The History of the Governments
of Israel and Judah

Lesson Four

The Subject Material Of This Lesson is divided into four parts.

Josephus Book 8, Chapter 15.

 Concerning Jehoshaphat, the king of Jerusalem; and how Ahab made an expedition against the Syrians, and was assisted therein by Jehoshaphat, but was himself overcome in battle, and perished therein.

 Josephus Book 9, Chapter 1.

 Concerning Jehoshaphat again; how he constituted Judges, and, by God's assistance, overcame his enemies.

 Josephus Book 9, Chapter 2.

 Concerning Ahaziah, the king of Israel; and again concerning the prophet Elijah.

 Josephus Book 9, Chapter 3.

 Jehoram succeeds Jehoshaphat: how Joram, his namesake, king of Israel, fought with the Syrians; and what wonders were done by the prophet Elisha.

The Antiquities Of The Jews: By Josephus. In these lessons we will hear the witness of the historian Josephus (Joseph Ben Mattias). His father was a Levite and his mother was of the tribe of Judah. During his life he was a priest, general, prisoner, and later a Roman citizen and author. He lived from 37 A.D. to about 100 A.D. His writings are available in any Christian Book Store. We will present Josephus account parallel to the Bible's account.

In Association with Amazon.com

 

Part 1. Concerning Jehoshaphat, the king of Jerusalem; and how Ahab made an expedition against the Syrians, and was assisted therein by Jehoshaphat, but was himself overcome in battle, and perished therein.

 Israel's Third Battle With Syria 

1 Kings 22:1-7

2 Chronicles 18:1-6

Josephus Book 8, Chapter 15, Sections 1-3

(1) And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

(2) And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

(3) And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead {is} ours, and we {be} still, {and} take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?

(4) And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I {am} as thou {art}, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

(5) And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day.

(6) Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver {it} into the hand of the king.

(7) And Jehoshaphat said, {Is there} not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him?

 

(1) Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

(2) And after {certain} years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that {he had} with him, and persuaded him to go up {with him} to Ramothgilead.

(3) And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I {am} as thou {art}, and my people as thy people; and {we will be} with thee in the war.

(4) And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day.

(5) Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver {it} into the king's hand.

(6) But Jehoshaphat said, {Is there} not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him?

 

 

1. I now return to Jehoshaphat, the king of Jerusalem, who, when he had augmented his kingdom, and had set garrisons in the cities of the countries belonging to his subjects, and had put such garrisons no less into these cities which were taken out of the tribe of Ephraim, by his grandfather Abijah, when Jeroboam reigned over the ten tribes (than he did into the other.)

But then he had God favorable and assisting to him, as being both righteous and religious, and seeking to do somewhat every day that should be agreeable and acceptable to God.

The kings also that were round about him honored him with the presents they made him, till the riches he had acquired were immensely great, and the glory he had gained was of a most exalted nature.

2. Now, in the third year of his reign, he called together the rulers of the country, and the priests, and commanded them to go round the land, and teach all the people that were under him, city by city, the laws of Moses, and to keep them, and to be diligent in the worship of God.

With this the whole multitude was so pleased, that they were not so eagerly set upon or affected with anything so much as the observation of the laws.

The neighboring nations also continued to love Jehoshaphat, and to be at peace with him.

The Philistines paid their appointed tribute, and the Arabians supplied him every year with three hundred and sixty lambs, and as many kids of the goats.

He also fortified the great cities, which were many in number, and of great consequence.

He prepared also a mighty army of soldiers and weapons against their enemies.

Now the army of men that wore their armor was three hundred thousand of the tribe of Judah, of whom Adnah was the chief; but John was chief of two hundred thousand.

The same man was chief of the tribe of Benjamin, and had two hundred thousand archers under him.

There was another chief, whose name was Jehozabad, who had a hundred and fourscore thousand armed men.

This multitude was distributed to be ready for the king's service, besides those whom he sent to the best fortified cities.

3. Jehoshaphat took for his son Jehoram to wife, the daughter of Ahab, the king of the ten tribes, whose name was Athaliah.

And when, after some time, he want to Samaria, Ahab received him courteously, and treated the army that followed him in a splendid manner, with great plenty of corn and wine, and of slain beasts; and desired that he would join with him in his war against the king of Syria, that he might recover from him the city Ramoth, in Gilead; for though it had belonged to his father, yet had the king of Syria's father taken it away from him; and upon Jehoshaphat's promise to afford him his assistance, (for indeed his army was not inferior to the other,) and his sending for his army from Jerusalem to Samaria, the two kings went out of the city, and each of them sat on his own throne, and each gave their orders to their several armies.

Now Jehoshaphat bade them call some of the prophets, if there were any there, and inquire of them concerning this expedition against the king of Syria, whether they would give them counsel to make that expedition at this time, for there was peace at that time between Ahab and the king of Syria, which had lasted three years, from the time he had taken him captive till that day.

  

 

 

Questions

Question #1. Which king asked for a prophet of the Lord Yahweh?

      (  ) King Ahab of Israel.  ( ) King Jehoshaphat of Judah.

Answers and Next page - Click Here

 

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