2 Chronicles 18

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 18:20

Then there came out a spirit - The Targum gives a strange gloss here: "Then the spirit of Naboth of Jezreel came out from the abode of the righteous, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. And the Lord said, By what means? To which he answered, I will be a spirit of false prophecy in the mouth of his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou mayest then. But although the power of deceiving them is given unto thee, nevertheless it will not be lawful for thee to sit among... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 18:29

I will disguise myself - See the note on 1 Kings 22:30 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 18:31

But Jehoshaphat cried out - "Jehoshaphat cried, and the Word of the Lord brought him assistance." - Targum. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 18:33

A certain man drew a bow - The Targum tells us who it was. "Now, Naaman, the captain of the host of the great king of Syria, drew a bow against him, (that the prophecy of Elijah the Tishbite, and of Micaiah the son of Imla, might be fulfilled), and smote the king of Israel between the heart and the caul of the liver, through the place where the coat of mail is joined." See the note on 2 Kings 5:1 ; for this tradition. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 18:34

Stayed himself up - against the Syrians - There was a great deal of true personal courage and patriotism in this last act of the king of Israel: he well knew that if his troops found that he was mortally wounded, they would immediately give way, and the battle would not only be lost, but the slaughter would be great in the pursuit; therefore he stayed himself up till the evening, when the termination of the day must necessarily bring the battle to a close: and when this was done,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 18:1

The purport of the verse is to let us into the secret that the riches and honour in abundance of Jehoshaphat were, in fact, the snare by which he was led to entangle himself with one who, probably only on that account, was willing to be entangled by affinity with him ( 2 Chronicles 21:6 ; 2 Chronicles 22:2-4 ; 2 Kings 8:25-29 ). It is not hard to see how they would both lead him, if not always out of big and patronizing thoughts, to seek and also lay him open to be sought. When... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 18:1

Temporal advancement and spiritual decline. Writing the biography of Jehoshaphat from a purely religious standpoint, another conjunction than the one used might well have been employed. It might well be written, "Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, but joined affinity with Ahab." For the latter clause affirms that on which we can by no means congratulate the king. Yet such is the common course of things; such is the bent of the human mind and the way that circumstances... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 18:1-3

The false steps of a good king. I. AN UNFORTUNATE ALLIANCE . Jehoshaphat joins affinity with Ahab ( 2 Chronicles 18:1 ). This refers to the marriage of Jehoram his son with Athaliah, Ahab's daughter ( 2 Chronicles 21:6 ), eight or nine years before. The date may be approximately determined thus. Athaliah's son ascended the throne of Judah at the age of twenty-two ( 2 Kings 8:26 ), not forty-two ( 2 Chronicles 22:2 ). But Jehoram his father reigned eight years ( 2 Chronicles... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 18:1-34

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 18:1-34

The second chapter in Jehoshaphat's career. This chapter opens with the statement of a fact that portends no good—the "affinity' which Jehoshaphat "joined with Ahab," the King of Israel. This came to pass in the incident of the marriage of Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, with Athaliah, daughter of Ahab. Eight years, or a little more, and it seems to bear no evil fruit; but, if so, it was only that it was taking its time to form and ripen, and now too surely is found. Clusters of lessons in... read more

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