1 Kings 22:48

48 Jehoshaphat built many ships that he used to carry goods to be traded. The ships were supposed to go to Ophir for gold. But they never had a chance to sail. They 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 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

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

1 Kings 22:48 In-Context

46 Jehoshaphat got rid of the rest of the male prostitutes who were at the temples. They had remained in the land even after the rule of his father Asa.

47 At that time Edom didn't have a king. An appointed official was in charge.

48 Jehoshaphat built many ships that he used to carry goods to be traded. The ships were supposed to go to Ophir for gold. But they never had a chance to sail. They were wrecked at Ezion Geber.

49 At that time Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, spoke to Jehoshaphat. He said, "Let my men sail with yours." But Jehoshaphat refused.

50 Jehoshaphat joined the members of his family who had already died. His body was buried in the family tomb in the city of King David. His son Jehoram became the next king after him.