2 Kings 8:18

18 He copied the way of life of the kings of Israel, marrying into the Ahab family and continuing the Ahab line of sin - from God's point of view, an evil man living an evil life.

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 king of Israel, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah became king.

17 He was thirty-two years old when he began his rule, and was king for eight years in Jerusalem.

18 He copied the way of life of the kings of Israel, marrying into the Ahab family and continuing the Ahab line of sin - from God's point of view, an evil man living an evil life.

19 But despite that, because of his servant David, God was not ready to destroy Judah. He had, after all, promised to keep a lamp burning through David's descendants.

20 During Jehoram's reign, Edom revolted against Judah's rule and set up their own king.