Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly.
We are now drawing towards the close of the history of Jehoshaphat's reign, for a further account of which those who lived when this book was published were referred to an authentic history of it, written by Jehu the prophet (Ch2 19:2), which was then extant, Ch2 20:34.
Commenting on 2 Chronicles 20:31-37
And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish,.... Of which; see Gill on Kg1 22:48, and though it is there said, Kg1 22:49, that Jehoshaphat refused letting the servants of Ahaziah go with his, that was after he had been reproved for joining with him, and after the ships were broken: and they made the ships in Eziongeber; of which see Gill on Kg1 9:26.
after this did Jehoshaphat . . . join himself with Ahaziah . . . to make ships--A combined fleet was built at Ezion-geber, the destination of which was to voyage to Tartessus, but it was wrecked. Jehoshaphat's motive for entering into this partnership was to secure a free passage through Israel, for the vessels were to be conveyed across the Isthmus of Suez, and to...