Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 21:20

"Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years: and he departed without being desired; and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings." — 2 Chronicles 21:20 (ASV)

Thirty and two years. —The word “years” is missing from the Hebrew text, but some manuscripts contain it. The repetition of his age, etc., is curious (see 2 Chronicles 21:6). It seems to indicate that the writer was transcribing from another source here.

And departed without being desired. — And he departed without regret, died unregretted. Hemdâh corresponds to the Latin desiderium. The Septuagint and Vulgate render it: “And he walked not in approbation,” or “rightly.” Compare Jeremiah’s prophecy concerning the end of King Jehoiakim: “They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah, my brother!” etc. (Jeremiah 22:18–19). So too the Syriac and Arabic versions.

Howbeit. — And.

They buried him. — The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions state: “He was buried.”

But not in the sepulchres of the kings. — 2 Chronicles 24:25; 2 Chronicles 26:23. Another circumstance of dishonour. It is not mentioned in 2 Kings 8:17. Thenius asserts that in these additions to the history of Jehoram, there is traceable, not only a traditional or legendary element, but also pure embellishment on the part of the chronicler. The grounds he alleges, however, by no means necessitate his conclusion, being themselves misinterpretations of the statements of Kings.