2 Chronicles 18:1 kjv
Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.
2 Chronicles 18:1 nkjv
Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and by marriage he allied himself with Ahab.
2 Chronicles 18:1 niv
Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.
2 Chronicles 18:1 esv
Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab.
2 Chronicles 18:1 nlt
Jehoshaphat enjoyed great riches and high esteem, and he made an alliance with Ahab of Israel by having his son marry Ahab's daughter.
2 Chronicles 18 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Chr 17:5 | "Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat..." | Prosperity from God due to obedience. |
| 1 Ki 16:30 | "Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him." | Ahab's profound wickedness. |
| 1 Ki 16:31-33 | "And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam... he took Jezebel... and served Baal." | Ahab's devotion to Baal worship. |
| Deut 7:3-4 | "You shall not intermarry with them... For they would turn away your sons from following me..." | Prohibition against marriage with idolaters. |
| Ex 34:15-16 | "You shall not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land... lest when they prostitute themselves... they invite you..." | Warnings against alliances with pagan nations. |
| Neh 13:26 | "Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? ...foreign women made him sin." | Negative example of foreign marriages. |
| 2 Cor 6:14 | "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers." | Principle against intimate partnerships with ungodly. |
| Prov 13:20 | "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." | Impact of close associations. |
| 2 Chr 19:2 | "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, wrath is upon you from the Lord." | Divine rebuke for alliance. |
| 2 Chr 20:35-37 | "After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel... And the ships were broken..." | Consequences of alliance, ship disaster. |
| 2 Ki 8:18 | "And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel... for the daughter of Ahab was his wife..." | Athaliah, Jehoshaphat's daughter-in-law, Ahab's daughter. |
| 2 Chr 21:6 | "He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done..." | Negative influence of Ahab's family on Judah. |
| 2 Chr 22:3 | "He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor..." | Ahab's family influence extended to grand-son. |
| Ps 1:1 | "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners..." | Wisdom of avoiding the wicked. |
| Prov 22:3 | "The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it." | Discernment in avoiding trouble. |
| Hos 8:4 | "They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not." | Consequences of man-made political alliances. |
| Js 4:4 | "Friendship with the world is enmity with God." | Spiritual implication of worldly alliances. |
| Rom 12:2 | "Do not be conformed to this world..." | Imperative not to adopt worldly patterns. |
| Matt 6:24 | "You cannot serve God and money." | A different, but related, temptation for wealth. |
| Deut 17:17 | "Nor shall he acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold." | Warnings for kings against spiritual pitfalls related to alliances and wealth. |
| Jer 2:19 | "Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you." | Inevitable consequences of spiritual compromise. |
2 Chronicles 18 verses
2 Chronicles 18 1 Meaning
2 Chronicles 18:1 opens with a striking contrast, noting that King Jehoshaphat of Judah had attained immense wealth and honor. However, it immediately shifts to reveal a critical misstep: he formed an alliance with King Ahab of Israel through marriage. This verse serves as a crucial transition point, highlighting Jehoshaphat's worldly success while simultaneously foreshadowing the spiritual and political troubles that would arise from this ill-advised relationship with a notoriously wicked king.
2 Chronicles 18 1 Context
This verse is placed immediately after a description of Jehoshaphat's prosperous and religiously active reign (2 Chr 17). Chapter 17 details his removal of high places, dispatching Levites and priests to teach the law throughout Judah, his military strength, and the Lord's establishment of his kingdom. His wealth and honor are directly linked to his obedience and pursuit of God's ways. However, 2 Chronicles 18:1 acts as a stark turning point, initiating the downfall and the subsequent troubles Jehoshaphat and his descendants would face due to this compromised political and familial alliance. The Chronicler highlights this decision as a significant departure from God's commands regarding separation from idolatrous nations. Historically, Israel (Northern Kingdom under Ahab) and Judah (Southern Kingdom under Jehoshaphat) had been adversarial. This alliance was a major shift in foreign policy, aiming for regional stability but coming at a steep spiritual cost, aligning a faithful Davidic king with a kingdom notoriously dedicated to Baal worship. For the original post-exilic audience, this would serve as a powerful cautionary tale about maintaining fidelity to God and avoiding defiling alliances, linking the exile not just to overt idolatry but also to compromising political decisions.
2 Chronicles 18 1 Word analysis
- Now: A transitional particle, indicating a shift in narrative focus from Jehoshaphat's overall good reign to a specific, significant event.
- Jehoshaphat: יְהוֹשָׁפָט (Yehoshaphat), meaning "Yahweh has judged" or "Yahweh judges." He was a king of Judah noted for generally following the Lord. His name itself reflects a divine quality, making his alliance with Ahab all the more poignant.
- had: Implies possession and established state.
- great riches: עֹשֶׁר (ʿosher) - "wealth, abundance, prosperity." This wealth is presented earlier (2 Chr 17:5) as a blessing from God due to his faithfulness, indicating divine favor. Yet, this verse suggests wealth could also facilitate worldly alliances.
- and honor: וְכָבוֹד (vekhāvōd) - "glory, splendor, reputation, respect." This indicates his high standing among the nations, recognized as a powerful and significant ruler. Together with "riches," it signifies the zenith of his worldly achievement.
- and he allied himself: וַיִּתְחַתֵּן (vayyitḥatten) - "and he intermarried," "formed an alliance through marriage." This Hebrew verb (hitpa'el stem of חָתַן, ḥathan) specifically denotes forming an in-law relationship. This is not merely a political treaty but a deeply binding family tie. The verb underscores that Jehoshaphat himself initiated or consented to this deeply problematic alliance, likely the marriage of his son Jehoram to Athaliah, Ahab's daughter. This act directly violates repeated biblical warnings against intermarriage with foreign, idolatrous peoples.
- with Ahab: אַחְאָב (Aḥ'av) - "brother of the father." He was the seventh king of the northern kingdom of Israel, notorious for promoting Baal worship under the influence of his Phoenician wife, Jezebel (1 Ki 16:30-33). He represented the epitome of Israelite wickedness and apostasy. The alliance with him in particular highlights the gravity of Jehoshaphat's error.
- by marriage: This phrase clarifies the nature of the alliance indicated by the verb "allied himself." It confirms the deep, personal, and potentially spiritually contaminating bond. This specific mode of alliance (rather than mere treaty) emphasizes the compromise of family lines and spiritual heritage.
2 Chronicles 18 1 Bonus section
The placement of this verse, immediately after 2 Chr 17 highlighting God's blessings on Jehoshaphat's obedience, accentuates the tragedy of his choice. The Chronicler uses "riches and honor" as a backdrop, suggesting that worldly success can breed a false sense of security or independence, tempting one to stray from divine principles for human expediency. The "marriage alliance" was the precise mechanism through which the ungodly influence of Ahab's house, particularly Athaliah, would infiltrate the Davidic line, leading to widespread apostasy and murder in Judah. This act also sets up the narrative tension for chapter 18, where Jehoshaphat's loyalty is directly tested when Ahab attempts to enlist his aid in war. The very term "allied himself" (וַיִּתְחַתֵּן) highlights that this was Jehoshaphat's active choice, not a passive one. It indicates a decision made by a king with apparent resources to act otherwise, underlining the responsibility he bore.
2 Chronicles 18 1 Commentary
2 Chronicles 18:1 serves as the pivot in Jehoshaphat’s otherwise commendable reign. It reveals that worldly prosperity and honor, even when divinely bestowed, can paradoxically set the stage for spiritual compromise. The king, basking in his blessings, initiates an alliance with Ahab through a marriage—a decision that stands in direct opposition to God's clear commands against unequally yoking with idolaters. This single act of strategic political convenience profoundly impacts not only Jehoshaphat's remaining reign but also casts a long shadow over the subsequent history of Judah's royal line, illustrating how seemingly isolated compromises can unravel spiritual integrity and bring dire consequences to individuals and even generations. It reminds believers that true prosperity is not merely material but hinges on sustained fidelity to God, even when politically or socially inconvenient.