2 Chronicles 18 28

2 Chronicles 18:28 kjv

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

2 Chronicles 18:28 nkjv

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

2 Chronicles 18:28 niv

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

2 Chronicles 18:28 esv

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

2 Chronicles 18:28 nlt

So King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah led their armies against Ramoth-gilead.

2 Chronicles 18 verses

2 Chronicles 18 28 Meaning

This verse describes the immediate action taken by King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, indicating they proceeded directly to wage war against Aram at Ramoth-gilead. It marks the culmination of their consultation and agreement, signifying their determined move towards the planned military objective, despite the stark divine warning given by the prophet Micaiah.

2 Chronicles 18 28 Context

This verse is situated at a pivotal moment in the narrative of King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah. The preceding verses detail Jehoshaphat's visit to Ahab in Samaria, cemented by a marriage alliance. Ahab proposed a joint military venture to reclaim Ramoth-gilead from the Arameans. Despite Ahab's notorious wickedness, Jehoshaphat, a generally righteous king, agreed, showing a critical lapse in judgment by forming an unholy alliance. The subsequent consultations with 400 false prophets of Ahab, who all prophesied success, are starkly contrasted with the single true prophet of the LORD, Micaiah, who fearlessly prophesied doom and exposed a "lying spirit" permitted by God to entice Ahab to his death. Despite Micaiah's clear and unambiguous warning, amplified by the symbolic act of striking him and his subsequent imprisonment, both kings disregard the divine revelation. This verse signifies their firm decision to proceed, marking their descent into the battle where divine judgment awaited Ahab and near-disaster awaited Jehoshaphat. Historically, Ramoth-gilead was a strategically vital city in Gilead, part of Israelite territory but long contested and occupied by Aram, making its recovery a matter of national prestige. This expedition represents the final act of defiance by Ahab against the LORD's word.

2 Chronicles 18 28 Word analysis

• So (וַיַּעֲל֣וּ / way·ya‘ălū): This conjunctive participle implies immediate consequence, directly linking the kings' action to their prior discussions and decision to ignore the prophetic warning. It marks the progression from agreement to the physical undertaking of the military campaign.
• the king of Israel (מֶֽלֶךְ־ יִשְׂרָאֵל / meleḵ- yiśrā’ēl): This refers specifically to King Ahab. His title here distinguishes him as the ruler of the Northern Kingdom, infamous for leading Israel into widespread idolatry, particularly the worship of Baal, and his opposition to the LORD's prophets. His presence underscores his unrepentant defiance and the ultimate path of judgment he chose.
• and Jehoshaphat (וִֽיהוֹשָׁפָ֤ט / wî·hō·wō·šā·p̄āṭ): His name, meaning "Yahweh has judged" or "Yahweh is judge," carries significant irony in this context, as he is making a grave error in judgment. Jehoshaphat generally walked in the ways of the LORD, undertaking religious reforms. However, his consistent alliances with the wicked kings of Israel (through marriage and military pacts) demonstrate a critical weakness in his walk with God, exposing him to divine rebuke and danger.
• the king of Judah (מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה / meleḵ Yəhūḏāh): This title clarifies Jehoshaphat's identity as the king of the Southern Kingdom, the legitimate lineage of David. His participation here signifies the spiritual danger of compromising the distinctiveness of the covenant people of Judah by allying with the apostate kingdom of Israel.
• went up (וַיַּעֲל֣וּ / way·ya‘ălū): The Hebrew verb alah indicates movement to a higher place or, in this context, the act of ascending for battle or pilgrimage. Ramoth-gilead was indeed situated in a highland region. It signifies the commencement of their expedition.
• to Ramoth-gilead (רָמֹ֨ת גִּלְעָד֙ / Rāmōṯ Gil‘āḏ): Literally "Heights of Gilead." This city, located in the trans-Jordan region, was of critical strategic importance, originally assigned to the tribe of Gad (Deut 4:43) and designated as a city of refuge (Josh 20:8). Its recapture from Aramean control was Ahab's military objective, and it became the literal and symbolic site where divine judgment upon him was enacted.

Words-group analysis:

• "the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah": This phrase highlights the political alliance between the two kingdoms, one predominantly apostate (Israel) and the other striving for faithfulness (Judah). It underscores the danger and unholiness of such a covenant for Jehoshaphat, demonstrating that political expediency can often lead righteous individuals into spiritually perilous compromises. Their combined action marks the determined disregard of the divine warning.
• "went up to Ramoth-gilead": This describes the critical turning point from consultation to engagement. It is the direct consequence of the kings' decision to trust false prophecy and human counsel over the clear, truthful word of the LORD. This geographical destination becomes the arena for the fulfillment of God's judgment against Ahab and a profound test of Jehoshaphat's faith and the Lord's mercy.

2 Chronicles 18 28 Bonus section

The chronicler emphasizes the partnership between these two kings more intensely than the Kings account, setting the stage for Jehu's prophetic rebuke of Jehoshaphat in the following chapter (2 Chron 19:2) for this unholy alliance. This incident demonstrates that even kings are not exempt from accountability to God's prophets and His word. The account highlights divine sovereignty even in the allowance of evil—the "lying spirit" to accomplish God's greater purpose of judging the persistently wicked. This episode profoundly illustrates the conflict between authentic prophecy and human-centric, politically convenient prophecy, a recurring theme throughout biblical history. The focus on Micaiah's ignored prophecy makes 2 Chronicles 18 a powerful cautionary tale against relying on the wisdom of the crowd or politically motivated counsel when it contradicts God's truth.

2 Chronicles 18 28 Commentary

This concise verse captures the decisive step of both King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat, who, having deliberately chosen to reject God's revealed will through Micaiah, proceed directly to the battlefield at Ramoth-gilead. It marks the shift from discourse to action, a physical movement embodying a spiritual decline. For Ahab, it is the defiant march towards his divinely ordained demise, confirming his unyielding rebellion. For Jehoshaphat, his presence alongside Ahab illustrates the profound danger of compromising one's faith and associations for perceived political advantage or family ties. The "going up" is not merely geographical but symbolic of a descent into spiritual disobedience. Ramoth-gilead, a strategic military objective, paradoxically becomes the stage for God's unerring judgment against the unrighteous king and a dramatic demonstration of His grace toward the compromising but ultimately righteous one. This verse thus stands as a testament to the inescapable nature of God's word and the grave consequences of choosing to ignore it.

• Examples:
  • Choosing a path of convenience over the clear principles of God's Word in business or personal life.
  • Forming alliances with those who oppose God's values for perceived gain, ignoring potential spiritual compromise.
  • Persisting in a dangerous course of action despite warnings from trusted, Godly counsel.