Yehoramu Atawala
(2 Wafalme 8:17-24)
121:1 1Nya 3:11Yehoshafati akalala na baba zake, akazikwa pamoja nao katika Mji wa Daudi. Mwanawe Yehoramu akawa mfalme baada yake. 2Ndugu zake Yehoramu, wana wa Yehoshafati walikuwa: Azaria, Yehieli, Zekaria, Azaria, Mikaeli na Shefatia. Hawa wote walikuwa wana wa Yehoshafati mfalme wa Israeli21:2 Yaani Yuda. 321:3 2Nya 11:23; 11:10Baba yao alikuwa amewapa zawadi nyingi za fedha na dhahabu na vitu vya thamani, pamoja na miji yenye ngome huko Yuda, bali ufalme akampa Yehoramu kwa sababu alikuwa mwanawe mzaliwa wa kwanza.
421:4 1Fal 2:12; Amu 9:5; Mwa 4:8; 1Yn 3:12Baada ya Yehoramu kujiimarisha katika ufalme wa baba yake, akawaua kwa upanga ndugu zake wote pamoja na baadhi ya wakuu wa Israeli. 5Yehoramu alikuwa na umri wa miaka thelathini na miwili alipoanza kutawala, naye akatawala huko Yerusalemu kwa miaka minane. 621:6 1Fal 12:28-30; 2Nya 18:1; 22:3; Neh 13:26; 2Fal 8:18Akaenenda katika njia za wafalme wa Israeli, kama nyumba ya Ahabu ilivyokuwa imefanya, kwa kuwa alimwoa binti wa Ahabu. Akatenda maovu machoni pa Bwana. 721:7 2Sam 7:13-15; 2Nya 23:3; 2Sam 21:17; 2Fal 8:19; 1Fal 11:36; Za 132:11Hata hivyo, kwa sababu ya Agano ambalo Bwana alikuwa amefanya na Daudi, Bwana hakuwa radhi kuangamiza nyumba ya Daudi. Mungu alikuwa ameahidi kuidumisha taa kwa ajili yake na wazao wake milele.
821:8 2Nya 20:22-23; Mwa 27:40; 2Fal 8:20; 9:22; Za 106:39; Ufu 17:1-5Wakati wa Yehoramu, Edomu waliasi dhidi ya Yuda na kujiwekea mfalme wao wenyewe. 9Basi Yehoramu akaenda huko pamoja na maafisa wake na magari yake ya vita. Waedomu wakamzunguka yeye na majemadari wake wa magari yake ya vita, lakini akaondoka, akapenya usiku na kuwashambulia Waedomu. 1021:10 Hes 33:20; Mwa 27:40Hadi leo Edomu wameasi dhidi ya Yuda.
Libna pia wakaasi wakati huo huo kwa sababu Yehoramu alikuwa amemwacha Bwana, Mungu wa baba zake. 1121:11 Law 17:7; 20:5Alikuwa pia ametengeneza mahali pa juu pa kuabudia miungu katika vilima vya Yuda na akawa amewasababisha watu wa Yerusalemu kufanya uzinzi na akawa amewapotosha watu wa Yuda.
1221:12 Kut 34:13; 1Fal 22:4321:12 2Fal 1:16-17; 2Nya 17:3-6; 14:2Yehoramu akapokea barua kutoka kwa nabii Eliya iliyosema:
“Hili ndilo Bwana, Mungu wa Daudi baba yako, asemalo: ‘Hukuenenda katika njia za Yehoshafati baba yako au za Asa mfalme wa Yuda. 1321:13 1Fal 16:29-33; 2:32; Kut 34:15; 2Fal 9:22Lakini umeenenda katika njia za wafalme wa Israeli, nawe umewaongoza Yuda na watu wa Yerusalemu kuzini, kama vile nyumba ya Ahabu ilivyofanya. Pia umewaua ndugu zako mwenyewe, watu wa nyumbani mwa baba yako, watu waliokuwa bora kuliko wewe. 14Hivyo basi Bwana yu karibu kuwapiga watu wako, wanao, wake zako na kila kitu kilicho chako, kwa pigo zito. 1521:15 Hes 12:10Wewe mwenyewe utaugua sana kwa ugonjwa wa tumbo kwa muda mrefu, hadi ugonjwa utakaposababisha matumbo yako kutoka nje.’ ”
1621:16 2Nya 22:1; 26:7; 2Sam 24:1; 1Fal 11:14, 23Bwana akaamsha chuki ya Wafilisti na ya Waarabu walioishi karibu na Wakushi dhidi ya Yehoramu. 1721:17 2Fal 12:18; 2Nya 24:7; Yoe 3:5Wakaishambulia Yuda, wakaivamia na kuchukua mali zote zilizopatikana katika jumba la mfalme pamoja na wanawe na wake zake. Hakubakiziwa mwana yeyote isipokuwa Ahazia aliyekuwa mdogo wa wote.
18Baada ya mambo haya yote, Bwana akampiga Yehoramu kwa ugonjwa usioponyeka wa matumbo. 1921:19 2Nya 16:14Ikawa baada ya muda, mwisho wa mwaka wa pili, matumbo yake yakatoka nje kwa sababu ya ugonjwa, naye akafa katika maumivu makali sana. Watu wake hawakuwasha moto kwa heshima yake, kama walivyokuwa wamewafanyia baba zake.
2021:20 2Nya 33:20; Yer 22:18, 28Yehoramu alikuwa na umri wa miaka thelathini na miwili alipokuwa mfalme, naye akatawala huko Yerusalemu miaka minane. Akafa, bila kusikitikiwa na mtu yeyote, naye akazikwa katika Mji wa Daudi, lakini si katika makaburi ya wafalme.
1Jehoshaphat joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the family tomb in the City of David. Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became the next king after him. 2Jehoram’s brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All of them were sons of Jehoshaphat, the king of Israel. 3Their father had given them many gifts. He had given them silver, gold and other things of value. He had also given them cities in Judah that had high walls around them. But he had made Jehoram king. That’s because Jehoram was his oldest son.
Jehoram King of Judah
4Jehoram made his position secure over his father’s kingdom. Then he killed all his brothers with his sword. He also killed some of the officials of Israel. 5Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. 6He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the royal family of Ahab had done. In fact, he married a daughter of Ahab. Jehoram did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. 7But the Lord didn’t want to destroy the royal family of David. That’s because the Lord had made a covenant with him. The Lord had promised to keep the lamp of David’s kingdom burning brightly. The Lord had promised that for David and his children after him forever.
8When Jehoram was king over Judah, Edom refused to remain under Judah’s control. They set up their own king. 9So Jehoram went to Edom. He took his officers and all his chariots with him. The men of Edom surrounded him and his chariot commanders. But he got up at night and fought his way out. 10To this day Edom has refused to remain under Judah’s control.
At that same time, Libnah also refused to remain under the control of Judah. That’s because Jehoram had deserted the Lord, the God of his people. 11Jehoram had also built high places on the hills of Judah. He had caused the people of Jerusalem to worship other gods. They weren’t faithful to the Lord. Jehoram had led Judah down the wrong path.
12Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet. In it, Elijah said,
“The Lord is the God of your father David. The Lord says, ‘You have not followed the ways of your own father Jehoshaphat or of Asa, the king of Judah. 13Instead, you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel. You have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to worship other gods, just as the royal family of Ahab did. Also, you have murdered your own brothers. They were members of your own family. They were better men than you are. 14So now the Lord is about to strike down your people with a heavy blow. He will strike down your sons, your wives and everything that belongs to you. 15And you yourself will be very sick for a long time. The sickness will finally cause your insides to come out.’ ”
16The Lord stirred up the anger of the Philistines against Jehoram. He also stirred up the anger of the Arabs. They lived near the people of Cush. 17The Philistines and Arabs attacked Judah. They went in and carried off all the goods they found in the king’s palace. They also took his sons and wives. The only son he had left was Ahaziah. He was the youngest son.
18After all of that, the Lord made Jehoram very sick. He couldn’t be healed. 19After he had been sick for two years, the sickness caused his insides to come out. He died in great pain. His people didn’t make a funeral fire to honor him. They had made funeral fires to honor the kings who ruled before him.
20Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. No one was sorry when he passed away. He was buried in the City of David. But he wasn’t placed in the tombs of the kings.
