God Makes Others Pay for Jehoram’s Sins

Then Elijah the prophet wrote Jehoram this letter: “This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: You have not followed the good example of your father, Jehoshaphat, or your grandfather King Asa of Judah.  Instead, you have been as evil as the kings of Israel. You have led the people of Jerusalem and Judah to worship idols, just as King Ahab did in Israel.  And you have even killed your own brothers, men who were better than you.  So now the LORD is about to strike you, your people, your children, your wives, and all that is yours with a heavy blow.  You yourself will be stricken with a severe intestinal disease until it causes your bowels to come out.”  Then the LORD stirred up the Philistines and the Arabs, who lived near the Ethiopians, to attack Jehoram.  They marched against Judah, broke down its defenses, and carried away everything of value in the royal palace, including his sons and his wives.  Only his youngest son, Ahaziah, was spared.  It was after this that the LORD struck Jehoram with the severe intestinal disease.  In the course of time, at the end of two years, the disease caused his bowels to come out, and he died in agony.  His people did not build a great fire to honor him at his funeral as they had done for his ancestors. (2 Chronicles 21:12-19)