I once heard a lawyer say: “The living can always outsmart the dead.” What one generation puts in place, the next generation can overturn.

Jehoshaphat has prepared for the leadership transition that will take place after his death. He designates his eldest son, Jehoram, as his successor and gives his other sons important roles in the administrative structures (2 Chronicles 21:2–3). Generations earlier, Rehoboam had done something similar (11:22–23), to good effect.

But Jehoram sees his brothers as a threat, and has them murdered (21:4). He behaves like the kings of Israel, among whom power struggles and the murder of rivals have been common (see 1 Kings 15 and 16). This is not surprising because, we now learn, his wife is Ahab’s daughter (2 Chronicles 21:6). Jehoshaphat surely did not imagine that his marriage alliance with Ahab would produce such a poisonous fruit, but that is what has happened.

God is unwilling to destroy David’s line because of his commitment to David, but severe judgment falls on Jehoram. Edom rebels against Judah. Jehoram leads a force into Edom to quell the rebellion, but it is encircled and has to break through the surrounding Edomite forces in order to escape. Edom no longer submits to Judah (vv. 8–10). Libnah, a priestly city in the west of Judah (see Joshua 21:13; 1 Chronicles 6:57) also breaks away from Judah, seemingly in protest against Jehoram for forsaking the Lord and turning to idolatry (2 Chronicles 21:10–11).

Elijah, the prophet who confronted Ahab (1 Kings 17:1), sends Jehoram a word from the Lord: You should have followed the examples of Jehoshaphat and Asa, but instead you have behaved like a king of Israel, leading Judah astray just as Ahab led Israel astray. You even killed your brothers, who were better men than you. A “heavy blow” will fall on Judah and on your household; you will die horribly (2 Chronicles 21:12–15).

Elijah’s prophecy comes true (vv. 16–18). Philistines and Arabs invade Judah in overwhelming force. They ransack the royal palace and take away Jehoram’s sons and wives, apart from Ahaziah. Jehoram dies of a bowel disease. No fire is lit in his honour; he is buried in Jerusalem, but not in the royal tombs. He dies unlamented (vv. 19–20).

All the gains of Jehoshaphat’s reign have been appointing of judges in Judah and Jerusalem—all these count for little when the king who succeeds him is bent on doing evil. How quickly things have changed! How easily a good legacy can be squandered!

See also 2 Kings 8:16–24.