Bible Commentaries

CHAPTER 18 Jehoshaphat’s Sinful Alliance with Ahab

1. The alliance with Ahab (2 Chronicles 18:1-3)

2. Ahab’s false prophets (2 Chronicles 18:4-11)

3. Micaiah’s prophecy (2 Chronicles 18:12-27)

4. The fatal battle at Ramoth-Gilead (2 Chronicles 18:28-34)

The same record also appears in 1 Kings 22, to which the reader may turn for further annotations. Jehoshaphat’s prosperity became a snare to him. Riches and honor he had in abundance. No doubt lifted up in his heart and self secure, saying perhaps, “I am increased in goods and have need of nothing,” on a certain day he joined affinity with Ahab. Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram married Ahab’s wicked daughter Athaliah (2 Chronicles 21:6). This was a fatal step for Jehoshaphat and the house of Judah. It brought him into alliance with Ahab, the wicked; he almost lost his life on account of it; only his prayer saved him (2 Chronicles 18:31); and Athaliah introduced the vile idolatries of Ahab into Judah (22:3) and became the murderess of the royal seed (2 Chronicles 22:10-12).

The historical account of Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Ahab, the false prophets, the prophecy of Micaiah, the battle of Ramoth-Gilead, is commented upon in the record of the first book of the Kings.

That Jehoshaphat knew the Lord and was His is blessedly illustrated in verses 31-32. In the hour of need, the king in such bad company turned to the Lord and cried to Him. There was an immediate answer and the King of Judah was saved. What a power prayer is! May all God’s people make use of it. As we have said previously, “Jehoshaphat was miraculously saved, but Ahab was miraculously killed.”