1 Kings 22 40

1 Kings 22:40 kjv

So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 22:40 nkjv

So Ahab rested with his fathers. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

1 Kings 22:40 niv

Ahab rested with his ancestors. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king.

1 Kings 22:40 esv

So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

1 Kings 22:40 nlt

So Ahab died, and his son Ahaziah became the next king.

1 Kings 22 verses

1 Kings 22 40 Meaning

First Kings 22:40 details the peaceful and honorable end of King Jehoshaphat's earthly life and reign. It states that he "slept with his fathers" and was subsequently buried in the ancestral royal tombs located in the City of David in Jerusalem. The verse concludes by formally announcing the succession of his son, Jehoram, to the throne. This serves as a concluding summary for Jehoshaphat's life as part of the consistent reporting style for the kings of Judah.

1 Kings 22 40 Context

First Kings chapter 22 details King Ahab of Israel's ill-fated alliance with King Jehoshaphat of Judah against Aram for control of Ramoth-gilead. Despite prophetic warnings, Ahab proceeded to battle and was killed. Jehoshaphat, however, survived the conflict (1 Kgs 22:33), illustrating divine protection despite his flawed alliance with an ungodly king. Verse 40 marks the summary conclusion of Jehoshaphat's reign, occurring after his return from the battle. The historical context reflects the era of the divided kingdom, where Israel and Judah, despite their separation, sometimes formed political or military alliances. The cultural context emphasizes the significance of royal burial sites, particularly the "City of David" for Judahite kings, which signified a legitimate and honorable end to their rule and connection to the Davidic line.

1 Kings 22 40 Word analysis

• So: The Hebrew connective waw (וַיִּשְׁכַּב) here often functions as a consecutive, indicating that this event follows the preceding narrative—Jehoshaphat's survival and return from the battle of Ramoth-gilead. It marks a formal summary and transition.
• Jehoshaphat (יְהוֹשָׁפָט - Yehoshaphat): Meaning "Yahweh has judged" or "Yahweh judges." He was a king of Judah who largely followed the ways of the Lord (2 Chr 17:3), though he made significant misjudgments, notably his alliance with Ahab (1 Kgs 22:2-4, 2 Chr 19:2). His righteous acts are detailed extensively in 2 Chronicles, contrasting with his political blunders recorded here.
• rested (וַיִּשְׁכַּב - vayyishkav): From the Hebrew root שָׁכַב (shakav), meaning "to lie down" or "to sleep." In biblical usage, especially concerning kings and patriarchs, this is a common and respectful euphemism for death, signifying a peaceful passing. It emphasizes the quiet and natural conclusion of life.
• with his fathers: A customary phrase denoting death and often burial with ancestors. It signifies continuity of lineage, legitimate succession, and an honorable end in the family burial plot. It emphasizes joining the collective of the past generations.
• and was buried (וַיִּקָּבֵר - vayyiqqaver): From the Hebrew root קָבַר (qavar), meaning "to bury." This signifies the formal and physical act of internment, affirming a proper and recognized end to his life, distinguishing it from an unhonored death or absence of burial.
• with his fathers: Repetition reinforces the honorable nature of his burial, joining the lineage, and being interred in a designated, familial place.
• in the City of David (בְּעִיר דָּוִד - bəʿîr Dāvīḏ): This refers specifically to Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, and particularly to the traditional royal burial grounds near or within David's original citadel. Burial here affirmed a king's legitimate rule and his connection to the covenantal line of David.
• and Jehoram (יְהוֹרָם - Yehoram): Meaning "Yahweh is exalted" or "Yahweh is high." Jehoshaphat's eldest son, who succeeded him. His reign, in contrast to his father's, was largely characterized by unrighteousness (2 Chr 21:6).
• his son: Establishes the direct and legitimate lineage, essential for the Davidic dynasty. It ensures the unbroken continuation of the royal house.
• reigned in his place: A formal declaration of royal succession. This standard formula signals the official end of Jehoshaphat's rule and the beginning of Jehoram's, marking a transition point in the historical record.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:
• "So Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers": This phrase serves as a formal closing statement for Jehoshaphat's active reign, transitioning from the events of his life to his death. The term "rested" (slept) suggests a peaceful, dignified end, a stark contrast to Ahab's violent death described earlier in the chapter. It implies the end of his labor and return to peace, an honored conclusion despite previous political failings.
• "and was buried with his fathers in the City of David": This describes the official and respectful interment of the king. Being buried "with his fathers" signifies his place in the dynastic line and adherence to established burial customs. The specific mention of "the City of David" highlights Jerusalem as the sacred and official burial site for the Davidic kings, linking Jehoshaphat to the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants and emphasizing his legitimacy as Judah's king.
• "and Jehoram his son reigned in his place": This common formula for succession formally records the transfer of royal authority. It maintains the continuous historical record of the kings of Judah and the Davidic line, moving the narrative forward to the next monarch. This marks a new chapter in Judah's history following Jehoshaphat's considerable reign.

1 Kings 22 40 Bonus section

• The repetitive phrase "with his fathers" underlines the significance of lineage and continuity in ancient Near Eastern monarchies. For the kings of Judah, it strongly connected them to the legacy of King David.
• While 1 Kings emphasizes Jehoshaphat's problematic alliance with Ahab, the parallel account in 2 Chronicles provides a more comprehensive view of his reforms, devotion to Yahweh, and his military successes, particularly his reliance on God in the face of impossible odds (e.g., the Moabite and Ammonite invasion in 2 Chr 20).
• The consistent use of this death and burial formula across the Books of Kings underscores their function as a precise historical record of the Judean and Israelite monarchies.
• The contrast between Jehoshaphat's honored burial and Ahab's rather abrupt, almost disrespectful one (buried in Samaria without explicit mention of "with his fathers," 1 Kgs 22:37) might subtly reinforce the biblical narrator's theological stance on the consequences of righteous vs. unrighteous kingship.

1 Kings 22 40 Commentary

First Kings 22:40 serves as a summary conclusion to Jehoshaphat's long and mostly righteous reign over Judah. It quickly moves from his return from a perilous battle to the expected, honorable end of a king's life. The standard formula "slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David" emphasizes his legitimate lineage, his belonging to the Davidic dynasty, and his proper interment in the revered royal tombs in Jerusalem. Despite his strategic misstep in allying with the ungodly King Ahab, Jehoshaphat receives a dignified exit, which contrasts sharply with Ahab's inglorious death and non-royal burial immediately preceding this verse. This concluding verse also ensures the unbroken historical record of the Davidic line by promptly announcing the succession of his son, Jehoram, signaling continuity in the divine plan for Judah's monarchy. The narrative then shifts attention from the good King Jehoshaphat to the coming reign of his less exemplary successor.