John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. And he had brethren, the sons of Jehoshaphat , etc.] That is, Jehoram had, who succeeded him: their names follow, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah ; two of them were of the same name; though it may be observed, that in the Hebrew text they are somewhat distinguished, the latter is called Azariah; Jehiel is said, by the Jews f75 , to be the same with Hiel that rebuilt Jericho; indeed it was rebuilt in the times of Jehoshaphat, and was a city of the tribe of Benjamin, ( Joshua 18:21) which was under his jurisdiction; but it can never be thought that he would ever suffer a son of his to rebuild it; besides, he is expressly said to be a Bethelite, ( 1 Kings 16:34), all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel ; which generally, since the division of the kingdom, designs the ten tribes, but cannot be the meaning here, because Jehoshaphat was only king of two tribes, Judah and Benjamin; they were tribes of Israel indeed, and so he was king of a part of Israel; and besides, many out of the ten tribes came and settled in his kingdom, and were under his government; though some think he is so called, because he concerned himself so much for the kingdom of Israel, and more than for his own; but the Vulgate Latin, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, all read king of Judah; wherefore some are of opinion that Israel is a mistake of the transcriber; but this need not be supposed, since he was of right king of Israel, and was in fact king of two tribes that belonged to Israel.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - Jehoram hated his brethren, and slew them, for the same reason tha Cain hated Abel, and slew him, because their piety condemned his impiety. In the mystery of Providence such men sometimes prosper for 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.
Original Hebrew ולו אחים251 בני1121 יהושׁפט3092 עזריה5838 ויחיאל3171 וזכריהו2148 ועזריהו5838 ומיכאל4317 ושׁפטיהו8203 כל3605 אלה428 בני1121 יהושׁפט3092 מלך4428 ישׂראל׃3478
