What Does 2 Chronicles 21:8 Mean in the King James?
In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Edom breaks from Judah’s hand, but the revolt immediately becomes a transfer of rule: the people make a king over themselves.
THE MEANING
This verse presents a break from one authority followed by the establishment of another. Edom leaves Judah’s hand and sets a king over itself, so the separation does not leave authority empty.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that leaving one ruler means living without rule: Edom’s break is followed by a king it installs over itself.
THE ROOT
פָּשַׁע
pashaʿ
GROWS FROM
פשע
p-sh-ʿ
Rebel; break away.
“revolted” in this verse is pashaʿ. The verb פָּשַׁע (pashaʿ, rebel or break away) shares its root with פֶּשַׁע (peshaʿ, rebellion). The break is more than a departure: it is a rupture of allegiance.
ALSO GROWS
peshaʿ: Rebellion; a breach of allegiance.
פֶּשַׁע
It names the kind of break Edom makes from Judah’s rule.
posheaʿ: A rebel; one who breaks away.
פֹּשֵׁעַ
It describes the one who makes that rupture, turning the verse’s action into a posture of defiance.
וַיַּמְלִיכוּ
vayyamlîkhû
GROWS FROM
מלך
m-l-k
Be king; reign or rule.
“made themselves a king” in this verse is vayyamlîkhû. The Hebrew causative וַיַּמְלִיכוּ (vayyamlîkhû, they made king) makes the next move explicit: the people establish their own ruler. The root joins king, reigning, and kingdom, showing that the revolt transfers authority rather than ending it.
ALSO GROWS
melekh: King.
מֶלֶךְ
This is the ruler Edom places over itself after breaking from Judah.
malakh: To reign; rule as king.
מָלַךְ
It makes clear that the change is about who holds authority.
malkhut: Kingship; kingdom.
מַלְכוּת
It names the realm of rule that the new king represents.
THE PATTERN
Breaking from one authority reorganizes allegiance by rejecting or establishing another rule.
And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?THE THREAD
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.Isaiah uses the same root פשע (pashaʿ, rebel or break away), naming a rupture of allegiance. Here that same break becomes political and visible as Edom leaves Judah’s hand and installs a king.
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