2 Kings 8:18

18 His wife was Ahab's daughter, and like the family of Ahab he followed the evil ways of the kings of Israel. He sinned against the Lord,

2 Kings 8:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 8:18

And he walked in the way of the king's of Israel, as did the
house of Ahab
Imitated them in idolatry:

for the daughter of Ahab was his wife;
whose name was Athaliah, ( 2 Kings 8:26 ) , and by her he was drawn into idolatrous practices; of such bad consequence are marriages with idolaters; it is very much that so good a king as Jehoshaphat his father was should contract such an affinity; he suffered for it in more instances than one:

and he did evil in the sight of the Lord;
was guilty of idolatry, than which nothing was more displeasing to the Lord; for he made high places, and compelled his subjects to commit idolatry, ( 2 Chronicles 21:11 ) .

2 Kings 8:18 In-Context

16 In the fifth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab as king of Israel, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat became king of Judah

17 at the age of thirty-two, and he ruled in Jerusalem for eight years.

18 His wife was Ahab's daughter, and like the family of Ahab he followed the evil ways of the kings of Israel. He sinned against the Lord,

19 but the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, because he had promised his servant David that his descendants would always continue to rule.

20 During Jehoram's reign Edom revolted against Judah and became an independent kingdom.