And a letter came to [Jehoram] from Elijah the prophet, saying, …you have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot like the harlotry of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers, those of your fathers household, who were better than yourself. Behold, the Lord will strike your people with a serious affliction, your children, your wives, and all your possessions; and you will become very sick with a disease of your intestines, until your intestines come out by reason of the sickness, day by day.
Behold, the Lord will strike. He doesn’t want to. He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. But He is the Righteous Judge who will judge everybody in due time.
Jehoram’s actions were despicable, especially because he was the king of Judah, God’s remnant, and because he was the son and grandson of godly kings before him. He so displeased the Lord that the Lord killed him; he died a slow, painful death. He was given time to repent, but sadly, it does not appear that he did so.
