2 Kings 8:18

18 And he walketh in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for a daughter of Ahab was to him for a wife, and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah,

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 And in the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel -- and Jehoshaphat [is] king of Judah -- hath Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah reigned;

17 a son of thirty and two years was he in his reigning, and eight years he hath reigned in Jerusalem.

18 And he walketh in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for a daughter of Ahab was to him for a wife, and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah,

19 and Jehovah was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, as He said to him, to give to him a lamp -- to his sons all the days.

20 In his days hath Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and they cause a king to reign over them,