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2 Kings 8:23

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And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

And the rest {H3499} of the acts {H1697} of Joram {H3141}, and all that he did {H6213}, are they not written {H3789} in the book {H5612} of the chronicles {H1697}{H3117} of the kings {H4428} of Judah {H3063}?

Other activities of Yoram and all his accomplishments are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Y'hudah.

As for the rest of the acts of Jehoram, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

Commentary

2 Kings 8:23 marks a common concluding formula in the Books of Kings, signaling the end of the narrative concerning a specific monarch and pointing to a larger historical archive. Here, it refers to King Joram (also known as Jehoram) of Judah.

Context

This verse closes the account of Joram's eight-year reign over Judah. Joram was the son of King Jehoshaphat, a righteous king, but Joram himself did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, largely due to his marriage to Athaliah, Ahab's daughter. His reign was marked by apostasy and violence, as previously noted in 2 Kings 8:18, where it states he "walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab." The phrase "the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did" served as a standard bibliographic reference for ancient readers, indicating that further details of his rule could be found in the official state annals.

Key Themes

  • Historical Verifiability: The recurring phrase "book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah" (and Israel) highlights the biblical authors' reliance on and reference to existing historical records. This underscores the Bible's grounding in actual history and suggests the availability of more extensive governmental annals beyond what is included in Scripture.
  • Divine Sovereignty in History: While referring to human-compiled records, this verse implicitly points to God's overarching control and knowledge of all historical events. Every king's reign, every act, was observed and recorded, whether by human scribes or in the divine ledger.
  • Completeness of Account: For the biblical narrative, this phrase indicates that the essential, spiritually significant details of Joram's reign have been presented, but a full, civil history exists elsewhere. It assures the reader that nothing was hidden concerning the general course of his rule.

Linguistic Insights

The term "book of the chronicles" (Hebrew: sepher divrei hayyamim) refers to the official state annals or daily records kept by the royal scribes. These were not the canonical Books of Chronicles we have in our Bible, but rather the primary source documents from which much of the historical information in Kings (and later, the biblical Chronicles themselves) was derived. This points to a meticulous system of record-keeping in the ancient Near East, affirming the historicity of the biblical narrative.

Practical Application

This seemingly simple verse offers a profound reminder: all actions, whether those of kings or common individuals, are recorded. While Joram's story is summarized, the existence of a detailed "chronicle" implies that every life leaves a record. This encourages reflection on the legacy we are building and the "chronicle" of our own lives. It reinforces the biblical truth that nothing is hidden from God, and that all deeds will ultimately be brought into judgment.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 1 Kings 15:23 (2 votes)

    The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

  • 2 Chronicles 21:11 (2 votes)

    Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah [thereto].

  • 2 Chronicles 21:20 (2 votes)

    Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

  • 1 Kings 11:41 (2 votes)

    ¶ And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, [are] they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?

  • 1 Kings 14:29 (2 votes)

    Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

  • 2 Kings 15:6 (2 votes)

    And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

  • 2 Kings 15:36 (2 votes)

    Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?