40. Ahab passed away. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.
41. In the fourth year of King Ahab’s reign over Israel, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah.
42. Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
43. He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved. (22:44) However, the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.
44. (22:45) Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.
45. The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, including his successes and military exploits, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.
46. He removed from the land any male cultic prostitutes who had managed to survive the reign of his father Asa.
47. There was no king in Edom at this time; a governor ruled.
48. Jehoshaphat built a fleet of large merchant ships to travel to Ophir for gold, but they never made the voyage because they were shipwrecked in Ezion Geber.
49. Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my sailors join yours in the fleet,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
50. Jehoshaphat passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king.
51. In the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahab’s son Ahaziah became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled for two years over Israel.
52. He did evil in the sight of the Lord and followed in the footsteps of his father and mother; like Jeroboam son of Nebat, he encouraged Israel to sin.
53. He worshiped and bowed down to Baal, angering the Lord God of Israel just as his father had done.