2 Chronicles 17-20 Introduction
The Chronicler’s point is to present the exiles with the story of a faithful but not perfect king in hopes that his story will inspire them to be faithful too.
Scene 1: Jehoshaphat Seeks God
2 Chronicles 17:1-6
1 Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals 4 but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. 5 The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. 6 His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.
Who is King Jehoshaphat in the Bible?
Jehoshaphat is the 6th king in the Davidic line. Like his father, Asa, he is one of the four good kings who follow David. His success is attributed to the fact that he seeks God and follows His commands rather than the now-idolatrous practices of Israel.
Despite following David in his commitment to the Lord, Jehoshaphat makes a foolish mistake that almost brings down the Davidic line through an alliance with Israel.
Scene 2: Jehoshaphat Does What Is Right
2 Chronicles 17:7-19
7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. 8 With them were certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10 The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats.
12 Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah 13 and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem. 14 Their enrollment by families was as follows:
From Judah, commanders of units of 1,000: Adnah the commander, with 300,000 fighting men; 15 next, Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000; 16 next, Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered himself for the service of the Lord, with 200,000. 17 From Benjamin: Eliada, a valiant soldier, with 200,000 men armed with bows and shields; 18 next, Jehozabad, with 180,000 men armed for battle.
19 These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
How does Jehoshaphat strengthen the kingdom of Judah in 2 Chronicles 17?
Jehoshaphat has his priorities in order, and the first thing he does is send his officials to teach the people the Law. The people are totally dependent on preaching. Books are not a thing yet. The priests have scrolls. Yet there are only three occurrences where it is actually noted that the Levites go throughout the land to teach.
It is their job, yet it says something about Jehoshaphat that it was enforced. The result is that God blesses the land. The fear of the Lord falls on even the Philistines, and they pay tribute to Judah. Judah grows strong, and Jehoshaphat uses that wealth to build up the nation with forts, supplies, and a larger military. It is a great start for King Jehoshaphat.
Scene 3: Jehoshaphat's Foolish Alliance with King Ahab
2 Chronicles 18:1-7
1 Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage. 2 Some years later he went down to see Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him and urged him to attack Ramoth Gilead. 3 Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?”
Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.” 4 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord.”
5 So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”
“Go,” they answered, “for God will give it into the king’s hand.”
6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”
7 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
“The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.
Jehoshaphat Does the Right Thing at First
Judah and Israel have not been on good terms since Israel divided, and the Omri dynasty has most likely made Israel even more threatening. That is why, at the beginning of this chapter in verse 1, it says that Jehoshaphat strengthened himself against Israel. In his early years, Jehoshaphat did the right thing. He strengthened Judah against Israel. Yet here, "some years later," he chooses instead to become an ally with Ahab, a king known for his power, apostasy, and corruption.
Why does Jehoshaphat form an alliance with King Ahab of Israel?
Fear is most likely the primary motivation for Jehoshaphat to form an alliance with King Ahab. Jehoshaphat's fear drives the temptation to do something he knows is wrong. He could have trusted God for Judah's security, but the alliance apple is so tempting that Jehoshaphat takes it. Then he gives it to his son Jehoram.
Jehoram's bite is spiritually fatal. He marries Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, the Bible's most wicked couple. Athaliah spreads her idolatrous poison to her husband and throughout Judah, killing the covenant as she goes, and all the spiritual good Jehoshaphat and his father had done for Judah dies. But that wasn’t all she does.
Jehoshaphat’s failure to trust will prove to be deadly in our next chapters. Little does he know that the apple contained the poison that will kill his great-grandchildren and wipe out the line of David, but for one small boy.
What was Jehoshaphat thinking encouraging such a marriage? The chances are slim that an evil, idolatrous couple will raise a Godly daughter. But the ancient culture of alliances through marriage is a mistake so many kings make. Even the wisest king, Solomon, succumbed to the tradition.
For more on Ahab and Jezebel’s story, see our 1 Kings 16-17 Bible study, the beginning of the Omri dynasty. For more on Jehoshaphat and Athalia’s story, see our 2 Kings 8-9 and 2 Kings 9-10 Bible studies.
Back to our story
Some years after the marriage of their two children, Jehoshaphat goes to visit Ahab. Maybe to chat about their newly married kids or the birth of a grandchild. Who knows, but they are in-laws now. The visit is another mistake.
Ahab rolls out the royal red feasting table, but not without reason. He has a motive, and he is persuasive. He wants Jehoshaphat to go into battle with him against Aram. Judah is nowhere near Ramoth Gilead, or Aram, and while Judah's traders would have passed through it on the road to Damascus, it really doesn’t matter to them who they pay tolls to, Israel or Aram. After much food and probably drink, Jehoshaphat is all solicitation. He capitulates and agrees to go to battle with Ahab.
Then, as if he suddenly remembers God, he backtracks. This scene is almost comedic. They serve a lot of food at this diplomatic dinner, and I imagine a lot of wine, because it kind of sounds as if these old kings are drunk or close to it. Jehoshaphat agrees to the battle as if it is a picnic: We are family; of course, we will join you in the war. Then: Oh my bad, my God and I have a rule—I have to ask first if I can go. You got any prophets on hand?
Then bossy Ahab yells: Bring me a prophet, bring me all the prophets. Now! And 400 prophets march in. Jehoshaphat leans in and, with blurry eyes, studies the strange prophets and says: Don't you have any God prophets? I’m not sure how he knows they aren't. Then Ahab responds like a child: Ya, ya, we got one, but I hate him. He never says anything good about me. And Jehoshaphat tsks him, like a little mother: You should not talk like that; we don't say such things.
The whole conversation seems unkingly, like two old men arguing in their folding chairs on a street corner. However, the conversation actually goes down, Jehoshaphat gets credit for three things.
- He asks for a prophet.
- He recognizes Ahab's prophets as false prophets.
- He doesn’t give in until Micaiah is called.
Scene 4: The One Real Prophet vs 400
2 Chronicles 18:8-27
8 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
9 Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. 10 Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns, and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’”
11 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
12 The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”
13 But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says.”
14 When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”
“Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for they will be given into your hand.”
15 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
16 Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’”
17 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”
18 Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing on his right and on his left. 19 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’
“One suggested this, and another that. 20 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’
21 “‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.
“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’
22 “So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.”
23 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from the Lord go when he went from me to speak to you?” he asked.
24 Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.”
25 The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son, 26 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’”
27 Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!”
A Comedy Act
The last scene was a comedy. This scene is a circus. The two kings are royally decked out on thrones where everyone can see them near the gates to the capital, which is the common meeting place. All 400 prophets are prophesying before them. Does that mean they all talk at once? Are they dancing around? Is it choreographed or chaotic?
Then the circus master steps up, raises iron horns, and uses them as a visual to illustrate the victory they will have over the Arameans. It's not as loud or impressive as a military flyover, but it gets their attention. And all the other prophets chime in: attack, attack, attack.
Ahab's messenger is no fool. He wants to avoid the king's anger and live to see another day, so he tells Micaiah Look, all 400 prophets agree; we need to attack Aram. So, for once, can you just go with it and agree? Well, Micaiah is not a fool, nor is he going to be forced to speak foolishness out of fear.
He responds sarcastically to Ahab with exactly what Ahab wants to hear: "Sure, you go for it, attack." Ahab gets angry. He knows Micaiah is being condescending.
At that, I imagine the room freezes. The circus gets serious. Ahab wants the truth? Everyone grows quiet, and the air becomes so tight no one dares to breathe. Micaiah straightens, leans in, focuses his eyes on the king, and lays down the truth for whoever dares to pick it up.
What does the prophet Micaiah predict about the battle at Ramoth Gilead?
The prophet Micaiah predicts Ahab will die in this battle, and his people, his sheep, will finally have peace. Because they have needed a shepherd, and Ahab is not one. He is a cruel master. God is done with Ahab. Therefore, Ahab is done.
Ahab's only response is childishly foolish. He turns to Jehoshaphat and basically says, "See, I told ya, he hates me."
Micaiah is still in the prophecy zone and continues with his vision of a conversation between God and his heavenly spiritual assistants. God asked them who could entice Ahab so that he would be killed in battle. God's assistants throw out ideas, and God likes one: the spirit who says he will use Ahab's very own false prophets. It seems fittingly ironic. Ahab has insisted on living by his own prophets, and now he will die by them. The bottom line is that Ahab will perish because he refuses to believe in God. So the purpose of this scene is more for Jehoshaphat. Can he see the truth, and will he act on it?
A Note to Us
Ahab is not the only one who will perish because of foolish denial of God and the resulting delusions. In the New Testament, Paul warns us:
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
We have all the proof we need to believe and be saved. If we refuse, we will be led into believing a lie and wickedness.
Micaiah Goes to Jail
Poor Micaiah gets assaulted and then thrown in jail. Zedekiah, Ahab's prophet, slaps him and sarcastically implies that Micaiah spoke falsely, to which Micaiah responds: " We shall see. If the king walks out of the battle alive, then Micaiah is not a prophet. If King Ahab dies, all 400 prophets will be wrong and will also most likely die.
Scene 5: No Surprise, Ahab Dies
2 Chronicles 18:28-34
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
30 Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” 31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “This is the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him, 32 for when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him.
33 But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the breastplate and the scale armor. The king told the chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” 34 All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.
Ahab’s Disguise
In this scene, King Jehoshaphat is blindly foolish. Ahab is afraid of being killed as Micaiah prophesied, so Ahab tells Jehoshaphat to wear the royal robes while he is in disguise. Then the enemy will think Jehoshaphat is Ahab and kill him instead. Why Jehoshaphat is okay with Ahab's idea is baffling. And yes, he has a close call and almost dies, if not for God stepping in. Hopefully it is a wake-up call to how ridiculously foolish it is to agree with Ahab. The disguise does nothing to protect Ahab.
How does King Ahab die in the battle against Aram?
A random arrow hits King Ahab right between the sections of his armor. Neither the disguise nor the armor can protect him from God's will.
Proverbs 19:21 21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Scene 6: Jehoshaphat's Consequence
2 Chronicles 19:1-11
1 When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, 2 Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you. 3 There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.”
4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 5 He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. 6 He told them, “Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. 7 Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”
8 In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the Lord and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. 9 He gave them these orders: “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord. 10 In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord; otherwise his wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.
11 “Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and the Levites will serve as officials before you. Act with courage, and may the Lord be with those who do well.”
What is the prophet Jehu's rebuke to Jehoshaphat after the battle?
The Lord sends a prophet named Jehu to set Jehoshaphat straight. Jehu is all accusatory questions: How could you help the wicked Ahab? You know better. You love the Lord. What were you thinking?
How does Jehoshaphat reform the judicial system in Judah?
Jehoshaphat appoints judges throughout the kingdom, and he appoints Levites, priests, and family leaders to administer the Law. Aside from Jehoshaphat's foolish alliance with Ahab, he is faithful and seems to recover from that slip.
Scene 7: Jehoshaphat's Victory
2 Chronicles 20:1-30
1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.
2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said:
“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
10 “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”
22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
24 When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. 25 So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.
27 Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.
29 The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
The Battle of Jehoshaphat
The Chronicler comes to the end of Jehoshaphat's story with a battle that contrasts with the impulsive, foolish battle he fought with Ahab. In this battle, all is done according to God's will, and as a result, God does all the fighting.
Which makes one think. In the daily battles of life, do I pray to God first? Do I fully rely on him for the outcome? Or do I forge ahead in my own strength? Am I wasting energy on things that would have fallen into place without me even lifting a finger if I had only gone to God?
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Group Discussion Questions for 2 Chronicles 17-20
- Jehoshaphat’s fear drove him to make an alliance with the evil Ahab instead of trusting God for Judah's security. When fear or anxiety about the future kicks in for you, what unwise shortcut or thing do you try to control instead of handing it to God?
- Ahab surrounded himself with 400 false prophets who only told him what he wanted to hear, while Micaiah stood alone telling the hard truth. Who are the “Micaiah” friends in your life… and who are the 400 false prophets who only tell you what you want to hear?
- Like King Jehoshaphat, where in your life right now are you wearing yourself out trying to fight a battle God wants to fight for you?
