2 Chronicles 20:31-37 Meaning: When Good Kings Make Bad Alliances
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Meaning in one sentence
Jehoshaphat walked in God's ways but allied with wicked Ahaziah, and God destroyed his ships. A warning against compromising partnerships.
Context
After the great victory and rest God gave Jehoshaphat (chapter 20), the Chronicler closes his account of the king's reign with a formal summary. He notes Jehoshaphat's age at accession, his mother's name, and his general faithfulness in doing right. But a reservation appears: the high places remained, and the people had not set their hearts on God. Then, after this summary, the narrative adds an episode of Jehoshaphat's partnership with the wicked king Ahaziah to build a fleet. The prophet Eliezer condemns the alliance, and the ships are wrecked. The passage thus holds together Jehoshaphat's genuine devotion and his costly compromise.
Key Words
The word 'way' (derekh) in verse 32 is more than a path, it describes a person's whole manner of life. Walking 'in the way of Asa his father' means living by the same faithfulness. Jehoshaphat is commended for not turning from it. But the Chronicler adds a telling detail: the people had not 'prepared their hearts' (hekhinu levavam). The verb hekhinu means to establish or set firmly. Their hearts were not yet fixed on God, which explains why the high places remained a snare. Then, the critical word is 'joined himself' (chavar in verses 35, 36). This Hebrew verb means to bind together in an alliance. The same root appears in the prophet's rebuke: 'because you have allied yourself.' The word choice highlights that Jehoshaphat not only worked with Ahaziah but united himself with a man who 'did very wickedly.' God saw that union as a breach of trust, not just a business decision.
How Christians Read This Verse
Readers across traditions have wrestled with Jehoshaphat's mixed legacy. Many note that the high places not taken away may have been used for worshiping the true God, not idols, a concession to popular custom rather than outright idolatry. Wesley and Matthew Henry highlight the tragedy: after God's great deliverance and a prophetic warning, Jehoshaphat still fell into alliance with a wicked king. Some point out that the Chronicler adds the prophecy of Eliezer, which is absent in the parallel account in 1 Kings, to make clear that the shipwreck was God's judgment on the alliance. The common thread: even a good king can make a ruinous choice when he joins himself with those who reject God.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that Jehoshaphat's sin was simply a poor business decision or an overambitious trade venture. In fact, the text focuses on the alliance with Ahaziah, who 'did very wickedly.' The prophet does not condemn the ships or the trade route; he condemns the union with a wicked man. The ships were wrecked because Jehoshaphat 'joined himself' with someone who lived in rebellion against God. The problem was not the plan but the partnership.
Living This Out
This passage asks a pointed question: who are you tying your life to? Jehoshaphat did not set out to rebel; he simply made an alliance that seemed practical. But the person he joined was wicked, and that union brought God's judgment. This week, consider one relationship, partnership, or affiliation that might be pulling you away from wholehearted devotion. It could be a friendship, a business partnership, or even a group you support. Ask the Lord to show you if any of your alliances require you to yoke yourself with someone who has no regard for him. Jehoshaphat's ships were wrecked, but sometimes God breaks our plans to save us from ourselves.
Main takeaway: Even a faithful life can be undone by a single wrong alliance; God's judgment on compromise is mercy.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jehoshaphat was a king who loved God. But he made friends with a bad king who did not love God. God let their ships break so Jehoshaphat would learn not to join with people who turn away from God.
For ages 9, 12
Jehoshaphat had a good record: he did what was right and followed his father Asa's example. But later he made a partnership with Ahaziah, a king who 'did very wickedly.' Even though Jehoshaphat was a good king, that alliance cost him, God broke the ships they built together. This shows that who we team up with matters to God. It's not wrong to work with people who don't share our faith in every situation, but we must be careful not to tie ourselves closely to those who live in open rebellion against God. Jehoshaphat's mistake is a warning for us to examine our closest partnerships.
Questions People Ask
Why does the Chronicler include Jehoshaphat's mother's name?
In the books of Kings and Chronicles, the king's mother is often named in the regnal formula. This reflects the important role the queen mother held in the royal court. It also grounds the account in real history and shows the Chronicler's attention to the Davidic lineage.
What does 'the people had not prepared their hearts' mean?
The Hebrew phrase (hekhinu levavam) literally means 'to establish or set firm the heart.' It suggests a deliberate, inner orientation toward God. The people had not yet made that inner commitment, which explains why the high places remained tempting. The Chronicler uses this phrase to highlight that external reform is not enough without a heart turned to God.
Why did God destroy Jehoshaphat's ships?
God sent the prophet Eliezer to tell Jehoshaphat that because he 'joined himself' with Ahaziah, who acted wickedly, Yahweh would break his works. The ships were wrecked as a direct judgment on that alliance. This was not about the ships themselves but about the forbidden partnership with a king who rejected God.
What were the 'high places' that were not taken away?
The high places were local shrines on hilltops where people offered sacrifices. Earlier, Jehoshaphat had removed the high places used for idol worship (2 Chronicles 17:6). But some high places remained, possibly those used for worshiping the true God. The people were attached to these local sites, so Jehoshaphat may have tolerated them for the sake of peace, though the Chronicler sees this as a weakness.
How does this passage compare with 1 Kings 22?
The parallel account in 1 Kings 22:41-50 is shorter. It mentions Jehoshaphat's reign and the wrecked ships but does not include Eliezer's prophecy. The Chronicler expands the story to emphasize the theological reason for the disaster: the alliance itself was the sin. This fits the Chronicler's pattern of highlighting God's direct involvement in the events of Israel's history.
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