Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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2 Chronicles
Book: 2 Chronicles
Chapter: 21
Overview:
The wicked reign of
Jehoram.
(1-11) Jehoram's miserable
End.
(12-20)
1-11 Jehoram hated his brethren, and slew them, for the same
reason that
Cain hated
Abel, and slew him, because their
Piety
condemned his impiety. In the
Mystery of
Providence such men
sometimes prosper for a time; but the
Lord has righteous
purposes in permitting such events, part of which may now be
made out, and the
Rest will be seen hereafter.
12-20 A warning from
God was sent to
Jehoram. The
Spirit of
Prophecy might direct
Elijah to prepare this
Writing in the
foresight of
Jehoram's crimes. He is plainly told that his
Sin
should certainly ruin him. But
No marvel that sinners are not
frightened from
Sin, and to
Repentance,
By the threatenings of
misery in another world, when the certainty of misery in this
world, the sinking of their estates, and the ruin of their
health, will not restrain them from vicious
Courses. See
Jehoram
here stripped of all his comforts. Thus
God plainly showed that
the controversy was with him, and his
House. He had slain all
his brethren to strengthen himself; now, all his sons are slain
but one.
David's
House must not be wholly destroyed, like those
of
Israel's
Kings, because a blessing was in it; that of the
Messiah. Good men may be afflicted with diseases; but to them
they are fatherly chastisements, and
By the support of Divine
consolations the soul may
Dwell at ease, even when the body lies
in pain. To be sick and
Poor, sick and solitary, but especially
to be sick and in
Sin, sick and under the
Curse of
God, sick and
without
Grace to
Bear it, is a most deplorable case. Wickedness
and profaneness make men despicable, even in the eyes of those
who have but little religion.