2 Kings 8:18

The NET Bible®

He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab's dynasty had done, for he married Ahab's daughter. He did evil in the sight of the Lord .

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for Ahab’s daughter was his wife. He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.

Hebrew Names Version
He walked in the way of the kings of Yisra'el, as did the house of Ach'av: for he had the daughter of Ach'av as wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

King James Version
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the Lord .

English Standard Version
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord .

New Century Version
He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the family of Ahab had done, because he married Ahab's daughter. Jehoram did what the Lord said was wrong.

Amplified Bible
He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for [Athaliah] the daughter of Ahab became his wife. He did evil in the sight of the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for Ahab's daughter was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And hee walked in the wayes of the Kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife, and hee did euill in the sight of the Lord.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab became his wife; and he did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh.

Contemporary English Version
Jehoram disobeyed the Lord by doing wrong. He married Ahab's daughter and was as sinful as Ahab's family and the kings of Israel.

Complete Jewish Bible
He lived after the example of the kings of Isra'el, as did the house of Ach'av; because he had married Ach'av's daughter; he did what was evil from Adonai 's perspective.

Darby Translation
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of Jehovah.

Easy-to-Read Version
But Jehoram lived as the kings of Israel and did what the Lord saw as evil. He lived as the people from Ahab's family, because his wife was Ahab's daughter.

George Lamsa Translation
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for the sister of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

Good News Translation
His wife was Ahab's daughter, and like the family of Ahab he followed the evil ways of the kings of Israel. He sinned against the Lord ,

Lexham English Bible
He walked in the way of the kings of Israel as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab became his wife, and he did evil in the eyes of Yahweh.

Literal Translation
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for a daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did that which was evil in the eyes of Jehovah.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& walked in the waye of the kynges of Israel, as the house of Achab dyd (for Achabs doughter was his wife) & he dyd yt which was euell in ye sighte of the LORDE.

American Standard Version
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.

Bible in Basic English
He went in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the family of Ahab did: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he walked in the wayes of the kinges of Israel, as they that were of the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wyfe, and he dyd euyll in the sight of the Lorde.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

King James Version (1611)
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife, and hee did euill in the sight of the Lord.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Achaab; for the daughter of Achaab was his wife: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

English Revised Version
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
And Jehoram walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done. For he married a daughter of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he yede in the weies of the kyngis of Israel, as the hows of Achab hadde go; for the douyter of Achab was his wijf; and he dide that, that is yuel in the siyt of the Lord.

Young's Literal Translation
And he walketh in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for a daughter of Ahab was to him for a wife, and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah,

Update Bible Version
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab as wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

World English Bible
He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab as wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh.

New King James Version
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

New Living Translation
But Jehoram followed the example of the kings of Israel and was as wicked as King Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab's daughters. So Jehoram did what was evil in the Lord 's sight.

New Life Bible
He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as those of Ahab's house had done. Ahab's daughter became his wife. He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord.

New Revised Standard
He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord .

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as did the house of Ahab, for, a daughter of Ahab, became his wife, - and he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Achab had walked: for the daughter of Achab was his wife: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Revised Standard Version
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab became his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

Contextual Overview

¹⁶ In the fifth year of the reign of Israel's King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoshaphat's son Jehoram became king over Judah. ¹⁷ He was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. ¹⁸ He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab's dynasty had done, for he married Ahab's daughter. He did evil in the sight of the Lord . ¹⁹ But the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah. He preserved Judah for the sake of his servant David to whom he had promised a perpetual dynasty. ²⁰ During his reign Edom freed themselves from Judah's control and set up their own king. ²¹ Joram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers. The Israelite army retreated to their homeland. ²² So Edom has remained free from Judah's control to this very day. At that same time Libnah also rebelled. ²³ The rest of the events of Joram's reign, including a record of his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. ²⁴ Joram passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

in the way: 2 Kings 3:2, 2 Kings 3:3, 1 Kings 22:52, 1 Kings 22:53

the house: 2 Kings 9:7, 2 Kings 9:8, 2 Kings 21:3, 2 Kings 21:13, 2 Chronicles 21:13, Micah 6:16

the daughter: 2 Kings 8:26, 1 Kings 21:25, 2 Chronicles 18:1, 2 Chronicles 19:2, 2 Chronicles 21:6, 2 Chronicles 22:1-4

his wife: Genesis 6:1-5, Deuteronomy 7:3, Deuteronomy 7:4, 1 Kings 11:1-5, Nehemiah 13:25, Nehemiah 13:26

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 22:2 - Jehoshaphat 1 Kings 22:44 - made peace 2 Kings 8:27 - he walked 2 Kings 10:14 - neither left 2 Kings 16:3 - he walked 2 Kings 17:19 - walked 2 Kings 23:19 - the kings 2 Chronicles 17:4 - not after Job 30:8 - children Micah 1:13 - for

Cross-References

Psalms 121:8
The Lord will protect you in all you do, now and forevermore.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he walked in the way of the king's of Israel, as did the house of Ahab,.... Imitated them in idolatry:

for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; whose name was Athaliah, 2 Kings 8:26, and by her he was drawn into idolatrous practices; of such bad consequence are marriages with idolaters; it is very much that so good a king as Jehoshaphat his father was should contract such an affinity; he suffered for it in more instances than one:

and he did evil in the sight of the Lord; was guilty of idolatry, than which nothing was more displeasing to the Lord; for he made high places, and compelled his subjects to commit idolatry, 2 Chronicles 21:11.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The passage is parenthetic, resuming the history of the kingdom of Judah from 1 Kings 22:50.

2 Kings 8:16

The opening words are - “In the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab, king of Israel, and of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah;” but they contradict all the other chronological notices of Jehoshaphat 1 Kings 22:42, 1Ki 22:51; 2 Kings 3:1; 2 Chronicles 20:31, which give him a reign of at least twenty-three years. Hence, some have supposed that the words “Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah,” are accidentally repeated. Those, however, who regard them and 2 Kings 1:17 as sound, suppose that Jehoshaphat gave his son the royal title in his 16th year, while he advanced him to a real association in the empire seven years later, in his 23rd year. Two years afterward, Jehoshatphat died, and Jehoram became sole king.

2 Kings 8:17

The “eight years” are counted from his association in the kingdom. They terminate in the twelfth year of Johoram of Israel.

2 Kings 8:18

Jehoshaphat’s alliance, political and social, with Ahab and Ahab’s family had not been allowed to affect the purity of his faith. Jehoram his son, influenced by his wife, Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, “walked in the way of the kings of Israel;” he allowed, i. e., the introduction of the Baal-worship into Judaea.

Among the worst of Jehoram’s evil doings must be reckoned the cruel murder of his six brothers 2 Chronicles 21:4, whom he killed to obtain their wealth.

2 Kings 8:19

The natural consequence of Jehoram’s apostasy would have been the destruction of his house, and the transfer of the throne of Judah to another family. Compare the punishments of Jeroboam 1 Kings 14:10, Baasha 1 Kings 16:2-4, and Ahab 1 Kings 21:20-22. But the promises to David (marginal references) prevented this removal of the dynasty; and so Jehoram was punished in other ways 2Ki 8:22; 2 Chronicles 21:12-19.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 8:18. The daughter of Ahab was his wife — This was the infamous Athaliah; and through this marriage Jehoshaphat and Ahab were confederates; and this friendship was continued after Ahab's death.