Who was King Joram in the Bible?

Joram, also called Jehoram, was the son of King Jehoshaphat and the fifth king of the southern kingdom of Judah. He reigned for eight years, and his story is recorded in 2 Kings 8 and 2 Chronicles 21.

What is King Joram of Judah known for?

Joram is known for his evil reign, as he married a daughter of the wicked King Ahab of Israel and led Judah into idolatry. His reign was marked by rebellion and divine judgment, including a letter from the prophet Elijah foretelling disaster (2 Chronicles 21:12-15).

How did King Joram die?

Joram died from a severe intestinal disease, as prophesied. The Bible notes he died to no one's regret and was not buried in the tombs of the kings (2 Chronicles 21:18-20).

Joram

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleKingSon

Joram (or Jehoram), the son of Jehoshaphat, was king of Judah and reigned for eight years.

Joram

Biography

Joram, also called Jehoram, was the fifth king of Judah and the son of the godly King Jehoshaphat. He reigned approximately 848–841 BC, a period of eight years marked by moral and spiritual decline. Through his marriage to Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, Joram was deeply influenced by the Omride dynasty of the northern kingdom and its entrenched Baal worship. He killed his own brothers to secure the throne and erected high places of idolatry in Judah (2 Chronicles 21:4, 11). The prophet Elijah sent him a written warning of divine judgment (2 Chronicles 21:12–15). He suffered military defeats, loss of territory, and ultimately died from a painful intestinal disease, unmourned by his people (2 Chronicles 21:20).

Significance

Joram of Judah is a sobering example of how good spiritual heritage cannot substitute for personal covenant faithfulness. Despite being the son of Jehoshaphat and a descendant of David, he abandoned the God of his fathers under the influence of his Baal-worshipping wife and in-laws. His reign demonstrates the devastating spiritual consequences of strategic alliances that compromise theological integrity. Yet the Chronicler notes that God preserved the Davidic line for David's sake (2 Chronicles 21:7), demonstrating that God's covenant commitments endure even through the faithlessness of individual rulers, ultimately pointing to the One whose reign would fulfill all that the Davidic covenant promised.

Authority Records

Wikidata

FatherTou

Verse Appearances (19)

2Kgs

2Kgs 1:17 2Kgs 3:1 2Kgs 3:6 2Kgs 8:16 2Kgs 8:25 2Kgs 8:28 2Kgs 8:29 2Kgs 9:14 2Kgs 9:15 2Kgs 9:16 2Kgs 9:17 2Kgs 9:21 2Kgs 9:22 2Kgs 9:23 2Kgs 9:24 2Kgs 9:29

2Chr

2Chr 22:5 2Chr 22:6 2Chr 22:7

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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