וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים אֵין מִלְחָמָה בֵּין אֲרָם וּבֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל

Following the incident described in the previous chapter, and following the war that had taken place prior to that, they, Aram and Israel, lived for three years, during which there was no war between Aram and Israel.

וַיְהִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית וַיֵּרֶד יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל

It was during the third year, and Yehoshafat king of Judah came down to the king of Israel to visit him. As explained in the introduction to this chapter, this constituted a deviation from the policy of the previous kings of Judah.

וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־עֲבָדָיו הַיְדַעְתֶּם כִּי־לָנוּ רָמֹת גִּלְעָד וַאֲנַחְנוּ מַחְשִׁים מִקַּחַת אֹתָהּ מִיַּד מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם

the king of Israel said to his servants: Did you know you that Ramot Gilad is ours? It was located within the original borders of our kingdom, before it was conquered by the Arameans. And although we have had opportunities to claim it back, we have forborne to take it from the hand of the king of Aram. Perhaps the time has come to restore it to our control.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט הֲתֵלֵךְ אִתִּי לַמִּלְחָמָה רָמֹת גִּלְעָד וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּמוֹנִי כָמוֹךָ כְּעַמִּי כְעַמֶּךָ כְּסוּסַי כְּסוּסֶיךָ

He said to Yehoshafat: Will you go with me to war to Ramot Gilad? Although this territory was part of the Kingdom of Israel, not Judah, it was still part of the Land of Israel in a more general sense. Yehoshafat said to the king of Israel: I am like you, and I will act as you act. My people are like your people; my horses are like your horses. I agree to support you wholeheartedly. My nation, my army, and I will work in tandem with you, your nation, and your army.

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּרָשׁ נָא כַיּוֹם אֶת־דְּבַר ה'

Yehoshafat said to the king of Israel: Please inquire today the word of the Lord. Seek guidance from God, as is appropriate before going out to war.

וַיִּקְבֹּץ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַנְּבִיאִים כְּאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם הַאֵלֵךְ עַל־רָמֹת גִּלְעָד לַמִּלְחָמָה אִם־אֶחְדָּל וַיֹּאמְרוּ עֲלֵה וְיִתֵּן אֲדֹנָי בְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ

The king of Israel gathered the prophets together, some four hundred men. At that time, the prophets of God were no longer being persecuted, as they had been previously. And he said to them: Shall I go against Ramot Gilad to battle, or shall I refrain? They all said as one: Go up to battle, and the Lord will deliver it, the enemy, into the hand of the king.

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט הַאֵין פֹּה נָבִיא לַה' עוֹד וְנִדְרְשָׁה מֵאֹתוֹ

But Yehoshafat king of Judah said: Isn’t there here another prophet of the Lord, and we will inquire of him as well?

וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט עוֹד אִישׁ־אֶחָד לִדְרֹשׁ אֶת־ה' מֵאֹתוֹ וַאֲנִי שְׂנֵאתִיו כִּי לֹא־יִתְנַבֵּא עָלַי טוֹב כִּי אִם־רָע מִיכָיְהוּ בֶּן־יִמְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט אַל־יֹאמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ כֵּן

The king of Israel said to Yehoshafat: There is one other man to inquire of the Lord through him, Mikhayhu son of Yimla; but I hate him, as he does not ever prophesy favorably in my regard, but rather unfavorably. Therefore, I did not summon him previously. Yehoshafat said to Ahav, tactfully and respectfully: Let the king not say so; do not speak ill of a prophet.

וַיִּקְרָא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־סָרִיס אֶחָד וַיֹּאמֶר מַהֲרָה מִיכָיְהוּ בֶן־יִמְלָה

The king of Israel summoned an officer, one of his servants, and said: Quickly, bring Mikhayhu son of Yimla.

וּמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה יֹשְׁבִים אִישׁ עַל־כִּסְאוֹ מְלֻבָּשִׁים בְּגָדִים בְּגֹרֶן פֶּתַח שַׁעַר שֹׁמְרוֹן וְכָל־הַנְּבִיאִים מִתְנַבְּאִים לִפְנֵיהֶם

The king of Israel and Yehoshafat king of Judah were sitting, each on his throne, dressed in royal raiments, as this was an official summit, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them around the threshing floor.

וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ צִדְקִיָּה בֶן־כְּנַעֲנָה קַרְנֵי בַרְזֶל וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה־אָמַר ה' בְּאֵלֶּה תְּנַגַּח אֶת־אֲרָם עַד־כַּלֹּתָם

Tzidkiya son of Kenaana, one of the prophets, fashioned for himself horns of iron, which he may have placed symbolically on his head, and he said: So said the Lord: With these you will gore Aram until their destruction. This is a symbol of your assured victory.

וְכָל־הַנְּבִאִים נִבְּאִים כֵּן לֵאמֹר עֲלֵה רָמֹת גִּלְעָד וְהַצְלַח וְנָתַן ה' בְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ

All the prophets were prophesying so, saying: Go up to Ramot Gilad, and succeed, and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.

וְהַמַּלְאָךְ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַךְ לִקְרֹא מִיכָיְהוּ דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה־נָא דִּבְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים פֶּה־אֶחָד טוֹב אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ יְהִי־נָא דְבָרְךָ כִּדְבַר אַחַד מֵהֶם וְדִבַּרְתָּ טּוֹב

In the interim, the messenger who went to summon Mikhayhu spoke to him, saying: Behold now, the words of the prophets are unanimously good toward the king. Perhaps you should deviate from your customary harsh prophetic rebuke, and this time, please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.

וַיֹּאמֶר מִיכָיְהוּ חַי־ה' כִּי אֶת־אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר ה' אֵלַי אֹתוֹ אֲדַבֵּר

Mikhayhu said to him: The will of the king and his expectations do not determine my words. Rather, as the Lord lives, I swear, that which the Lord will say to me, that I will speak.

וַיָּבוֹא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵלָיו מִיכָיְהוּ הֲנֵלֵךְ אֶל־רָמֹת גִּלְעָד לַמִּלְחָמָה אִם־נֶחְדָּל וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו עֲלֵה וְהַצְלַח וְנָתַן ה' בְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ

He came to the king, Ahav, and the king said to him: Mikhayhu, shall we go to Ramot Gilad to war, or shall we refrain? He, Mikhayhu, said to him sarcastically, in the same manner as the other prophets: Go up and succeed, and the Lord will deliver the enemies into the hand of the king. If you want to hear from me what you have already heard from others, then I have fulfilled your request.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הַמֶּלֶךְ עַד־כַּמֶּה פְעָמִים אֲנִי מַשְׁבִּיעֶךָ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תְדַבֵּר אֵלַי רַק־אֱמֶת בְּשֵׁם ה'

The king said to him: How many times have I administered an oath to you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?

וַיֹּאמֶר רָאִיתִי אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל נְפֹצִים אֶל־הֶהָרִים כַּצֹּאן אֲשֶׁר אֵין־לָהֶם רֹעֶה וַיֹּאמֶר ה' לֹא־אֲדֹנִים לָאֵלֶּה יָשׁוּבוּ אִישׁ־לְבֵיתוֹ בְּשָׁלוֹם

He then said his true prophecy: I saw all Israel scattered to the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd; and the Lord said: There is no master for these people; let each man return to his house in peace. Israel will be scattered because you, their master, will fall in battle.

וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט הֲלֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ לוֹא־יִתְנַבֵּא עָלַי טוֹב כִּי אִם־רָע

The king of Israel said to Yehoshafat: Didn’t I say to you that he would not prophesy favorably in my regard, but rather unfavorably?

וַיֹּאמֶר לָכֵן שְׁמַע דְּבַר־ה' רָאִיתִי אֶת־ה' יֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסְאוֹ וְכָל־צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם עֹמֵד עָלָיו מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ

He, Mikhayhu, said: Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, as the King in heaven, and all the host of the heavens attending Him on His right and on His left.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' מִי יְפַתֶּה אֶת־אַחְאָב וְיַעַל וְיִפֹּל בְּרָמֹת גִּלְעָד וַיֹּאמֶר זֶה בְּכֹה וְזֶה אֹמֵר בְּכֹה

The Lord said: Who will be the one to entice Ahav to go out to battle, so that he will go up and fall at Ramot Gilad? This one said: With this; and that one said: With that. Each one present declared whether he would entice Ahav or not.

וַיֵּצֵא הָרוּחַ וַיַּעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי ה' וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי אֲפַתֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלָיו בַּמָּה

The spirit emerged, and it stood before the Lord and said: I will entice him. The Lord said to him: With what? How will you do it?

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵצֵא וְהָיִיתִי רוּחַ שֶׁקֶר בְּפִי כָּל־נְבִיאָיו וַיֹּאמֶר תְּפַתֶּה וְגַם־תּוּכָל צֵא וַעֲשֵׂה־כֵן

It said: I will go out and be a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets. All of the prophets who are hoping to hear the word of God will receive my false prophecy instead of a true prophecy. He said to the spirit: You shall entice him, and also prevail. Go out and do so. I hereby give you permission to proceed.

וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה נָתַן ה' רוּחַ שֶׁקֶר בְּפִי כָּל־נְבִיאֶיךָ אֵלֶּה וַה' דִּבֶּר עָלֶיךָ רָעָה

Now behold, the Lord placed a spirit of falsehood into the mouth of all these prophets of yours; and in truth, the Lord spoke of you for harm.

וַיִּגַּשׁ צִדְקִיָּהוּ בֶן־כְּנַעֲנָה וַיַּכֶּה אֶת־מִיכָיְהוּ עַל־הַלֶּחִי וַיֹּאמֶר אֵי־זֶה עָבַר רוּחַ־ה' מֵאִתִּי לְדַבֵּר אוֹתָךְ

Tzidkiyahu son of Kenaana, the head of the prophets, approached and struck Mikhayhu on the cheek, and said: I am the senior prophet. How is it that the spirit of the Lord has passed from me to speak to you? How do you dare to claim that a false spirit came to me, while you deliver the true word of God?

וַיֹּאמֶר מִיכָיְהוּ הִנְּךָ רֹאֶה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֲשֶׁר תָּבֹא חֶדֶר בְּחֶדֶר לְהֵחָבֵה

Mikhayhu said: Behold, you will see on that day, when you go into a room within a room to hide. When the defeat occurs, it will be clear that your prophecy was not a true one, and you will then hide in an inner chamber out of shame.

וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל קַח אֶת־מִיכָיְהוּ וַהֲשִׁיבֵהוּ אֶל־אָמֹן שַׂר־הָעִיר וְאֶל־יוֹאָשׁ בֶּן־הַמֶּלֶךְ

The king of Israel said to the servant who brought Mikhayhu: Take Mikhayhu, and return him to Amon governor of the city, and to Yo’ash the king’s son, the rulers of the city,

וְאָמַרְתָּ כֹּה אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ שִׂימוּ אֶת־זֶה בֵּית הַכֶּלֶא וְהַאֲכִלֻהוּ לֶחֶם לַחַץ וּמַיִם לַחַץ עַד בֹּאִי בְשָׁלוֹם

and say to the two of them: So said the king: Put this one, Mikhayhu, referred to as “this one” in a derogatory fashion, in the prison, and feed him scant food and scant water. Keep him under arrest in harsh conditions, until I come back in peace, at which time I will make a reckoning with him.

וַיֹּאמֶר מִיכָיְהוּ אִם־שׁוֹב תָּשׁוּב בְּשָׁלוֹם לֹא־דִבֶּר ה' בִּי וַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְעוּ עַמִּים כֻּלָּם

Mikhayhu said to the king of Israel: If you return in peace, then I myself concede that the Lord did not speak through me. Mikhayhu then turned to all those present, and he said: Hear, all the peoples assembled here, all people of the world: I am certain that the word of God that I have spoken is true, and if Ahav goes out to war, he will not return alive.

וַיַּעַל מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה רָמֹת גִּלְעָד

The king of Israel and Yehoshafat king of Judah nevertheless went up to Ramot Gilad. Although Yehoshafat had wished to hear the prophecy of Mikhayhu, Mikhayhu had not forbidden him from going to war; he merely declared that Ahav would fall, but the rest of the soldiers would return home in peace.

וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט הִתְחַפֵּשׂ וָבֹא בַמִּלְחָמָה וְאַתָּה לְבַשׁ בְּגָדֶיךָ וַיִּתְחַפֵּשׂ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּבוֹא בַּמִּלְחָמָה

The king of Israel said to Yehoshafat: I will disguise myself and come to the battle; but you don your royal garments. The Arameans will certainly search for me, but not for you. The king of Israel disguised himself, and he came to the battle.

וּמֶלֶךְ אֲרָם צִוָּה אֶת־שָׂרֵי הָרֶכֶב אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁנַיִם לֵאמֹר לֹא תִּלָּחֲמוּ אֶת קָטֹן וְאֶת־גָּדוֹל כִּי אִם־אֶת־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַדּוֹ

The king of Aram commanded his thirty-two chariot commanders, saying: Do not spread out in battle, and fight against small or great in the Israelite camp, only with the king of Israel alone. Your single task is to kill Ahav.

וַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת שָׂרֵי הָרֶכֶב אֶת־יְהוֹשָׁפָט וְהֵמָּה אָמְרוּ אַךְ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא וַיָּסֻרוּ עָלָיו לְהִלָּחֵם וַיִּזְעַק יְהוֹשָׁפָט

It was when the Aramean commanders of the chariots saw Yehoshafat, the only one wearing royal garments, that they said: Surely it is the king of Israel. They turned to him to fight. All of the chariots turned to attack him, and Yehoshafat cried out, as he saw that he was surrounded.

וַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת שָׂרֵי הָרֶכֶב כִּי־לֹא־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא וַיָּשׁוּבוּ מֵאַחֲרָיו

It was when the commanders of the chariots heard his voice, and saw that he was not the king of Israel, that they consequently withdrew from following him and left him alone. They did not wish to harm the king of Judah, as they had been given instructions to kill only the king of Israel.

וְאִישׁ מָשַׁךְ בַּקֶּשֶׁת לְתֻמּוֹ וַיַּכֶּה אֶת־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין הַדְּבָקִים וּבֵין הַשִּׁרְיָן וַיֹּאמֶר לְרַכָּבוֹ הֲפֹךְ יָדְךָ וְהוֹצִיאֵנִי מִן־הַמַּחֲנֶה כִּי הָחֳלֵיתִי

a man from the Aramean camp drew his bow desultorily and shot an arrow toward the Israelite camp without aiming it at a specific person. And he smote the king of Israel between the joints and the armor, at the spot where the armor was tied or attached to the garment underneath it. This arrow, which was shot without aim, struck the king precisely at the most vulnerable point of his defenses, and he was mortally wounded. He, Ahav, said to the driver of his chariot: Reverse your hand, turn the chariot around, and extract me from the engagement, the battleground, as I am wounded.

וַתַּעֲלֶה הַמִּלְחָמָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְהַמֶּלֶךְ הָיָה מָעֳמָד בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה נֹכַח אֲרָם וַיָּמָת בָּעֶרֶב וַיִּצֶק דַּם־הַמַּכָּה אֶל־חֵיק הָרָכֶב

The battle continued that day, even after Ahav was no longer an active participant. However, he did not want to cause the people to flee, so he remained on the battlefield despite his wounds. And the king was propped up in his chariot facing Aram, bravely staying where he was despite his untreated wound. He died in the evening due to the loss of blood, and the blood flowed from the wound into the hollow of the chariot, so that the chariot was soon filled with the king’s blood.

וַיַּעֲבֹר הָרִנָּה בַּמַּחֲנֶה כְּבֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לֵאמֹר אִישׁ אֶל־עִירוֹ וְאִישׁ אֶל־אַרְצוֹ

Presumably, someone saw what had occurred, and therefore the rumor passed in the camp that the king had been killed, and there was no commander leading the army. A cry was heard as the sun set, saying: Each man to his city, and each man to his land. The heads of the military decided to retreat.

וַיָּמָת הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיָּבוֹא שֹׁמְרוֹן וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן

The king died, and he, his body, came to his city, Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.

וַיִּשְׁטֹף אֶת־הָרֶכֶב עַל בְּרֵכַת שֹׁמְרוֹן וַיָּלֹקּוּ הַכְּלָבִים אֶת־דָּמוֹ וְהַזֹּנוֹת רָחָצוּ כִּדְבַר ה' אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר

The chariot, which was full of blood, was rinsed by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked his blood that had flowed out of the chariot. and the prostitutes bathed there, as they were not particular about bathing in a more modest location. This was the shameful end of Ahav’s blood in accordance with the word of the Lord that He had spoken to Elijah the prophet.

וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי אַחְאָב וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וּבֵית הַשֵּׁן אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה וְכָל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה הֲלוֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

The rest of the matters concerning Ahav, and everything that he did, and the ivory house that he built as a display, which was called such because a large portion of it was furnished with ivory, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? This information is not recorded in the book of Kings, because the book of Kings does not discuss history for its own sake.

וַיִּשְׁכַּב אַחְאָב עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּמְלֹךְ אֲחַזְיָהוּ בְנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו

Ahav lay with his fathers; Ahazyahu his son became king in his place, the third-generation ruler of the house of Omri.

וִיהוֹשָׁפָט בֶּן־אָסָא מָלַךְ עַל־יְהוּדָה בִּשְׁנַת אַרְבַּע לְאַחְאָב מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל

The narrative returns to describing the history of the kings of Judah: Yehoshafat son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahav king of Israel.

יְהוֹשָׁפָט בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה בְּמָלְכוֹ וְעֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ עֲזוּבָה בַּת־שִׁלְחִי

Yehoshafat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother was Azuva daughter of Shilhi.

וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּכָל־דֶּרֶךְ אָסָא אָבִיו לֹא־סָר מִמֶּנּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי ה'

He followed the entire way of Asa his father, who was a righteous king; he did not turn from it, and continued doing right in the eyes of the Lord.

אַךְ הַבָּמוֹת לֹא־סָרוּ עוֹד הָעָם מְזַבְּחִים וּמְקַטְּרִים בַּבָּמוֹת

However, the shrines, where the people sacrificed offerings to God despite the fact that this practice was forbidden once the Temple was built, were not removed even during the rule of Yehoshafat; the people still slaughtered and burned offerings at the shrines. This practice continued for many generations, and the king was unable to abolish it.

וַיַּשְׁלֵם יְהוֹשָׁפָט עִם־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל

Yehoshafat made peace with the king of Israel.

וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יְהוֹשָׁפָט וּגְבוּרָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה ואֲשֶׁר נִלְחָם הֲלֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה

The rest of the matters concerning Yehoshafat, and his valor that he displayed, and that he made war, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

וְיֶתֶר הַקָּדֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאַר בִּימֵי אָסָא אָבִיו בִּעֵר מִן־הָאָרֶץ

The remaining cult prostitutes, males who engaged in sodomy as part of idolatrous practices, who were left from the days of his father Asa, he eliminated from the land. Asa could not successfully eradicate this method of public idolatry, but Yehoshafat, who continued in his father’s path and ruled for many years, completed the task.

וּמֶלֶךְ אֵין בֶּאֱדוֹם נִצָּב מֶלֶךְ

There was no independent king in Edom; an official was king. The Kingdom of Judah was sufficiently strong to prevent the Edomites from crowning their own king. Instead, a governor, either of local origin or from Judah, was appointed under the authority of the king of Judah.

יְהוֹשָׁפָט עָשָׂה אֳנִיּוֹת תַּרְשִׁישׁ לָלֶכֶת אוֹפִירָה לַזָּהָב וְלֹא הָלָךְ כִּי־נִשְׁבְּרוּ אֳנִיּוֹת בְּעֶצְיוֹן גָּבֶר

In addition, Yehoshafat made Tarshish ships, large ships. Tarshish was distant from Israel, and only large, strong ships with teams of rowers could sail there. He constructed these ships in order to go to Ofir for gold to bring back to Israel, just as Solomon had done during his reign; but he did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Etzyon Gever, the port city of the Kingdom of Judah next to the Red Sea, from where Yehoshafat had planned to travel to Ofir (see commentary on 9:26).

אָז אָמַר אֲחַזְיָהוּ בֶן־אַחְאָב אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט יֵלְכוּ עֲבָדַי עִם־עֲבָדֶיךָ בָּאֳנִיּוֹת וְלֹא אָבָה יְהוֹשָׁפָט

Ahazyahu son of Ahav said to Yehoshafat: Let my servants go with your servants in the ships. Since the relationship between the kingdoms was very cordial, Ahazyahu offered his assistance. The Kingdom of Israel was closer to the sea and maintained ties with the kings of Sidon. Consequently, the servants of Ahazyahu were more experienced and could assist with fixing the ships, constructing new ships, and with the actual journey. But Yehoshafat was unwilling, perhaps because he thought God would not be pleased.

וַיִּשְׁכַּב יְהוֹשָׁפָט עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקָּבֵר עִם־אֲבֹתָיו בְּעִיר דָּוִד אָבִיו וַיִּמְלֹךְ יְהוֹרָם בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו

Yehoshafat lay with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; Yehoram his son became king in his place.

אֲחַזְיָהוּ בֶן־אַחְאָב מָלַךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן בִּשְׁנַת שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה לִיהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁנָתָיִם

Ahazyahu son of Ahav became king over Israel in Samaria during the seventeenth year of Yehoshafat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.

וַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה' וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ אָבִיו וּבְדֶרֶךְ אִמּוֹ וּבְדֶרֶךְ יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל

He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and he followed in the way of his father Ahav, and in the way of his mother Izevel, and in the way of Yorovam son of Nevat, who caused Israel to sin. He continued the idolatrous practices of his parents, and the worship of the calves established by Yorovam.

וַיַּעֲבֹד אֶת־הַבַּעַל וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לוֹ וַיַּכְעֵס אֶת־ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה אָבִיו

He worshipped the Baal, and he prostrated himself to it, and he angered the Lord, God of Israel, like everything that his father had done.