II Chronicles 21:10 · Bible study
2 Chronicles 21:10 Commentary: Revolt & Forsaking God
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Edom and Libnah revolted: the Chronicler connects Jehoram's apostasy directly to the loss of political control.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Chronicler attributes the loss of Edom and Libnah to Jehoram's apostasy, showing that covenant unfaithfulness leads to political and military collapse.
- Key words: Pāshaʿ (revolt, rebel) and ʿāzav (forsake, abandon), both verbs emphasize a break in relationship.
- Main debate: Whether the Chronicler's causation is strictly theological or also implies that Jehoram's wickedness weakened Judah's alliances; most commentators accept both.
- Theological theme: The conditional nature of God's protection under the Old Covenant, blessing follows obedience, loss follows abandonment.
- Best use: A warning to leaders and communities that spiritual drift erodes strength; suitable for sermons on repentance, covenant, or the consequences of sin.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So to this day Edom has been in rebellion against the hand of Judah. Likewise, Libnah rebelled against his rule at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers.
WEB World English Bible 2000
So Edom has been in revolt from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Yahweh, the God of his fathers.
KJV King James Version 1769
So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day: then did Libnah revolt at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Jehovah, the God of his fathers.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and Edom revolteth from under the hand of Judah unto this day; then doth Libnah revolt at that time from under his hand, because he hath forsaken Jehovah, God of his fathers,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Jehovah the God of his fathers.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
However Edom revolted, from being under the dominion of Juda unto this day: at that time Lobna also revolted, from being under his hand. For he had forsaken the Lord the God of his fathers.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Con todo eso Edom quedó rebelado, sin estar bajo la mano de Judá hasta hoy. También se rebeló en el mismo tiempo Libna para no estar bajo su mano; por cuanto él había dejado á Jehová el Dios de sus padres.
Com tudo isso Edom ficou rebelado, sem estar sob a mão de Judá até hoje. Também se rebelou no mesmo tempo Libna para não estar sob sua mão; porquanto ele havia deixado ao SENHOR o Deus de seus pais.
La rébellion d’ Édom contre l’ autorité de Juda a duré jusqu’ à ce jour. Libna se révolta dans le même temps contre son autorité, parce qu’ il avait abandonné l’ Éternel, le Dieu de ses pères.
Doch blieben die Edomiter abtrünnig von Juda bis auf diesen Tag. Zur selben Zeit fiel Libna auch von ihm ab; denn er verließ den HERRN, seiner Väter Gott.
Evenwel vielen de Edomieten af van onder het gebied van Juda, tot op dezen dag; toen ter zelfder tijd viel Libna af, van onder zijn gebied, want hij had den HEERE, den God zijner vaderen, verlaten.
Così Edom si è ribellato sottraendosi al giogo di Giuda fino al dì d’oggi. In quel medesimo tempo, anche Libna si ribellò e si sottrasse al giogo di Giuda, perché Jehoram aveva abbandonato l’Eterno, l’Iddio de’ suoi padri.
Ale przecież odstąpili Edomczycy, aby nie byli pod mocą Judy, aż do dnia tego; odstąpiła też i Lebna tegoż czasu, aby nie była pod mocą jego, przeto, iż był Joram opuścił Pana, Boga ojców swoich.
Однако вышел Едом из-под власти Иуды до сего дня. В то же время вышла и Ливна из-под власти его, потому что он оставил Господа Бога отцов своих.
這樣，以東人 背叛 猶大，脫離 他的權下，直到 今 日。那 時，立拿人 也 背叛了，因為 約蘭離棄 耶和華─他列祖的 神。
So Edom made themselves free from the rule of Judah, to this day: and at the same time Libnah made itself free from his rule; because he was turned away from the Lord, the God of his fathers.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Chronicles 21:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the Chronicler deliberately adds the clause because he had forsaken Yahweh, the God of his fathers, wording absent from the parallel account in 2 Kings 8:20, 22. Keil and Delitzsch observe that this reflection forms the Chronicler's conclusion: Jehoram brought the revolts on himself, and the Lord punished his sin by permitting these losses. Matthew Henry and Wesley similarly note that when Jehoram forsook God, the nations and cities that had been loyal to Judah forsook him. The statement is not merely a historical explanation but a theological verdict: covenant faithfulness secures God's protection; abandonment of Yahweh forfeits it.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The Chronicler unambiguously states that the revolts of Edom and Libnah happened because Jehoram forsook Yahweh, the God of his fathers.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The cause of Edom's revolt | All commentators affirm that the Chronicler presents Jehoram's forsaking of Yahweh as the ultimate cause. | Some (Wesley) emphasize that the revolt was a natural consequence of weakened authority; others (Keil) see it as a direct divine punishment. Both agree God was involved. |
| The nature of Libnah's revolt | Libnah's rebellion is linked to the same cause: Jehoram's apostasy. | The Cambridge Bible notes the Peshitta reads 'Edomites who dwelt in Libnah,' suggesting ethnic Edomites within Judah, while other commentators see a purely political rebellion by a Levitical city. |
| The role of free will vs. divine judgment | Jehoram chose to forsake God, and God permitted the revolts as judgment. | Protestant traditions often stress God's sovereign decree behind the events; Arminian traditions emphasize human responsibility and consequence. Both sides affirm God's justice. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Edom had been a vassal of Judah since David's conquest, and a deputy king ruled under Judah's authority even in Jehoshaphat's reign (1 Kings 22:47). The revolt described here (vv. 8, 10) marks the permanent loss of Edom; Judah would regain only brief, temporary control centuries later. Jehoram's night attack (v. 9) failed to crush the rebellion, and the Chronicler records that Edom remained in revolt to this day, the time of the writing of Chronicles, likely after the exile.
Libnah was a Levitical city in the Shephelah (Joshua 21:13) near Lachish, on the southern border of Judah. The Cambridge Bible notes that Libnah may have had Edomite residents, and the Syriac translation reads “Edomites who dwelt in Libnah.” Its revolt at the same time underscores that the defection was not a single border incident but a broader crumbling of Judah's sphere of influence. The Chronicler places these losses in a moral framework: they flow from Jehoram's worship of Baal and his murder of his own brothers (v. 4, v. 13). As Wesley puts it, “While he adhered to God they adhered to him; but when he cast God off they cast him off.”
Textual Notes
None of the supplied sources note any significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. The main difference between the Chronicler's account and 2 Kings 8:20, 22 is compositional, not text-critical: the Chronicler adds the causal clause because he had forsaken Yahweh, the God of his fathers, which is absent from the Kings parallel.
Reception History
This verse has been used throughout church history to illustrate the principle that spiritual infidelity leads to social and political decay. Early Christian commentators, reading the Old Testament through a Christological lens, saw Jehoram as a cautionary figure: a king who enjoyed the covenant yet lost everything through idolatry. The Reformers (Calvin, Luther in their commentaries on Kings/Chronicles) drew from it to argue that nations blessed by God remain secure only as long as they honor Him. In Wesleyan tradition, the verse became a text for sermonizing on the practical consequences of sin. More recently, evangelical interpreters like Matthew Henry have emphasized the personal lesson: when a leader forsakes God, those under him suffer loss.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Covenant blessing is conditional: Jehoram walked in the ways of Ahab, married Ahab's daughter, and forsook the Lord, and the visible result was the collapse of Judah's regional power.
- Rebellion on earth mirrors rebellion in heaven: Edom and Libnah revolted against Jehoram just as Jehoram had revolted against God.
- “To this day” is a memorial: The Chronicler's phrase reminds every generation that forsaking God leaves permanent scars.
Five-point outline
- The setting: Jehoram's evil reign (vv. 4, 6)
- The crisis: Edom's successful revolt (vv. 8, 9)
- The second crisis: Libnah's revolt (v. 10a)
- The cause: he forsook the LORD (v. 10b)
- The legacy: the kingdom frays because the king's heart is divided.
Illustration hooks
- A company loses its largest client after the CEO stops investing in quality, the external failure traces back to an internal choice.
- A marriage that disintegrates not from one blow but from a slow drift of attention and affection, the small forsakings add up.
- A garden left untended: weeds don't invade because the gardener attacks them; they invade because the gardener stopped caring for the soil.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is my personal faith connected to my family's or nation's wellbeing?
- When I see a leader fall, is it always because of hidden sin?
- How can I tell if I'm subtly forsaking God without a dramatic rebellion?
Leading a Discussion
This verse forces us to see the link between spiritual fidelity and practical outcomes. The Chronicler is not teaching a simple formula (good behavior = prosperity), but he insists that abandoning the covenant has real-world consequences. As you work through the questions, notice how the passage juxtaposes a political event with a theological explanation.
Discussion questions
- What do we learn about Jehoram's character from verses 4, 6 and verse 11? How do these details set up what happens in verse 10?
- Compare this account with 2 Kings 8:20, 22. What does the Chronicler add that the Kings account leaves out? Why might that matter for understanding his message?
- The Hebrew verb ʿāzav (forsaken) in verse 10 is used elsewhere for divorce (Mal 2:16) and desertion (Deut 32:15). What does this word choice reveal about the nature of Jehoram's sin?
- Libnah was a Levitical city, a place dedicated to God's service. Why is its revolt especially striking in this story?
- The phrase “to this day” appears twice in the chapter (vv. 8, 10). What does that phrase tell us about the lasting effect of Jehoram's choices?
- In verse 7 we are told that the Lord would not destroy David's house because of his covenant. How does God's mercy coexist with the judgment described in verse 10?
- If “forsaking the Lord” is the root cause, what would repentance look like for a person or community today who senses they have drifted?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 32:21 | They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God. They have provoked me to anger with their vanities. I will move them to jealousy with those who are not a people. I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. |
| Joshua 21:13 | To the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, Libnah with its pasture lands, |
| I Kings 11:31 | He said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces; for Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you |
| I Kings 11:33 | because they have forsaken me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon. They have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my eyes, and to keep my statutes and my ordinances, as David his father did. |
| II Kings 19:8 | So Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he had departed from Lachish. |
| II Chronicles 13:10 | “But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests serving Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work. |
| II Chronicles 15:2 | He went out to meet Asa, and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin! Yahweh is with you while you are with him; and if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. |
| Jeremiah 2:13 | “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut out cisterns for themselves: broken cisterns that can’t hold water. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator suggests Libnah's revolt may have been driven by Edomites living there, citing the Peshitta translation. He also notes Libnah was a priestly city, adding that the phrase "the Lord God" in Kings differs from the Chronicler's wording.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes trace Edom's and Libnah's rebellion directly to King Jehoram's abandonment of the Lord God of his ancestors. The political revolt is explained as a consequence of his spiritual unfaithfulness, not just a military or political event.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch highlight that the chronicler directly connects Edom's revolt to Joram's forsaking of God; the rebellion was divine punishment. They note Joram did not merely neglect worship but actively rebuilt the high places his godly predecessors had torn down, and he seduced Jerusalem into Baal worship, violently misleading Judah into idolatry.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the letter of judgment from Elijah to King Joram was likely not written by the prophet himself but preserved by a
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes how Jehoshaphat's generosity to all his sons could not prevent Jehoram's cruelty. The firstborn used his power to murder his brothers, proving that a father's gifts cannot secure a child's character. God spared David's house only because of His own covenant promise, not Jehoram's merit.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees Libnah's revolt as a direct response to Jehoram's idolatry. The people remained loyal while the king followed God, but when he cast God off, they cast him off. This explains both God's permission and their action, showing divine providence in the event's outcome.