1 Kings 22:48

48 Jehoshaphat made Tarshish-style ships to go to Ophir for gold. But they didn't go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber.

1 Kings 22:48 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 22:48

Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish
Ships to go to sea, particularly the Indian sea, ( 1 Kings 10:22 ) . Tarshish is used for the sea in general, ( Psalms 48:7 ) ( Isaiah 2:16 ) , in the Cetib, or text, it is "ten"; in the Keri, or margin, it is "made", which we follow, and may be put together, as in the Tigurine version, and read, "he made ten ships to go by sea":

even to go to Ophir for gold;
as Solomon did; of which place see ( 1 Kings 9:28 ) ,

but they went not, for the ships were broken at Eziongeber;
the port where they were built: as soon as they were launched, or sailed, they were broken to pieces against the rocks near the harbour, which stood up like a man's backbone, whence the port had its name; (See Gill on 1 Kings 9:26), and if this was Calzem, as there observed, near to it was a dangerous place for ships, and where many were lost, and is supposed to be the place where Pharaoh and his host were drowned {y}; the reason of this shipwreck was, because Jehoshaphat joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, for which he was reproved by the prophet Eliezer, and this was his punishment, ( 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

F25 Vid. Geograph. Nub. Climat. 3. par. 3. in fine.

1 Kings 22:48 In-Context

46 He rid the land of the male temple prostitutes who were left there from the time of his father Asa.

47 There was no king in Edom; instead, a deputy ruled.

48 Jehoshaphat made Tarshish-style ships to go to Ophir for gold. But they didn't go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber.

49 Then Ahaziah, son of Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my servants go with your servants in the ships." But Jehoshaphat refused.

50 Jehoshaphat lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram succeeded him as king.