2 Chronicles 20:36

_AND HE JOINED HIMSELF WITH HIM TO MAKE SHIPS TO GO TO TARSHISH: AND THEY MADE THE SHIPS IN EZIONGEBER._ To make ships. A combined fleet was built at Ezion-geber, the destination of which was to voyage to Tartessus, but it was wrecked. Jehoshaphat's motive for entering into this partnership was to secure a free passage through Israel, because the vessels were to be conveyed across the Isthmus of Suez, and to sail to the west of Europe from one of the ports of Palestine on the Mediterranean. Eliezer, a prophet, denounced this unholy alliance, and foretold, as a divine judgment, the total wreck of the whole fleet. The consequence was, that although Jehoshaphat broke off in obedience to the divine will, his league with Ahaziah, he formed a new scheme of a merchant fleet, and Ahaziah wished to be admitted a partner. The proposal of the Israelite king was respectfully declined. The destinati...

31-37 Jehoshaphat kept close to the worship of God, and did what he could to keep his people close to it. But after God had done such great things for him, given him not only victory, but wealth; after this, to go and join himself with a wicked king, was very ungrateful. What could he expect but that God would be angry with him? Yet it seems, he took the warning; for when Ahaziah afterward pressed him to join him, he would not, 1 Kings 22:49. Thus the alliance was broken, and the Divine rebuke had its effect, at least for a season. Let us be thankful for any losses which may have prevented the loss of our immortal souls. Let us praise the Lord, who sought after us, and left us not to perish in our sins....

Verse 2 Chronicles 20:36. _TO GO TO TARSHISH_] "In the great sea." - _Targum_. By which expression they always meant the _Mediterranean Sea_....

EXPOSITION Of this chapter, with its thirty-seven verses, only the six verses (31-36) find any duplicate or parallel in Kings (1 Kings 22:41-11). The chapter is occupied with a statement of the invasion of Judah by Moabites and Ammonites and certain problematical others (2 Chronicles 20:1, 2 Chronicles 20:2); with an account of the way in which the king and people prepared to meet the crisis (2 Chronicles 20:3); with the prophecy of Jahaziel the Levite as to how, under certain conditions, things would go ...

AND HE JOINED HIMSELF WITH HIM TO MAKE SHIPS TO GO TO TARSHISH,.... Of which, 1 Kings 22:48, and though it is there said, 1 Kings 22:49, that Jehoshaphat refused letting the servants of Ahaziah go with his, that was after he had been reproved for joining with him, and after the ships were broken: AND THEY MADE THE SHIPS IN EZIONGEBER; of which 1 Kings 9:26....

CHAPTER 20 JUDAH INVADED, JEHOSHAPHAT'S PRAYER AND DELIVERANCE _ 1. The invasion (2 Chronicles 20:1)_ 2. Jehoshaphat's great prayer (2 Chronicles 20:3) 3. Jehovah's answer through Jahaziel (2 Chronicles 20:14) 4. Prostrated before the LORD (2 Chronicles 20:18) 5. The great deliverance (2 Chronicles 20:20) 6. In the valley of Berachah (2 Chronicles

Jehoshaphat's victory over the Ammonites and Moabites. This story of a miraculous battle is perhaps a _midrash_ on the war described in 1 Kings 3:4 ff., and has, in so far, some historical basis; but the details are purely imaginary. 2 Chronicles 20:5. before the new court: perhaps the same as the great court in 2 Chronicles 4:9; the Chronicler has in his mind's eye the Temple as he knew it. 2 Chronicles 20:7. Abraham thy friend: _cf._ Isaiah 41:8;...

TO MAKE SHIPS TO GO TO TARSHISH. This was prior to the similar event recorded in 1 Kings 22:48; 1 Kings 22:49, where he made (himself) "Tarshish ships to go to Ophir". Ahaziah again sought to implicate Jehoshaphat. But he failed in the attempt, for we there read "Jehoshaphat would not" (2Ch 20:49). And the ships "did not go", for they were "broken" (2Ch 20:48). The marginal note in Authorized Version is neither correct nor necessary....

_ships to go_to _Tarshish_ In Kings, _ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir:_cp. 2 Chronicles 9:21 (1 Kings 10:22), note. In both passages the reading of Kings, "ships (or -navy") _of_Tarshish," i.e. large sea-going ships (cp. Psalms 48:7) is to be preferred, because (1) Ezion-geber was a port for vessels sailing eastward, while Tarshish was in the west, (2) gold, the object of the voyage (cp. 1 Kings 22:48), came from Ophir (2 Chronicles 8:18; 1 K

5. THE REIGN OF JEHOSHAPHAT (17-21:3) TEXT 2 Chronicles 17:1. And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. 2. And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. 3. And Jehovah was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the Baalim, 4. but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. 5. Therefore Jehovah established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honor in abundance. 6. And his heart was lifted up in the ways of Jehovah: and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. 7. Also in the third year of his reign he sent his pri