2 Chronicles 21:18

KJV

And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

KJV (with Strong's)

And after {H310} all this the LORD {H3068} smote {H5062} him in his bowels {H4578} with an incurable {H369}{H4832} disease {H2483}.

Complete Jewish Bible

After all this, ADONAI struck him in his intestines with an incurable disease.

Berean Standard Bible

After all this, the LORD afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels.

American Standard Version

And after all this Jehovah smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Second Chronicles 21:18 records the culmination of divine judgment upon King Jehoram of Judah, stating, "And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease." This verse starkly details a direct, agonizing, and terminal affliction from God, serving as the ultimate consequence for Jehoram's persistent wickedness, which included the murder of his brothers, the promotion of idolatry, and a complete abandonment of the Lord's covenant. It marks a pivotal moment in his reign, underscoring God's unwavering justice against unrepentant sin.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is strategically placed as the climax of King Jehoram's tragic reign, immediately following a prophetic letter from Elijah (or a prophet in Elijah's spirit, given Elijah's ascension) that explicitly foretold this very judgment. The phrase "after all this" serves as a crucial literary connector, encapsulating Jehoram's entire pattern of heinous actions—beginning with the brutal murder of his brothers to consolidate power, as described in [2 Chronicles 21:4](/2_chronicles/21-4 "King Jehoram Murders His Brothers"), and continuing with his abandonment of the Lord's ways to adopt the idolatrous practices of the kings of Israel, particularly aligning himself with the house of Ahab, which led Judah into widespread apostasy ([2 Chronicles 21:6](/2_chronicles/21-6 "Jehoram's Evil Reign")). The preceding verses detail the loss of Edom and Libnah, further signs of divine displeasure, making this physical affliction the ultimate, personal manifestation of God's judgment, directly fulfilling the prophecy found in [2 Chronicles 21:12-15](/2_chronicles/21-12 "Elijah's Prophetic Letter to Jehoram").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jehoram reigned in Judah during a turbulent period, roughly 848-841 BC. His father, Jehoshaphat, had been a righteous king who sought to reform Judah and establish justice. However, Jehoram's marriage to Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel of Israel, sealed his alignment with the wicked Omride dynasty, importing Baal worship and other abominable practices directly into Judah. In the ancient Near East, a king's health and prosperity were often seen as direct indicators of divine favor, while illness and misfortune were interpreted as signs of divine displeasure or judgment. Thus, an "incurable disease" inflicted by "the LORD" would have been understood by the original audience as an undeniable act of divine retribution, publicly demonstrating God's sovereignty over even the most powerful earthly rulers and validating the covenant curses against idolatry and disobedience found in texts like [Deuteronomy 28](/deuteronomy/28 "Covenant Blessings and Curses").
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within 2 Chronicles and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Divine Retribution and Justice**, illustrating God's active involvement in human affairs and His unwavering commitment to judging unrepentant sin. Jehoram's suffering is presented not as random misfortune but as a direct, proportional consequence of his deliberate choices and persistent rebellion. Secondly, it highlights the **Consequences of Disobedience**, serving as a stark reminder that prolonged and deliberate rebellion against God's covenant and His revealed will inevitably leads to severe and often agonizing outcomes. The "incurable disease" symbolizes not only physical decay but also the spiritual ruin brought about by his wickedness and the corruption he introduced into Judah. Finally, the verse powerfully affirms **God's Sovereignty** over all of creation, including the health and destiny of kings. The Lord is depicted as the ultimate authority, directly "smiting" the king, thereby demonstrating His absolute control over life, health, and judgment, even over those who wield great earthly power, as also seen in the account of King Uzziah's leprosy in [2 Chronicles 26:16-21](/2_chronicles/26-16 "Uzziah's Pride and Leprosy").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **smote (Hebrew, _nâgaph'_):** From H5062, this verb signifies a direct, forceful impact, often carrying the connotation of a divine strike, plague, or defeat. It indicates that Jehoram's affliction was not a natural illness but a supernatural act of God, emphasizing the Lord's direct agency in bringing about his suffering. This same root is used to describe the plagues in Egypt and divine judgments upon Israel, underscoring its association with God's decisive intervention.
* **bowels (Hebrew, _mêʻeh'_):** From H4578, this term literally refers to the intestines or inner organs, suggesting an internal, deeply personal, and agonizing affliction. In biblical thought, the "bowels" could also represent the seat of one's deepest emotions, compassion, or inner being. Thus, the judgment striking Jehoram in his bowels implies that the affliction penetrated to the very core of his existence, perhaps mirroring the internal corruption and spiritual decay of his heart.
* **disease (Hebrew, _chŏlîy'_):** From H2483, this word denotes a malady, sickness, or grief. Coupled with the preceding Hebrew words for "no" (H369, `ʼayin`) and "healing/remedy" (H4832, `marpêʼ`), the full phrase "incurable disease" emphasizes the severity, finality, and hopelessness of Jehoram's condition from a human perspective. It signifies a sickness for which there was no earthly cure or alleviation, highlighting its divine origin and terminal nature.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And after all this":** This introductory phrase serves as a powerful literary and theological connector, linking the immediate divine judgment to the preceding narrative of Jehoram's cumulative wickedness. It signifies that the affliction was not an isolated event but the direct, inevitable, and righteous consequence of his entire reign of apostasy, fratricide, and leading Judah into idolatry. It highlights the principle of divine patience reaching its limit.
* **"the LORD smote him":** This clause explicitly identifies the divine agent of the judgment. It removes any ambiguity about the source of the disease, firmly attributing it to God's direct and sovereign action. This emphasizes God's active involvement in the affairs of humanity, particularly in upholding His covenant and executing justice against unrepentant sin.
* **"in his bowels":** This specifies the location of the affliction, indicating an internal, deeply painful, and likely humiliating condition. The internal nature of the disease suggests a judgment that penetrated beyond the superficial, reaching into the very core of the king's physical being, perhaps mirroring the internal corruption of his spiritual life and the moral decay he brought upon his kingdom.
* **"with an incurable disease":** This final phrase describes the nature and severity of the judgment. The incurability of the disease underscores its divine origin and its terminal nature. It implies a prolonged period of suffering without relief, leading inexorably to death, thereby fulfilling the prophecy of Elijah concerning a "great plague" ([2 Chronicles 21:14](/2_chronicles/21-14 "Elijah's Prophecy of a Great Plague")).

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. **Divine Retribution** is central, as the text explicitly states "the LORD smote him," leaving no doubt that Jehoram's suffering is a direct, divinely orchestrated consequence of his actions. This serves as a narrative device to underscore God's unwavering justice and His active involvement in human history. There is also profound **Irony** at play: a king who consolidated his power through brutal murder and led his nation into spiritual decay is himself brought low by an internal, agonizing decay that no earthly power can remedy. His physical suffering mirrors the spiritual sickness he inflicted upon Judah. Furthermore, the "incurable disease in his bowels" functions as **Symbolism**, representing not only the physical agony but also the spiritual corruption and internal rot that characterized Jehoram's reign. The specific, humiliating nature of the disease (as described further in [2 Chronicles 21:19](/2_chronicles/21-19 "Jehoram's Death and Lack of Mourning")) serves as a public demonstration of divine judgment against a king who had openly defied God. Finally, the verse fulfills the **Foreshadowing** provided by Elijah's prophetic letter, demonstrating the certainty of God's word and the inevitability of judgment for unrepentant sin.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The judgment upon King Jehoram in 2 Chronicles 21:18 powerfully illustrates the biblical principle that persistent and unrepentant sin inevitably leads to severe consequences, often manifesting as divine judgment. This is not merely a historical account but a profound theological statement about God's character: He is holy and just, and while He is patient and merciful, He will not indefinitely tolerate rebellion and idolatry. The "incurable disease" serves as a tangible, agonizing manifestation of the spiritual decay that had already consumed Jehoram's soul and threatened to engulf the nation. This narrative reinforces the covenantal framework, where blessings follow obedience and curses follow disobedience, demonstrating God's faithfulness to His warnings. It underscores that true well-being, for both individuals and nations, is inextricably linked to alignment with God's will and His moral order.

* [Deuteronomy 28:58-61](/deuteronomy/28-58-61 "Consequences of Disobedience")
* [Proverbs 11:31](/proverbs/11-31 "The Righteous and the Wicked Receive Their Due")
* [Romans 2:5-9](/romans/2-5-9 "God's Righteous Judgment")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The account of King Jehoram's judgment in 2 Chronicles 21:18 stands as a solemn and enduring cautionary tale for all generations. It compels us to confront the reality that while God is infinitely patient and abounding in steadfast love, His holiness demands that persistent rebellion and unrepentant sin will ultimately incur His righteous judgment. This is not a vindictive act, but a just response to choices that defy His character and disrupt His divine order. For us today, this verse calls for a profound self-examination: Are there areas in our lives where we are knowingly and persistently rebelling against God's revealed will? Do we take sin lightly, presuming upon God's grace without genuine repentance? The "incurable disease" serves as a stark reminder that the consequences of spiritual decay can manifest in agonizing ways, both internally and externally. It urges us to embrace humility, cultivate a repentant heart, and live in faithful obedience, understanding that true peace, health, and flourishing—both spiritual and often physical—are found in walking in God's ways, not in pursuing worldly power or succumbing to the allure of idolatry in its modern forms.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be subtly or overtly rebelling against God's known will?**
* **How does this verse challenge my understanding of God's justice and His patience with sin?**
* **What "incurable diseases" (spiritual or otherwise) might result from prolonged disobedience in my own life or community?**
* **What steps can I take today to cultivate a more repentant heart and a life of deeper obedience to God?**

### FAQ
**Why did God inflict such a specific and painful disease on Jehoram?**

Answer: The specific and painful nature of Jehoram's disease, particularly its internal and incurable characteristics, served multiple purposes within the divine judgment. Firstly, it was a direct and public fulfillment of the prophecy delivered by Elijah, demonstrating God's faithfulness to His word and the certainty of His warnings. Secondly, the internal suffering in his "bowels" may have symbolically reflected the internal corruption and spiritual decay that characterized Jehoram's heart and reign, as he had murdered his own brothers and led Judah into deep apostasy. Thirdly, the incurability of the disease underscored the finality and inescapability of God's judgment once His patience had been exhausted. It was a clear, undeniable sign to all—including the people of Judah—that God was actively involved in their history and that He would hold even kings accountable for their actions, particularly their defiance of His covenant. The prolonged agony, as detailed in [2 Chronicles 21:19](/2_chronicles/21-19 "Jehoram's Death and Lack of Mourning"), also served as a public spectacle of divine retribution, a warning to others about the severe consequences of unrepentant sin.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While 2 Chronicles 21:18 depicts the severe judgment of God upon King Jehoram for his unrepentant sin, it also implicitly points to the profound need for a different kind of King and a different kind of healing—one found only in Jesus Christ. Jehoram's "incurable disease" serves as a stark metaphor for the ultimate incurable disease of humanity: sin itself. No human remedy, no earthly power, and certainly no king, could cure Jehoram's physical ailment, just as no human effort can cure the spiritual malady that afflicts all humanity. Yet, the New Testament reveals Jesus as the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), the one who bore the ultimate "incurable disease" of our sin upon Himself. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be "smitten by God" and "pierced for our transgressions," bearing our infirmities and carrying our sorrows ([Isaiah 53:4-5](/isaiah/53-4-5 "Christ's Suffering for Our Sins")). Unlike Jehoram, who suffered *for* his own sin, Christ suffered *for the sake of* the sins of others, offering a perfect and complete atonement. Through His suffering and death, Jesus provides the only true remedy for the incurable disease of sin, offering spiritual healing and eternal life to all who believe. His ultimate victory over sin and death means that those who trust in Him are no longer subject to the terminal judgment that befell Jehoram, but receive the promise of resurrection and a new, incorruptible body, a testament to the ultimate healing found in the [gospel of grace](/ephesians/2-8-9 "Ephesians 2:8-9 - Grace Through Faith").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

2 Chronicles 21:15

And thou [shalt have] great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.

Acts 12:23

And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

2 Kings 9:29

And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.