Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 18

Verses 1-34

3. Jehoshaphat and Ahab ch. 18

This chapter is very similar to 1 Kings 22. Jehoshaphat’s concern for God’s will guided his actions (2 Chronicles 18:4; 2 Chronicles 18:6). For other instances of prophets providing war oracles for the Divine Warrior, see 2 Chronicles 11:1-4; 1 Kings 20:13; 1 Kings 20:28; 2 Kings 3:11-19; 2 Kings 6:12-22; 2 Kings 7:1-7; 2 Kings 13:14-20; and 2 Chronicles 20:14-19. The Chronicler undoubtedly wanted to encourage his audience toward repentance and restoration by showing them first how low Jehoshaphat could sink and then how the consequences of his failure were reversed. [Note: Williamson, 1 and 2 . . ., p. 285.] Ahab’s disregard for Yahweh makes Jehoshaphat’s faithfulness to Him stand out even more dramatically.

"The point for us is that flirtation with those in apostasy is flirtation with catastrophe." [Note: Thompson, p. 283.]

The end of 2 Chronicles 18:31 is unique to the Chronicler’s account. It was God who delivered Jehoshaphat in the heat of battle but put Ahab to death. The writer of Kings recorded this incident to show the fulfillment of Elijah’s prophecy that Ahab would die for his murder of Naboth (cf. 1 Kings 22:37-38). The writer of Chronicles used it to show how God delivered Jehoshaphat because he followed God and cried out to Him for help when he was in trouble.