The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 5 · Section 19 · Concurrent kings · Judah · Jehoshaphat
The 4th King that reigned in Judah was JEHOSHAPHAT.JEhoſhaphat began his reign in the fourth year of the reign of Ahab; he was thirty five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty five years in Jeruſalem: He walked in the ways of Aſa his Father, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. And the Lord was with him becauſe he walked in the firſt ways of David his Father, which were purer and more free from ſin than were his latter days. He ſought not to Baal as did Ahab, but ſought to the Lord, and walked in his ways and commandments, and not after the doings of Iſrael. And the Lord eſtabliſhed the Kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought him preſents; and he had riches and honour in abundance; and his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord; that is, he was very zealous and couragious in the cauſe of God, and went on with an high and magnanimous ſpirit, without any fear or diſcouragement. At his firſt coming to the Crown he placed forces in all the fenced Cities of Judah, and Garriſon'd the Cities of Ephraim which his Father Aſa had taken. See 2 Chron. 15.8. And ſtrengthened himſelf againſt Iſrael.
The remnant of the Sodomites which remain'd in the days of his Father, he took out of the land. He took away alſo ſuch high-places as were dedicated to the worſhip of ſtrange gods, but thoſe wherein the people ſerved the true God of Iſrael he took not away, but the people offered and burnt incenſe ſtill in them. See 1 King. 22.43. 'Tis true, his Father had twice removed them, [2 Chron. 14.5. & 15.8, 16.] yet it ſeems ſome eſcaped, or elſe the people in his Fathers declining time (when he was diſeaſed in his feet) renewed them. But thoſe high-places wherein they ſerved the true God of Iſrael, he took not quite away, but the people offered and burnt incenſe ſtill in them, for they had not (at leaſt not a great many of them) diſpoſed their hearts to follow the Lord intirely, and his commandments and injunctions. See 2 Chron. 20.33. Some reformation indeed they had yielded unto, but yet their hearts hankered ſtill after their old ſuperſtition. See 2 Chron. 15.17. And though Jehoſhaphat did endeavour to reform what was amiſs among them, yet from the high-places *Docemur hinc Deo displicere Electitios cultus a Deo non praſcriptos. Oſiander.the people would not be reclaimed.
In the third year of his reign finding (as we ſaid before) that the people were in many places much addicted to Idolatry, and had ſet up the high-places which his Father Aſa had pulled down, he ſent ſome choice Prieſts and Levites as Viſitors into ſeveral parts of his Kingdom to ſee whither they were rightly taught and inſtructed, and by their own perſonal teaching to confirm thoſe that were well inſtructed, and to convince thoſe that were corrupted or miſled, and to ſhew them how expreſly the Law did forbid, and threaten all Idolatry whatſoever; and with them he ſent ſome Princes and men of note to countenance and encourage them, and poſſibly to puniſh thoſe who ſhould oppoſe them, or be obſtinate in their errors. Jehoſhaphat thus ſetting himſelf to the work of Reformation, a great terror from the Lord fell upon all the Kingdoms round about him, ſo that they made no war, nor gave any diſturbance to him. Alſo ſome Philiſtines (that were deadly enemies to the Jews) brought preſents to him, and tribute-ſilver; Aſa having ſubdued a conſiderable part of them, as we may ſee 2 Chron. 14.14. And the Arabians brought him flocks, (their chief calling being to breed and feed cattel, and ſo brought ſuch preſents as they had) viz. ſeven thouſand and ſeven hundred rams, and as many he-goats. Theſe were all clean cattel, and ſo fit both for meat and ſacrifice.
Jehoſhaphat now waxed great exceedingly, great in riches, great in power, and great in honour and eſteem, and he built Caſtles in Judah, and Cities of ſtore, viz. to lay up his ammunition and proviſions in. And he had much buſineſs in the Cities of Judah, that is, he took great care himſelf and employ'd others under him about ſuch things as were of publick concernment for the good of thoſe Cities in particular, and the whole Kingdom in general; but his chief Commanders and Captains with ſome choice Companies of Souldiers he kept about his own perſon in Jeruſalem. Moreover he had a great Militia ready to attend him upon any emergent occaſion, and theſe were under the command of five able leaders ſucceſſively. The Trained bands of Judah being firſt under the command of Adnah, and when Adnah was dead under the command of Jehohanan, and when he was dead, under Amaziah the Son of Zichri, who willingly offered himſelf to the Lord, viz. to fight the Lords battels againſt the enemies of the land. So likewiſe the Trained bands of Benjamin were firſt under Eliada, and next after him, under Jehozabad, and their numbers were in the ſeveral times of theſe Generals ſometimes more and ſometimes leſs. This was his Militia, beſides the Souldiers he had in Garriſons, and theſe in their courſes, ſome at one time, and ſome at another came up to Jeruſalem to wait upon the King.
About the eighth year of his reign he join'd in affinity with Ahab, and married his eldeſt Son Jehoram to Athaliah, Ahab's daughter. It may ſeem ſtrange that ſo pious a King as Jehoſhaphat was ſhould ever be induc'd to marry his Son and heir of his Crown to the daughter of wicked and Idolatrous Ahab, and curs'd Jezabel. But O how often, and how eaſily does intereſt of State and worldly policy make Religion truckle under it. And the Kingdom felt the ſad effects of this match not long after.
About the 17th year of his reign, and the 22th of Ahab (making his Son Jehoram Viceroy in his abſence) with a great train, and (as it ſeems) accompanied with ſome troops of Souldiers he went down to Samaria to viſit Ahab. None of his Predeceſſors had ever done ſo before, and for Jehoſhaphat a worſhipper of the true God to go down to ſuch an Idolater as Ahab was, may ſeem very ſtrange. But being come to Samaria, Ahab entertained him and his followers very magnificently, and killed ſheep and oxen in abundance to feaſt them. But had not the Lord been more merciful to Jehoſhaphat than he was wiſe for himſelf, he had paid dear for his entertainment; for when he was there Ahab perſwaded him to go up with him to fight againſt the Syrians, and to take in Ramoth-Gilead, where Jehoſhaphat was in great danger, and Ahab was killed, as we may ſee more particularly in the life of Ahab.
When Jehoſhaphat returned home, the Prophet Jehu the Son of Hanani (who reproved Aſa, 1 Chron. 16.7.) met him, and ſaid to him, Shouldſt thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? was it for thee to join thy ſelf in ſuch a ſtrict league of friendſhip with ſuch an Idolatrous wretch, ſuch an enemy to God and all goodneſs as Ahab was? Therefore is wrath *Jehoſhaphat ſoon felt the effects of this denunciation in that invaſion of the Moabites and Ammonites which followed after, 1 Chro. 20.1. and in the diſſention that began at preſent among his own ſons, which was the ſeed of that horrible ſlaughter which his Eldeſt Son afterwards made of them, 1 Chron. 21.4.coming upon thee from the Lord; that is, God is highly diſpleaſed with thee, and hath determined to pour out his diſpleaſure upon thee. Nevertheleſs there are good things found in thee, in that thou haſt taken away the groves out of the land, and haſt prepared thine heart to ſeek the Lord, therefore the Lord will deal gently with thee, and even in judgment remember mercy.
Jehoſhaphat being awakened with this reproof of the Prophet, he went out and viſited his Kingdom from Beerſheba the South border, to Mount Ephraim the North border thereof, and reduced thoſe who he underſtood had revolted from the Lord unto Idolatry, falſe worſhip, or wickedneſs of life, and reformed what he found out of order among them. He alſo ſet up Judges in all the fenced Cities of Judah, and ſaid to them, Take heed what you do; ye judg not for man, that is, meerly in the name and by the authority of man, but for the Lord, (to whom ye muſt give account) and who is with you in the judgment, ſeeing all ye do, and is ready to protect you if you judg uprightly, and to puniſh you if you deal unjuſtly. Wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you; be afraid to do any thing that may offend him. Take heed to your office and execute it juſtly, and as you ought to do. For there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, neither will he favour it, therefore let there be none in you. God is no reſpecter of perſons, nor will be ſwayed with outward conſiderations, nor will be bribed to do any thing that is unjuſt, and therefore ſee that you imitate him therein.
Jehoſhaphat had alſo an eſpecial care over his great City Jeruſalem to keep it in good order. And therefore when he and thoſe that attended him returned thither, he there ſet up the high Court or Council call'd the Sanhedrin, conſiſting of Levites, Prieſts, and the Elders of the people, to which all appeals were to be made from inferiour Courts, and to which all cauſes of difficulty were to be referred. So that they were for the judgment of the Lord, that is, to judge in matters Eccleſiaſtical, concerning which God had determined in his word what ſhould be done, and for controverſies, that is, to judge in matters meerly civil. And he charged them, ſaying, Thus ſhall ye do in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with an upright heart; whatever cauſe ſhall come before you of your brethren between blood and blood, that is, between blood ſhed willingly, and unwillingly and caſually, or between Law and commandment, ſtatute and judgment, that is, when each party ſhall pretend they have the Law on their ſide, and ſo one ſhall alledge one Law, and another another, ye ſhall rightly interpret the Law to them, and warn them that they treſpaſs not againſt the Lord by wreſting the Law to what it never intended. If you do otherwiſe, wrath from the Lord will come upon you and your brethren. But if you rightly warn and direct the people, ye ſhall not treſpaſs therein either againſt God or your brethren. And behold Amariah the chief Prieſt is over you in all matters of the Lord, that is, in all matters Eccleſiaſtical that concern Religion and the worſhip of God, and Zebadiah the Son of Iſhmael (a chief ruler of the houſe of Judah) is over you for all the Kings matters, that is, for all matters of State, or controverſies, or pleas that concern the Crown, and the Levites ſhall be Officers for you, and ready to attend you, and to carry your orders and directions unto others, and to ſee them executed. Laſtly, let me exhort you to do courageouſly, and aſſure your ſelves, the Lord ſhall be with the good, (and ſuch as are careful and conſcientious in the doing of their duties) to aſſiſt and protect them, and to bleſs their perſons and endeavours.
About the 18th year of his reign, there being no King in Edom, [1 King. 22.47.] but only a Deputy ſet over them by the King of Judah, Jehoſhaphat took that advantage to build for himſelf a Fleet at Ezion-Geber (which was in Edoms Territories) to go to Tarſhiſh and Ophir to fetch Gold. Ahaziah the wicked Son of Ahab deſired to go ſharer with him in that Fleet, and that his ſervants might go along with Jehoſhaphats ſervants, 1 King. 22.49. At firſt Jehoſhaphat refuſed it, but afterwards (as it ſeems) upon Ahaziahs importunity conſented to it. See 2 Chron. 20.35, 36. Thereupon the Prophet Eleazar came to him and reproved him for it, and foretold him that his ſhips ſhould be broken, which accordingly ſo came to paſs in the very Port of Ezion-Geber, 2 Chron. 20. from v. 25, to the end.
Sometime after the Moabites, and with them probably ſome of the Syrians, and eſpecially of the Edomites that dwelt on mount Seir. See v. 10. gathered together to invade Judea. Poſſibly Jehoſhaphat's late aiding Ahab in his wars againſt Syria gave occaſion to this invaſion. Immediately Jehoſhaphat was inform'd that a very formidable and great multitude was coming againſt him from the other ſide of the Dead Sea out of Syria *Syria muſt be here taken in a general and large acception for thoſe Countries that lay beyond Jordan, but Weſtward, & ſomething Southward., and that ſome of them were already come to Engedi a City on the Weſt-ſide of that Sea. Jehoſhaphat was hereat much ſtartled, and being greatly afraid he ſet himſelf to ſeek help from the Lord, and proclaimed a†See Judg. 20.26. 1 Sam. 7.6. Ezra 8.21, 23. Neh. 1.4.9.11. Eſth. 4.9. Faſt throughout all Judah, that they might all joyn in humbling thomſelves before the Lord, and earneſt ſupplication to him for mercy, and ſo their prayers might be the more prevalent and effectual. And Judah and Benjamin gathered themſelves together out of the Cities and Towns that belong'd to Jehoſhaphat's juriſdiction, and came to Jeruſalem to the Temple to ſeek the Lord, and to beg help of him. And Jehoſhaphat ſtood before this great Aſſembly (probably upon the Brazen Scaffold in the great Court (a)We read Chap. 15.8. that Aſa renewed the Altar of the Lord which ſtood in this Court. He might alſo repair the whole Court. Or perhaps Jehoſhaphat himſelf had done it. Others underſtand it of the Court of the people which had been lately repaired, and perhaps divided into two Courts, the one being appointed for the men, and the other for the women. For though when Solomon built it, it was but one Court, yet afterwards they ſay it was divided into two.where the people uſed to meet, which was before the Prieſts Court newly repaired and beautified) and prayed unto the Lord, ſaying, O Lord God of our Fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and ruleſt thou not over all the Kingdoms of the heathen? and in thy hand is there not power and might, ſo that none is able to withſtand thee? Art not thou our God who didſt drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Iſrael, and gaveſt it to the ſeed of Abraham thy friend *This Title is three times given to Abraham here, and Iſa. 41.8. and Jam. 2.3. Thus our Saviour ſtiled Lazarus Friends, Joh. 11.11. and his Diſciples, Friends, Joh. 15.15.for ever †That is to the coming of the Meſſiah.? And they dwell therein, and have built a Temple therein for the honour of thy name, and they humbly deſired of thee when they conſecrated it, [1 King. 8.30.] that if any evil came upon them at any time, as the ſword, peſtilence, or famine, or any other dreadful judgment, and they ſtood before this houſe (in which thy name is call'd upon) and cried unto thee in their affliction, that then thou wouldſt pleaſe to hear and help them. And now behold, O Lord, the children of Moab and Ammon, and Mount Seir, (whom thou wouldſt not permit Iſrael to invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but didſt command them to turn from them, and not to deſtroy them) behold how they now reward us who are coming in this hoſtile manner to caſt us out of the poſſeſſion which thou haſt given us? O our God wilt not thou judge them and puniſh them for this? As for our ſelves we muſt needs acknowledg that we have no might or power comparatively to reſiſt this vaſt body of people that cometh againſt us; we know not what to do, but our eyes are upon thee; on thee only we reſt and depend, and from thee alone we humbly expect help.
Thus all Judah (for ſome from every place were there preſent) ſtood before the Lord with their wives and little ones. For in times of publick humiliations they us'd to bring their little ones to the publick aſſemblies [ſee Joel 2.16.] that their own bowels might be the more moved at the ſight of their children (now in danger to be cruelly butchered by the enemy) and ſo their hearts might be ſtirred up to be more ſerious, and earneſt in their ſupplications to God for help. Immediately the ſpirit of Propheſie fell upon Jehaziel a Levite of the Sons of Aſaph (as he ſtood in midſt of the Congregation) and he ſpake to the King and all the Congregation, Thus ſaith the Lord, Be not afraid nor diſmaid by reaſon of this great multitude; for the battel is not yours but Gods; God himſelf will fight for you, he will not ſo much as uſe you for inſtruments to vanquiſh this great hoſt. To morrow go ye down againſt them, behold they come by the cliff of Ziz, and ye ſhall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderneſs of Iſrael. Ye ſhall not need to fight in this battel. Compoſe your ſelves quietly to expect the deliverance that God will give you: Stand ye ſtill, fly upon your enemies, you ſhall ſee the ſalvation of the Lord will be with you, and he will deliver you, therefore fear not nor be diſmaid.
Jehoſhaphat hearing this joyful news bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all the people alſo fell down before the Lord and worſhipped him, and the Levite-ſingers ſtood up to praiſe the Lord with an high and loud voice, accounting the victory already gotten becauſe promiſed by one of the Lords Prophets. And ſo they departed with great comfort for that time. The next morning they roſe very early and marched forth into the Wilderneſs of Tekoa, betwixt which and Iſrael was the Cliff of Ziz, and as they marched forth Jehoſhaphat ſaid to them, Believe and truſt in the Lord your God, ſo ſhall ye be eſtabliſhed, and your minds ſetled; believe his Prophets particularly what Jahaziel yeſterday propheſied unto you, and ſo ſhall ye proſper. And when he had conſulted with the Commanders of the Army what was fit for them to do, he (as being by faith aſſured of the victory) appointed ſome of the Levite-ſingers to go before the Army, and to ſing the high praiſes of God, and to praiſe the Lord (in whom is the beauty and perfection of holineſs *V. 21. Some by the beauty of holineſs underſtand Gods moſt holy Majeſty, who dwelleth in Heaven, where is the beauty of Holineſs.) and to do it according to that beautiful and holy order that was preſcribed in the Temple, and eſpecially to ſing praiſe ye the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever; which was the foot of ſeveral Pſalmes of Thanksgiving compoſed by David, and particularly of the 136 Pſalm. It might ſeem a ſtrange thing for an Army to march againſt a potent enemy in ſuch a manner as this, but Jehoſhaphat firmly relying on what God had promiſed, he found the ſucceſs anſwering his faith; for when the Levites began to ſing praiſes unto the Lord, and as it were to triumph before hand for the victory promiſed, the Lord ſet ambuſhments againſt the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, that is, ſent a ſpirit of diſcord and diſſention among them, ſo that the Ammonites and Moabites ſuſpecting thoſe of Mount Seir *The Edomites that join'd now with the Moabites and Ammonites againſt Jehoſhaphat, might be only ſome voluntarie mercenaries not ſent out by the State of Edom (that was in ſubjection to the Kingdom of Judah) and it ſeems they were ſuspected not to be firm againſt Judah, and therefore were ſlain by the men of Moab and Ammon.fell unexpectedly upon them like men that riſe ſuddenly out of an ambuſh upon their enemies; and when they had deſtroyed them, they fell out among themſelves, and deſtroyed one another. The Army of Jehoſhaphat coming now to the Watch-tower of Ziz in the Wilderneſs, they looked towards the formidable army of their enemies, and they ſaw none but dead bodies on the ground; they ſaw none flying or eſcaping whom they needed to purſue or fall upon; and ſo that was accompliſhed which the Prophet foretold, v. 17. Ye ſhall not need to fight in the battel. When Jehoſhaphat and his people came to the field where their enemies lay ſlaughtered, they found very rich ſpoils among the dead bodies, viz. rings on their fingers, chains about their necks, jewels in their ears, beſides the wealth and riches they brought on their beaſts, and in their carts and carriages, and their being ſo vaſt a number of the enemy ſlain, the Iſraelites could not carry away all in one day, but were three days in gathering the ſpoil, it was ſo much; ſo God not only freed them from their enemies, but greatly enriched them by them. On the fourth day they marched to the valley of Berachah, or bleſſing, and there ſolemnly praiſed the Lord for this great victory, and from thence that valley had this name given it. Then they all marched with great joy to Jeruſalem, (Jehoſhaphat marching in the front of them) for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. And they came to Jeruſalem playing on Pſalteries and Harps, and with the ſound of Trumpets, and ſo went to the houſe of the Lord to offer up there their more ſolemn praiſes and ſacrifices of thanksgiving. And the fear of the Lord fell on all the Kingdoms round about, when they heard how the Lord had fought againſt the enemies of his people. So the realm of Jehoſhaphat was quiet; for his God gave him reſt round about. But notwithſtanding this ſignal deliverance, and though Jehoſhaphat had been reproved by the Lord for joining firſt with wicked Ahab, and then with Ahaziah his wicked Son in building and fitting out Ships to go to Tarſhiſh, yet he fell again a third time into the like ſin by aſſiſting Jehoram the ſecond Son of Ahab (who ſucceeded Ahaziah) and going forth with him and the King of Edom againſt the Moabites. In which expedition he and the two other Kings were in great danger of periſhing for want of water, had they not been ſupplied by the prayers of Eliſha the Prophet, who had a great regard for Jehoſhaphat, [2 King. 3.14.] and ſo they obtained a great victory over their enemies, 2 King. 3. from v. 4, to the end. Of this we may ſee more in the life of Jehoram King of Iſrael. This ſeems to have happened about the 22th year of Jehoſhaphat, and then 'tis probable he ſet up his Son Jehoram again as his Viceroy, or took him into Copartnerſhip with him in the Kingdom [2 King. 8.16.] as he had made him his Viceroy before when he went to viſit Ahab. Jehoſhaphat, 2 Chron. 21.2. is call'd King of Iſrael, that is, of the Iſraelites that lived in the Kingdom of Judah. He reigned 25 years, and they buried him with his Fathers in the City of David, and his Son Jehoram ſucceeded him, who reigned eight years, which together are 33 years. Yet in Chronological account there were not above 29 years in the reigns of them both, becauſe Jehoſhaphat did ſet up his Son Jehoram as partner with him in the Kingdom, whilſt he himſelf was alive, [ſee 2 King. 8.16.] which was about the 22th year of his reign; ſo that the four laſt years of his reign, and the four firſt of his Son Jehoram's were not eight but only four years, ſeeing both of them reigned together at the ſame time.
1 King. 22. from 41, to 51.
2 Chron. 17. whole Chapter.
2 Chron. 18. wh. Ch.
2 Chron. 19. wh. Ch.
2 Chron. 20. wh. Ch.
2 Chron. 21.1.