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New Defender's Study Bible Notes
21:6 daughter of Ahab. This daughter of Ahab was Athaliah, the daughter of Jezebel, the Phoenician princess who introduced Baalism into Israel. Athaliah, in turn, introduced it into Judah as the wife of King Jehoram. Jehoram slew all his younger brothers upon becoming king (II Chronicles 21:4), no doubt on the instigation of Athaliah, thus opening the way for her later to usurp the crown for herself (II Chronicles 22:10, 12).
21:6 that which was evil. Athaliah, was probably even more pagan and wicked than her Phoenician mother. Her arranged marriage to Jehoshaphat’s firstborn son, which had led to Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Ahab (see note on II Chronicles 18:1) was undoubtedly behind Jehoram’s murder of his brothers, who had probably resisted Athaliah’s introduction of Baalism into Judah (note II Chronicles 21:13).
21:7 made with David. God’s covenant with David had been unconditional, not dependent on the behavior of his descendants, even one as wicked as Jehoram (II Chronicles 21:4). Compare II Samuel 7:11-13.
21:12 Elijah the prophet. Elijah prophesied in Israel, but he was also concerned with Jehoram’s apostasy in Judah. Apparently, shortly before his translation into heaven he sent this prophecy by messenger to King Jehoram, predicting his untimely and painful death. Although the ministries of Elijah and Elisha are very prominent in the books of Kings, this is the only mention of either of them in the two books of Chronicles. Their ministries, of course, were primarily in the northern kingdom, whereas Chronicles focuses almost exclusively on Judah. This reference does indicate, however, that they were well aware of developments in Judah.
21:20 departed without being desired. Jehoram’s end poignantly illustrates the tragic results when a son with a godly heritage rebels against his father’s instruction and example, especially in rejecting his father’s God in favor of the evolutionary paganism and immorality of a nature religion such as Baalism. He lost much of his kingdom, all his wives, all but his youngest son (God’s covenant with David could not be broken!) and died of a painful and loathsome disease only eight years later. See II Chronicles 21:10, 16-19; 22:1.