2 Chronicles 20:35

35 Late in life Jehoshaphat formed a trading syndicate with Ahaziah king of Israel - which was very wrong of him to do.

2 Chronicles 20:35 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 20:35

And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with
Ahaziah king of Israel
Meaning, not after the invasion of the Moabites and the slaughter of them, but after Jehoshaphat returned from Ramothgilead, when he was reproved by a prophet for helping the ungodly, ( 2 Chronicles 19:1 2 Chronicles 19:2 ) so that it was a great aggravation of his folly and weakness, that after that, and quickly after that, he should join himself to a wicked prince, though not in war, but in trade; for so it must be, since Ahaziah reigned but two years, and those not complete, see ( 1 Kings 22:51 ) , but is here related, that Jehoshaphat's weaknesses and blemishes might be laid together:

who did very wickedly;
that is, Ahaziah, who walked in the ways of Ahab his father, and of Jezebel his mother, and of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, ( 1 Kings 22:52 ) .

2 Chronicles 20:35 In-Context

33 But he failed to get rid of the neighborhood sex-and-religion shrines - people continued to pray and worship at these idolatrous god shops.
34 The rest of Jehoshaphat's life, from start to finish, is written in the memoirs of Jehu son of Hanani, which are included in the Royal Annals of Israel's Kings.
35 Late in life Jehoshaphat formed a trading syndicate with Ahaziah king of Israel - which was very wrong of him to do.
36 He went in as partner with him to build ocean-going ships at Ezion Geber to trade with Tarshish.
37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah preached against Jehoshaphat's venture: "Because you joined forces with Ahaziah, God has shipwrecked your work." The ships were smashed and nothing ever came of the trade partnership.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.