The death of Jehoshaphat initiates a period of crisis that will endure for the next three reigns, beginning with Jehoram and Ahaziah and ending in the tragedy caused by the queen Athaliah. It is interesting that the names of the two kings here are also names of northern kings (Ahab’s son was Ahaziah and his grandson was Jehoram), clear indications of the influence of the northern kingdom introduced by Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Ahab and the marriage of Ahab’s daughter Athaliah to Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram. The account of this son Jehoram begins in 21:1–7 with an expanded introductory summary note highlighting the evil behavior of Jehoram from the very beginning of his reign. By assassinating all contenders for the throne, Jehoram introduces the key motif of dynastic endangerment, which w…