1 Kings 22:41-50

The Voice

⁴¹ Jehoshaphat (Asa’s son) became Judah’s king during the 4th year of Ahab’s reign in Israel. ⁴² Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he received the throne. His reign lasted 25 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah (Shilhi’s daughter). ⁴³ Jehoshaphat was devoted to the Eternal just as his father, Asa, was. He walked the good path and did what was good in the eyes of the Eternal One. But the high places were not torn down, and everyone still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. This wickedness still took place under Jehoshaphat’s reign, though he did not inspire it. ⁴⁴ Jehoshaphat also made peace between himself and Israel’s king.

⁴⁵ Is not the rest of Jehoshaphat’s story—his mighty actions and how he waged war—documented in the book of the chronicles of Judah’s kings? ⁴⁶ He threw out of the country all the prostitutes who remained from his father Asa’s time.

⁴⁷ At that time, there was no king sitting on the throne in Edom, only a deputy.

⁴⁸ Jehoshaphat crafted ships modeled after those trading ships in Tarshish to travel to Ophir to gather gold, but the ships never made the trip because they wrecked at Ezion-geber. ⁴⁹ Ahaziah (Ahab’s son) made a request to Jehoshaphat: “Allow my servants to accompany your servants on the ships.” Jehoshaphat refused this request.

⁵⁰ Jeshoshaphat left this world to sleep with his fathers and was laid to rest with his ancestors in his father’s city, the city of David. Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram, then inherited the throne.