II Chronicles 20:31-37 · Bible study
2 Chronicles 20:31-37 Commentary: Jehoshaphat's End
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine II Chronicles 20:31-37: Jehoshaphat's good reign, the lingering high places, and his disastrous alliance with Ahaziah.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jehoshaphat's reign is summarized as good but incomplete; his alliance with Ahaziah leads to divine judgment through a shipwreck, teaching that spiritual compromise undermines even successful ventures.
- Key words: 'joined himself' (התחבר, Hithpael of חָבַר), a reciprocal alliance; 'broken' (פרץ, paratz), God shatters the enterprise; 'heart' (לבב, levav), the seat of devotion, which the people had not yet directed toward God.
- Main debate: Whether the 'high places' not removed were sites of idolatry (Clarke) or places where the true God was worshipped (Gill, Jamieson). The answer affects how we assess Jehoshaphat's obedience.
- Theological theme: The danger of alliances with the wicked, even for good purposes; the necessity of whole-hearted devotion; God's sovereignty over human plans (the verb 'broken' is active divine judgment).
- Best use: A case study in partial obedience and the need for ongoing reformation; a warning against unequally yoked partnerships; a comfort that God can stop a venture that would lead further from him.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
31So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
32And Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
33The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.
34As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
35Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly.
36They agreed to make ships to go to Tarshish, and these were built in Ezion-geber.
37Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” So the ships were wrecked and were unable to sail to Tarshish.
WEB World English Bible 2000
31So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign. He reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
32He walked in the way of Asa his father, and didn’t turn away from it, doing that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes.
33However the high places were not taken away, and the people had still not set their hearts on the God of their fathers.
34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is included in the book of the kings of Israel.
35After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very wickedly.
36He joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish. They made the ships in Ezion Geber.
37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, Yahweh has destroyed your works.” The ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
KJV King James Version 1769
31And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
32And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord.
33Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.
35And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:
36And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Ezion–geber.
37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
31And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
32And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah.
33Howbeit the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is inserted in the book of the kings of Israel.
35And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel; the same did very wickedly:
36and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made the ships in Ezion-geber.
37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, Jehovah hath destroyed thy works. And the ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
31And Jehoshaphat reigneth over Judah, a son of thirty and five years in his reigning, and twenty and five years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
32And he walketh in the way of his father Asa, and hath not turned aside from it, to do that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah.
33Only, the high places have not turned aside, and still the people have not prepared their heart for the God of their fathers.
34And the rest of the matters of Jehoshaphat, the first and the last, lo, they are written among the matters of Jehu son of Hanani, who hath been mentioned on the book of the kings of Israel.
35And after this hath Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, (he did wickedly in so doing),
36and he joineth him with himself to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they make ships in Ezion-Geber,
37and prophesy doth Eliezer son of Dodavah, of Mareshah, against Jehoshaphat, saying, `For thy joining thyself with Ahaziah, Jehovah hath broken up thy works;' and the ships are broken, and have not retained power to go unto Tarshish.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
31And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Azubah, daughter of Shilhi.
32And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and turned not aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of Jehovah.
33Only, the high places were not removed; and as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.
34And the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the words of Jehu the son of Hanani, which are inserted in the book of the kings of Israel.
35And after this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly.
36And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made the ships in Ezion-geber.
37And Eliezer the son of Dodavah, of Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, Jehovah has broken thy works. And the ships were broken, and could not go to Tarshish.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
31And Josaphat reigned over Juda, and he was five and thirty years old, when he began to reign: and he reigned five and twenty years in Jerusalem: and the name of his mother was Azuba the daughter of Selahi.
32And he walked in the way of his father Asa and departed not from it, doing the things that were pleasing before the Lord.
33But yet he took not away the high places, and the people had not yet turned their heart to the Lord the God of their fathers.
34But the rest of the acts of Josaphat, first and last, are written in the words of Jehu the son of Hanani, which he digested into the books of the kings of Israel.
35After these things Josaphat king of Juda made friendship with Ochozias king of Israel, whose works were very wicked.
36And he was partner with him in making ships, to go to Tharsis: and they made the ships in Asiongaber.
37And Eliezer the son of Dodau of Maresa prophesied to Josaphat, saying: Because thou hast made a league with Ochozias, the Lord hath destroyed thy works, and the ships are broken, and they could not go to Tharsis.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Chronicles 20:31
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Jehoshaphat was a genuinely good king who walked in the ways of his father Asa and did what was right in Yahweh's eyes. Yet his reign ended with a shadow. The high places remained standing, a failure he could not fully correct, and the people's hearts had not been set on the God of their fathers. The alliance with Ahaziah of Israel, formed after all God's mercies, drew a swift prophetic censure. Eliezer of Mareshah announced that Yahweh had destroyed the fleet, and the ships broke up at Ezion-geber. The Chronicler uses the regnal formula (age, mother's name, reign length) to officially close Jehoshaphat's account, but he omits the statement in 1 Kings 22:44 that Jehoshaphat made peace with Israel. Keil and Delitzsch note this silence is deliberate: the Chronicler has already shown the cost of that peace through the alliance.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- High places for idolatry: Clarke argues that the idolatry was suppressed but the sites remained, leaving temptation for later kings.
- High places for true worship: Gill and Jamieson distinguish between idolatrous high places (already removed) and those where the true God was worshipped, which Jehoshaphat felt compelled to tolerate.
- Chronicler's theological editing: Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that the Chronicler shapes the regnal summary to highlight the people's heart condition, omitting the peace with Israel and adding the prophetic judgment to underscore the cost of compromise.
What is clear: Jehoshaphat was a king who sought to do right, yet his kingdom and his own ventures were incomplete — the high places remained, and his alliance with a wicked king brought God's judgment upon his fleet.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the high places | Jehoshaphat removed idolatrous high places dedicated to foreign gods (2 Chr 17:6). | Some commentators (Clarke) think the high places of verse 33 are the same idolatrous sites left standing; others (Gill, Jamieson) argue they were places where the true God was worshipped, which Jehoshaphat tolerated because of popular attachment. |
| Cause of the shipwreck | The fleet was destroyed before it could sail to Tarshish. | In 1 Kings 22:49, the wreck seems related to inexperience or lack of cooperation; in Chronicles, the prophet Eliezer directly attributes it to God's judgment for the alliance. Some harmonize these as divine sovereignty working through natural means. |
| Chronicler's omission of peace with Israel | The Chronicler does not repeat the statement from 1 Kings 22:44 that Jehoshaphat made peace with Israel. | Keil and Delitzsch see this as deliberate: the Chronicler has already shown the negative consequences of that peace (chs. 18, 20) and does not want to commend it. Others suggest the peace was implicit in the marriage alliance with Ahab and needed no repetition. |
| Evaluation of Jehoshaphat's reign | Jehoshaphat is commended as doing right in God's eyes, following the example of Asa. | The degree of his failure is assessed differently: some emphasize his personal faithfulness despite the high places; others highlight his repeated tendency to ally with Israel as a serious flaw that overshadows his reforms. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The regnal formula in verses 31, 34 follows the standard pattern for Judean kings in Chronicles: the king's age at accession, length of reign, mother's name, a moral evaluation, and reference to sources. Jehoshaphat came to the throne at thirty-five and ruled twenty-five years (849, 824 BC). His mother Azubah, daughter of Shilhi, is named, a detail that signals legitimacy and continuity. The Chronicler's evaluation borrows from 1 Kings 22:41, 45 but with key changes. He omits the note that Jehoshaphat made peace with Israel (1 Ki 22:44), because the earlier chapters already narrated the alliance with Ahab and its consequences.
The phrase 'high places' (הבמות, bamot) is ambiguous. Some commentators, like Adam Clarke, believe these were the sites of former idol worship that had not been destroyed. Others, such as John Gill and the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary, argue that Jehoshaphat had removed idolatrous high places (2 Chr 17:6) but left those where the true God was worshipped, because the people were attached to them and the temple was not yet their sole center. The Chronicler adds a spiritual diagnosis: the people had not prepared their hearts (לא הכינו לבבם), their inner devotion was incomplete. This connects back to Rehoboam (2 Chr 12:14), who also 'set not his heart to seek the Lord.'
Ezion-geber, at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, had been Solomon's port for the Ophir trade (1 Ki 9:26). Tarshish likely refers to a distant Mediterranean destination, perhaps Tartessus in Spain, or it may be a generic term for a faraway port. The joint venture with Ahaziah, son of Ahab and Jezebel, repeated Jehoshaphat's earlier error of allying with the northern kingdom (2 Chr 18:1, 3). The prophet Eliezer, from Mareshah in the Judean lowlands, confronted the king directly, pronouncing that Yahweh himself had 'broken' (פרץ, paratz) the enterprise. The ships were shattered (נשברו, nishberu) by a storm or wave action, a visible sign of divine judgment. The Chronicler frames the entire episode as a lesson in the dangers of being 'unequally yoked' with those who reject God.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant manuscript variants for this passage. The Cambridge Bible observes that the Chronicler's account differs from 1 Kings 22 in several details, omitting the note that Jehoshaphat made peace with Israel, adding the prophetic word of Eliezer, and replacing the statement that 'the people still sacrificed at the high places' with the comment about their unprepared hearts. These are authorial / editorial choices, not textual corruptions. The Targum renders verse 37 as 'the Word of the Lord hath broken,' a paraphrase that reflects Aramaic interpretive tradition but is not a variant in the Hebrew text itself.
Reception History
Early Christian exegetes read this passage as a warning against mixing faith with the world. John Chrysostom, in his homilies on the Psalms, may have drawn on the shipwreck imagery, but the direct connection is uncertain. In the Reformation tradition, Matthew Henry (1710) used the text to lament that 'the people still retained a partiality for the high places,' seeing it as a lesson in incomplete reformation. John Wesley noted that Jehoshaphat's sin was aggravated because he sinned 'after so great an obligation laid upon him by God.' Wesleyan-holiness preaching often cited verse 33 to emphasize the need for an entire sanctification, a heart fully set on God. Modern evangelical sermons regularly use the alliance with Ahaziah as a case study for the dangers of unequally yoked partnerships in business and ministry. The fleet at Ezion-geber has become a metaphor for ventures that God opposes, sometimes stopping them at the harbor to protect his people.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- A King Who Did Right, But Not All the Way. Jehoshaphat walked in the ways of Asa, yet the high places remained. Partial obedience still has consequences for the next generation.
- The People's Heart Condition. The Chronicler names the deeper problem: the people had not set their hearts on God. External reform without internal conversion leaves a nation exposed.
- One Bad Alliance Wrecks the Work. After years of faithfulness, Jehoshaphat's partnership with a wicked king brought a prophetic curse and financial ruin. God protects what we treasure, and he judges what we compromise.
Five-Point Outline
- The Regnal Summary (vv 31, 32). God measures a life by its direction, not its perfection. Jehoshaphat is commended for not turning aside.
- The Lingering Failure (v 33). High places represent tolerated compromise. The people's hearts were 'not yet' prepared, a reminder that reform takes generations.
- The Historical Record (v 34). The Chronicler points to written sources (Jehu's history), showing that God's acts are worth remembering.
- The Fatal Alliance (vv 35, 36). 'After this', after deliverance, after rebukes, after blessing, Jehoshaphat still joins with the wicked. The repetition of the verb 'joined himself' (התחבר, hithchabber) emphasizes how deliberate this was.
- The Prophetic Verdict and Wreckage (v 37). Eliezer's words come true. God has 'broken' the works. The ships cannot sail, a vivid picture of a venture God opposes.
Illustration Hooks
- The incomplete renovation. A homeowner repaints the whole house but leaves one room untouched. Guests see only the flaw. Our obedience invites others to see God's work, or its absence.
- The wrong business partner. A skilled entrepreneur takes on a partner with a shady reputation to access new markets. The partnership destroys both reputation and capital. Faithfulness in small things protects the big things.
- Shipwreck at the harbor. The fleet never left port. Sometimes God stops a project before it starts, and that is mercy. The broken ships in Ezion-geber spared Jehoshaphat from a more distant failure.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Can a good Christian make a bad business deal and still be right with God?
- How do we know when we've compromised too far?
- What do we do when our plans fail despite our best intentions, is it discipline or just circumstances?
Leading a Discussion
This passage closes Jehoshaphat's story on a sobering note. He was a good king, yet his record includes a persistent blind spot. The group can explore what the 'high places' represent in their own lives, areas where obedience is partial. The alliance with Ahaziah shows how even sincere believers can drift into compromising relationships for economic or political gain. The prophetic word from Eliezer reminds us that God sometimes speaks through unexpected voices to redirect us.
Discussion Questions
- Read verses 31, 33. What does it mean to 'walk in the way of Asa his father'? How does family example shape faith, positively or negatively?
- The Chronicler says the people 'had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.' What does a set heart look like practically? What prevents us from fully fixing our hearts on God?
- Compare the account of the fleet in 1 Kings 22:48, 49 with II Chronicles 20:35, 37. Why do you think the Chronicler emphasizes a prophetic word instead of just a natural explanation?
- Verse 37 uses the verb 'joined yourself' (התחבר). What kinds of 'joining' are dangerous for believers today, in business, friendships, or ministry partnerships?
- Eliezer is otherwise unknown. Why might God use an obscure prophet for this message? What does that say about how God speaks?
- The ships were wrecked before they left port. When has God stopped a plan of yours that later proved to be merciful?
- How can we distinguish between a failure that is discipline and a failure that is simply a setback? What role does repentance play?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 22:41 | Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. |
| I Kings 22:44 | Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. |
| I Kings 15:11 | Asa did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, as David his father did. |
| II Chronicles 14:2 | Asa did that which was good and right in Yahweh his God’s eyes, |
| II Chronicles 14:5 | Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun images; and the kingdom was quiet before him. |
| II Chronicles 14:11 | Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, there is no one besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God. Don’t let man prevail against you.” |
| II Chronicles 14:13 | Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So many of the Ethiopians fell that they could not recover themselves, for they were destroyed before Yahweh and before his army. Judah’s army carried away very much booty. |
| II Chronicles 16:7 | At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on Yahweh your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
The high places were not all destroyed, and this incomplete removal later invited idolatry. The book of Jehu, cited as a source, is now lost. The Targum interprets the Lord's breaking as the Word of the Lord breaking, and Tarshish as a location in the Mediterranean Sea.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that the phrase "after this" does not indicate a strict chronological sequence because Jehoshaphat's history had already been formally completed earlier. He also notes that the word "Israel" is likely used loosely for Judah, and the mention of work being inserted into the Book of the Kings is a scribal note about the sources.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary highlights how the Chronicler deliberately omits the statement that Jehoshaphat made peace with Israel, a detail present in Kings. It further notes that the fleet's destruction is ascribed to divine displeasure over Jehoshaphat's alliance with Ahaziah, reflecting the Chronicler's habit of viewing public calamities as direct punishment for particular sins.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes observe that Jehoshaphat's failure to remove the high places was not due to neglect but because the people had not yet set their hearts on God. They also emphasize that Jehoshaphat's alliance with the wicked Ahaziah brought God's judgment, and the ships built for trade were broken before they could sail.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes between two kinds of high places: those for idol worship, which Jehoshaphat removed, and those for the true God, which remained because the people were not yet ready to worship only at Jerusalem. He then stresses that Jehoshaphat's later alliance with wicked Ahaziah in shipping was a grave mistake, especially after being reproved for helping the ungodly. The prophet Eliezer declared God would break those ships, and they were indeed shattered.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB draws a careful distinction: Jehoshaphat destroyed the high places used for idolatry but allowed those where people still worshiped the true God to remain, out of prudence toward popular prejudice. The prophet Eliezer condemned Jehoshaphat's partnership with wicked Ahaziah, and the resulting shipwreck confirmed that judgment.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that the Chronicler replaces the usual formula about high places with a more telling spiritual diagnosis: the people had not yet wholeheartedly turned to God. The commentary also stresses that only the Chronicler includes the prophet Eliezer's rebuke, revealing God's judgment on Jehoshaphat's ill-fated alliance with Ahaziah.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry laments two failings in an otherwise good reign: the people kept using the high places because their hearts were not fully set on God, and Jehoshaphat allied with a wicked king, bringing a prophet's rebuke. For Matthew Henry, even a righteous leader's work can be undone by unholy partnerships and half-hearted devotion.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Jehoshaphat's sin was not going to war with Ahaziah as he had with Ahab, but simply joining in a peaceful trade venture. God still punished this, showing His strong disapproval of any close association between His servants and those who are professed, determined enemies of God.