Page:Light and truth.djvu/175

Rh by the wisest and best men of the land. (2 Chron. xvii. 6,9; xix. 5—11.) His sin in forming a league with Ahab, contrary to the counsel of Micaiah, against Ramoth-gilead, (2 Chron. xviii.) was severely censured by Jehu, and had nearly cost him his life. A few years after this, the kingdom of Judah was invaded by a confederacy of Edomites, Moabites and others. They collected their forces at Engedi, and threatened to overthrow the kingdom. Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast; and the people came from all parts of the kingdom, men, women, and children, up to Jerusalem; and being assembled in one place, the king himself made supplication to God for help in their extremity.

, or Joram, (2 Kings viii. 16, 21,) was the son and successor of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. When he was thirty-two years of age he was associated with his father in the government of the kingdom. At the end of four years, his father died, and he became sole king. One of the first acts of his government was to put to death his six brothers and several of the chief men of the kingdom. (2 Chron. xxi. 4.) To punish him for this and other abominations of his reign, the Edomites, who had long been subject to the throne of Judah, revolted, and secured their independence. One of his own cities also revolted, and about the same time he received a writing from Elijah, or, as some suppose, Elisha, admonishing him.

. (2 Kings viii. 25.) Called also Azariah, was a son of Jehoram and Athaliah, and at the age of twenty-two succeeded his father as king of Judah; though in 2 Chron. xxii. 2, it is said he was forty-two years old when he began to reign.

Joram the king of Israel was wounded in a battle with the king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead, and was carried to Jezreel to be healed. There Ahaziah visited him, and Jehu, who was left to sustain the siege, [and who was in the mean time anointed king over Israel,] came down to Jezreel to execute the judgment of the Lord upon Joram the son of Ahab, and the representative of the house of Ahab. As soon as his approach was announced by the watchman, Joram and Ahaziah went out, each in his chariot, to meet him. And they