Now Joram had kept Ramoth-gilead... But king Joram was returned. — Rather, Now Joram had been on guard in Ramoth-gilead... And Jehoram the king returned. The whole is a parenthesis intended to explain Jehu’s words in 2 Kings 9:15 : “Let none go forth... to tell it in Jezreel.” Although substantially a repetition of 2 Kings 8:28-29, it was hardly “superfluous” (Thenius) to remind the reader at this point of Joram’s absence — a material element in the success of the conspiracy. Graf’s conjecture that Jehu should be read instead of Joram is an obvious one, but hardly correct.
Because of Hazael. — Rather, against Hazael.