלֽוֹ־אַחִ֞ים בְּנֵ֣י יְהוֹשָׁפָ֗ט עֲזַרְיָ֤ה וִֽיחִיאֵל֙ וּזְכַרְיָ֣הוּ וַעֲזַרְיָ֔הוּ וּמִיכָאֵ֖ל וּשְׁפַטְיָ֑הוּ כָּל־אֵ֕לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י יְהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט מֶ֥לֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
21:3And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Yehudah (Judah): but the kingdom gave he to Yehoram; because he was the firstborn.
גוַיִּתֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֣ם ׀ אֲ֠בִיהֶם מַתָּנ֨וֹת רַבּ֜וֹת לְכֶ֤סֶף וּלְזָהָב֙ וּלְמִגְדָּנ֔וֹת עִם־עָרֵ֥י מְצֻר֖וֹת בִּֽיהוּדָ֑ה וְאֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָ֛ה נָתַ֥ן לִֽיהוֹרָ֖ם כִּי־ה֥וּא הַבְּכֽוֹר׃
21:4Now when Yehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel.
דוַיָּ֨קָם יְהוֹרָ֜ם עַל־מַמְלֶ֤כַת אָבִיו֙ וַיִּתְחַזַּ֔ק וַיַּהֲרֹ֥ג אֶת־כָּל־אֶחָ֖יו בֶּחָ֑רֶב וְגַ֖ם מִשָּׂרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
21:5Yehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).
הבֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּשְׁתַּ֛יִם שָׁנָ֖ה יְהוֹרָ֣ם בְּמָלְכ֑וֹ וּשְׁמוֹנֶ֣ה שָׁנִ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
21:6And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Achav (Ahab): for he had the daughter of Achav to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of Hashem.
ווַיֵּ֜לֶךְ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ ׀ מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ בֵּ֣ית אַחְאָ֔ב כִּ֚י בַּת־אַחְאָ֔ב הָ֥יְתָה לּ֖וֹ אִשָּׁ֑ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
21:7Howbeit Hashem would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and as He promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.
זוְלֹא־אָבָ֣ה יְהוָ֗ה לְהַשְׁחִית֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית דָּוִ֔יד לְמַ֣עַן הַבְּרִ֔ית אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּרַ֖ת לְדָוִ֑יד וְכַאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֗ר לָתֵ֨ת ל֥וֹ נִ֛יר וּלְבָנָ֖יו כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃
21:8In his days Edom (the Edomites) revolted from under the dominion of Yehudah, and made themselves a king.
חבְּיָמָיו֙ פָּשַׁ֣ע אֱד֔וֹם מִתַּ֖חַת יַד־יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיַּמְלִ֥יכוּ עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מֶֽלֶךְ׃
21:9Then Yehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and struck Edom which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.
טוַיַּֽעֲבֹ֤ר יְהוֹרָם֙ עִם־שָׂרָ֔יו וְכָל־הָרֶ֖כֶב עִמּ֑וֹ וַיְהִי֙ קָ֣ם לַ֔יְלָה וַיַּ֗ךְ אֶת־אֱדוֹם֙ הַסּוֹבֵ֣ב אֵלָ֔יו וְאֵ֖ת שָׂרֵ֥י הָרָֽכֶב׃
21:10So Edom revolted from under the hand of Yehudah unto this day. The same time also did Livnah (Libnah) revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken Hashem God of his fathers.
יוַיִּפְשַׁ֨ע אֱד֜וֹם מִתַּ֣חַת יַד־יְהוּדָ֗ה עַ֚ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה אָ֣ז תִּפְשַׁ֥ע לִבְנָ֛ה בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖יא מִתַּ֣חַת יָד֑וֹ כִּ֣י עָזַ֔ב אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹתָֽיו׃
21:11Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Yehudah, and caused the inhabitants of Yerushalayim to commit fornication, and compelled Yehudah thereto.
יאגַּם־ה֥וּא עָשָֽׂה־בָמ֖וֹת בְּהָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיֶּ֨זֶן֙ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיַּדַּ֖ח אֶת־יְהוּדָֽה׃
21:12And there came a writing to him from Eliyahu (Elijah) the prophet, saying, “Thus says Hashem God of David your father, ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Yehoshafat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Yehudah,
יבוַיָּבֹ֤א אֵלָיו֙ מִכְתָּ֔ב מֵֽאֵלִיָּ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אֱלֹהֵי֙ דָּוִ֣יד אָבִ֔יךָ תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־הָלַ֨כְתָּ֙ בְּדַרְכֵי֙ יְהוֹשָׁפָ֣ט אָבִ֔יךָ וּבְדַרְכֵ֖י אָסָ֥א מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָֽה׃
21:13But have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Yehudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Achav, and also have slain your brethren of your father’s house, which were better than yourself:
יגוַתֵּ֗לֶךְ בְּדֶ֨רֶךְ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַתַּזְנֶ֤ה אֶת־יְהוּדָה֙ וְאֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם כְּהַזְנ֖וֹת בֵּ֣ית אַחְאָ֑ב וְגַ֨ם אֶת־אַחֶ֧יךָ בֵית־אָבִ֛יךָ הַטּוֹבִ֥ים מִמְּךָ֖ הָרָֽגְתָּ׃
21:14Behold, with a great plague will Hashem strike your people, and your children, and your wives, and all your goods:
ידהִנֵּ֣ה יְהוָ֗ה נֹגֵ֛ף מַגֵּפָ֥ה גְדוֹלָ֖ה בְּעַמֶּ֑ךָ וּבְבָנֶ֥יךָ וּבְנָשֶׁ֖יךָ וּבְכָל־רְכוּשֶֽׁךָ׃
21:15And you shall have great sickness by disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.’”
טווְאַתָּ֛ה בָּחֳלָיִ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים בְּמַחֲלֵ֣ה מֵעֶ֑יךָ עַד־יֵצְא֤וּ מֵעֶ֨יךָ֙ מִן־הַחֹ֔לִי יָמִ֖ים עַל־יָמִֽים׃
21:16Moreover Hashem stirred up against Yehoram the spirit of the Pelishtim (Philistines), and of the Arvim (Arabians), that were near the Kushim (Ethiopians):
טזוַיָּ֨עַר יְהוָ֜ה עַל־יְהוֹרָ֗ם אֵ֣ת ר֤וּחַ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים֙ וְהָ֣עַרְבִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־יַ֥ד כּוּשִֽׁים׃
21:17And they came up into Yehudah, and broke into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Yeho’achaz (Jehoahaz), the youngest of his sons.
יזוַיַּעֲל֤וּ בִֽיהוּדָה֙ וַיִּבְקָע֔וּהָ וַיִּשְׁבּ֗וּ אֵ֤ת כָּל־הָרְכוּשׁ֙ הַנִּמְצָ֣א לְבֵית־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְגַם־בָּנָ֖יו וְנָשָׁ֑יו וְלֹ֤א נִשְׁאַר־לוֹ֙ בֵּ֔ן כִּ֥י אִם־יְהוֹאָחָ֖ז קְטֹ֥ן בָּנָֽיו׃
21:18And after all this Hashem struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
יחוְאַחֲרֵ֖י כָּל־זֹ֑את נְגָפ֨וֹ יְהוָ֧ה ׀ בְּמֵעָ֛יו לָחֳלִ֖י לְאֵ֥ין מַרְפֵּֽא׃
21:19And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
יטוַיְהִ֣י לְיָמִ֣ים ׀ מִיָּמִ֡ים וּכְעֵת֩ צֵ֨את הַקֵּ֜ץ לְיָמִ֣ים שְׁנַ֗יִם יָצְא֤וּ מֵעָיו֙ עִם־חָלְי֔וֹ וַיָּ֖מָת בְּתַחֲלֻאִ֣ים רָעִ֑ים וְלֹא־עָ֨שׂוּ ל֥וֹ עַמּ֛וֹ שְׂרֵפָ֖ה כִּשְׂרֵפַ֥ת אֲבֹתָֽיו׃
21:20Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Yerushalayim eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
כבֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּשְׁתַּ֨יִם֙ הָיָ֣ה בְמָלְכ֔וֹ וּשְׁמוֹנֶ֣ה שָׁנִ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ֙ בְּלֹ֣א חֶמְדָּ֔ה וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֨הוּ֙ בְּעִ֣יר דָּוִ֔יד וְלֹ֖א בְּקִבְר֥וֹת הַמְּלָכִֽים׃
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Sources & method
- Hebrew text
- The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
- English translation
- The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
- Verse numbers
- Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 2 Chronicles they differ from most English Bibles in chapters 1, 2, 13 and 14; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
- Commentary
- Our full 2 Chronicles commentary, written for our Wednesday Tenakh study from a Messianic Jewish perspective in line with the Benei Avraham Statement of Faith, is on its own page.
- Quiz
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- Hebrew font
- SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.