In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king.
Parallel translations
- WEB In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
- KJV In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
- NKJV In his days Edom revolted against Judah’s authority, and made a king over themselves.
- NASB In his days Edom broke away from the rule of Judah, and appointed a king over themselves.
- NLT During Jehoram’s reign, the Edomites revolted against Judah and crowned their own king.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
During Jehoram's reign Edom rebelled and set up its own king, breaking free from Judah's control. The kingdom's decline brought loss of dominion.
Overview
Edom had been subject to Judah since David's day, but under unfaithful Jehoram it threw off that rule. Scripture often links political decline with covenant unfaithfulness, as the loss of God's blessing accompanies turning from Him. This fulfilled earlier warnings that disobedience would weaken the nation's standing among its neighbors.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 1 Kgs 22:47And there was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.
- 2 Kgs 3:9So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.
- 2 Kgs 3:27So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. And there was great fury against the Israelites, so they withdrew and returned to their own land.
- 2 Kgs 8:22So to this day Edom has been in rebellion against the hand of Judah. Likewise, Libnah rebelled at the same time.
- 2 Sam 8:14He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
- Gen 27:40You shall live by the sword and serve your brother. But when you rebel, you will tear his yoke from your neck.”
- 2 Chr 21:8–10In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 8:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.