2 Chronicles 18:1-5

Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab

18:1 Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab, 18:2 and after several years ¹  went down to visit ²  Ahab in Samaria. ³  Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle to honor Jehoshaphat and those who came with him. ⁴  He persuaded him to join in an attack ⁵  against Ramoth Gilead. 18:3 King Ahab of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army is at your disposal and will support you in battle.” ⁶  18:4 Then Jehoshaphat added, ⁷  “First seek an oracle from the Lord.” ⁸  18:5 So the king of Israel assembled 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” ⁹  They said, “Attack! God ¹⁰  will hand it over to the king.”

[18:2]  ¹ tn Heb “at the end of years.”

[18:2]  ² tn The word “visit” is supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[18:2]  ³ map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.

[18:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “and Ahab slaughtered for him sheep and cattle in abundance, and for the people who were with him.”

[18:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “to go up.”

[18:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “Like me, like you; and like your people, my people; and with you in battle.”

[18:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “and Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel.”

[18:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “the word of the Lord.” Jehoshaphat is requesting a prophetic oracle revealing the Lord’s will in the matter and their prospects for success. For examples of such oracles, see 2 Sam 5:19, 23-24.

[18:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “Should we go against Ramoth Gilead for war or should I refrain?”

[18:5]  ¹⁰ tn Though Jehoshaphat had requested an oracle from “the Lord” (יְהוָה, yÿhvah, “Yahweh”), the Israelite prophets stop short of actually using this name and substitute the title הָאֱלֹהִים (ha’elohim, “the God”). This ambiguity may explain in part Jehoshaphat’s hesitancy and caution (vv. 7-8). He seems to doubt that the 400 are genuine prophets of the Lord.