(19) In process of time.—Comp. 2Chronicles 21:15. Literally, at days from days, i.e., “a year after a year,” or “after two years.”

After the end of two years.—This clause more exactly defines the preceding. Literally, and about the time of the going forth of the end of two years, i.e., when two full years after the delivery of the prediction had expired. The time of the event exactly coincided with the time predicted. Vulg., well: “duorum annorum expletus est circulus;” Syriac, “When the prophet’s word was fulfilled touching two years.”

By reason of his sickness.—Literally, along with, i.e., in, during, his disease, which appears to have been a violent dysentery.

So he died of sore diseases.—And he died in sore pains (tachaluim, Deuteronomy 29:21).

And his people made no burning for him.—The usual honours of a sovereign were withheld in his case. (See on 2Chronicles 16:14; and comp. Jeremiah 22:19.) So Syriac: “And his people did him no honour, as they did to his fathers.”

2 Chronicles 21:19. So he died of sore diseases — These words seem to import that he was afflicted with a complication of diseases, together with his dysentery; all which were very grievous, and a suitable punishment of his horrid wickedness. And his people made no burning for him — Paid him no extraordinary funeral honours.

21:12-20 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.Jehoahaz - The writer of Chronicles calls him indifferently Jeboahaz and Abaziah, which are equivalent names (2 Kings 8:24 note). 13-19. hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem … like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab—that is, introduced the superstitions and vices of Phœnician idolatry (see on [444]De 13:6-14). On this account, as well as for his unnatural cruelties, divine vengeance was denounced against him, which was soon after executed exactly as the prophet had foretold. A series of overwhelming calamities befell this wicked king; for in addition to the revolts already mentioned, two neighboring tribes (see 2Ch 17:11) made hostile incursions on the southern and western portions of his kingdom. His country was ravaged, his capital taken, his palace plundered, his wives carried off, and all his children slain except the youngest. He himself was seized with an incurable dysentery, which, after subjecting him to the most painful suffering for the unusual period of two years, carried him off, a monument of the divine judgment. To complete his degradation, his death was unlamented, his burial unhonored by his subjects. This custom, similar to what obtained in Egypt, seems to have crept in among the Hebrews, of giving funeral honors to their kings, or withholding them, according to the good or bad characters of their reign. No text from Poole on this verse.

And it came to pass that in process of time, after the end of two years,.... So long he was afflicted and tortured with the above disease:

his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness; either in like manner as Judas's did, Acts 1:18 or as in the manner the bowels of Arius are said to do, while sitting on the seat of the vault (a); or perhaps only what was contained in the bowels is meant, if it was the colic:

so he died of sore diseases; he seems to have had a complication of them, and these very painful and distressing:

and the people made no burning for him, like the burnings of his fathers; as they did for his grandfather Asa, 2 Chronicles 16:14, they did not burn spices or odoriferous wood, as the Targum; though his body, because of the stench of it, needed it, as Jarchi observes.

(a) Sozomen. Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c. 29, 30.

And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.