text specially notes this (2 Chronicles 18:1), partly to show that Jehoshaphat had not even an excuse for

such a step, and partly, as we think, to indicate that this alliance must, in the first place, have been sought

by Ahab. The motives which would influence the King of Israel are not difficult to understand. The power of

the country had been greatly weakened by Syria during the reign of Omri. Not only had Ben-Hadad

possessed himself of a number of cities, both east (Ramoth-Gilead, for example) and west of the Jordan, but

the country had become virtually subject to him, since he claimed even in the capital, Samaria, the right of

having "streets," or rather "squares," that is, Syrian quarters of the town, which owned his dominion (comp.

1 Kings 20:34).

And now Ben-Hadad had been succeeded by a son of the same name, equally warlike and ambitious. In

these circumstances it was of the utmost importance to Ahab to secure permanent peace on his southern or

Judaean frontier, and, if possible, to engage as an active ally so powerful and wealthy a monarch as

Jehoshaphat. On the other hand, it is not so easy to perceive the reasons which influenced the King of

Judah. Of course he could not have wished to see the power of Syria paramount so close to his borders. Did

he, besides, desire to have the long-standing (seventy years) breach between Judah and Israel healed? Had

he a dim hope that, by the marriage of his son with the daughter of Ahab, the two realms might again be

joined, and an undivided kingdom once more established in the house of David? Or did he only allow

himself to be carried along by events, too weak to resist, and too confident to dread evil? We can only make

these suggestions, since the sacred text affords no clue to this political riddle.

It was, as we reckon, about the eighth year of Jehoshaphat's reign, and consequently about the twelfth of

that f

of Ahab, that Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat - then a lad of about fifteen or sixteen years - was married to

Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Chronicles 21:6).285

Jehoshaphat lived to see some of the bitter fruits of the rash and unholy alliance which he had sanctioned.

Eight or nine years later, he went on that visit to Ahab which led to the disastrous war with Syria, in which

Ahab himself perished (2 Chronicles 18.). Then followed the joint maritime expedition of Jehoshaphat and

the son of Ahab, which ended in loss. But the worst was to come after the death of Jehoshaphat. His son

and successor, the husband of Athaliah, introduced in Judah the idolatry of his wife, and brought shame

and loss upon his people. The next occupant of the throne, the - son of Athaliah - followed the example of

his father, and perished by command of Jehu. Lastly came the terrible tragedy of the wholesale murder of the

royal princes by Athaliah, then her reign, and finally her tragic death.

It was not by means such as those which Jehoshaphat employed that good could come to Judah, the breach

be healed between the severed tribes, the kingdom of David restored, or even peace and righteousness

return to Israel. But already God had been preparing a new instrumentality to accomplish His own purposes.

A Voice would be raised loud enough to make itself heard to the ends of the land; a Hand, strong enough

not only to resist the power of Ahab and Jezebel, but to break that of Baal in the land. And all this not by

worldly might or craftiness, but by the manifestation of the power of Jehovah as the Living God.286