Once again, we see that the next king, Shiblom, is born late in the king’s life. Shiblom became king, but had many older brothers who could have desired the power of the position. Once again, we see one of them rebelling against Shiblom.
Shiblom’s reaction differed from his father’s. Where the prophets came to Com for protection, Shiblom declares that they should be put to death. The text says that he “caused that all the prophets who prophesied of the destruction of the people should be put to death,” but it is hard to see that there would be a prophet at this time who had not been teaching that the penalty of not keeping the covenant of the land was to fall upon them. Those prophets had declared a great destruction, and in verse 4 we see that there is war in the land.