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It was in circumstances of such marked prosperity that Jehoshaphat "joined affinity
with Ahab." The sacred text specially notes this (2 Chronicles 18:1), partly to show
that Jehoshaphat had not even an excuse for such a step, and partly, as we think, to
indicate that this alliance must, in the first place, have been sought by Ahab. The
motives which would influence the King of Israel are not difficult to understand. The
power of the country had been greatly weakened by Syria during the reign of Omri.
Not only had Ben-Hadad possessed himself of a number of cities, both east (Ramoth-
Gilead, for example) and west of the Jordan, but the country had become virtually
subject to him, since he claimed even in the capital, Samaria, the right of having
"streets," or rather "squares," that is, Syrian quarters of the town, which owned his
dominion (comp. 1 Kings 20:34).
And now Ben-Hadad had been succeeded by a son of the same name, equally warlike
and ambitious. In these circumstances it was of the utmost importance to Ahab to
secure permanent peace on his southern or Judaean frontier, and, if possible, to engage
as an active ally so powerful and wealthy a monarch as Jehoshaphat. On the other
hand, it is not so easy to perceive the reasons which influenced the King of Judah. Of
course he could not have wished to see the power of Syria paramount so close to his
borders. Did he, besides, desire to have the long-standing (seventy years) breach
between Judah and Israel healed? Had he a dim hope that, by the marriage of his son
with the daughter of Ahab, the two realms might again be joined, and an undivided
kingdom once more established in the house of David? Or did he only allow himself to
be carried along by events, too weak to resist, and too confident to dread evil? We can
only make these suggestions, since the sacred text affords no clue to this political
riddle.
It was, as we reckon, about the eighth year of Jehoshaphat's reign, and consequently
about the twelfth of that f
of Ahab, that Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat - then a lad of about fifteen or sixteen
years - was married to Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Chronicles
21:6).^285
Jehoshaphat lived to see some of the bitter fruits of the rash and unholy alliance which
he had sanctioned. Eight or nine years later, he went on that visit to Ahab which led to
the disastrous war with Syria, in which Ahab himself perished (2 Chronicles 18.). Then
followed the joint maritime expedition of Jehoshaphat and the son of Ahab, which
ended in loss. But the worst was to come after the death of Jehoshaphat. His son and
successor, the husband of Athaliah, introduced in Judah the idolatry of his wife, and
brought shame and loss upon his people. The next occupant of the throne, the - son of
Athaliah - followed the example of his father, and perished by command of Jehu.
(^)