2 Kings 8:18

“And he walked in the way of the king’s of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, etc.] Imitated them in idolatry: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; whose name was Athaliah, (<120826>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, (<142111>2 Chronicles 21:11).”

“daughter of Ahab--Athaliah, through whose influence Jehoram introduced the worship of Baal and many other evils into the kingdom of Judah (see 2Ch. 21:2-20). This apostasy would have led to the total extinction of the royal family in that kingdom, had it not been for the divine promise to David (Sa2 7:16). A national chastisement, however, was inflicted on Judah by the revolt of Edom, which, being hitherto governed by a tributary ruler (Kg2 3:9; Kg1 22:47), erected the standard of independence (Ch2 21:9).”

“The passage is parenthetic, resuming the history of the kingdom of Judah from 1 Kings 22:50. 2 Kings 8:16 The opening words are - “In the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab, king of Israel, and of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah;” but they contradict all the other chronological notices of Jehoshaphat 1 Kings 22:42, 1Ki 22:51; 2 Kings 3:1; 2 Chronicles 20:31, which give him a reign of at least twenty-three years. Hence, some have supposed that the words “Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah,” are accidentally repeated. Those, however, who regard them and 2 Kings 1:17 as sound, suppose that Jehoshaphat gave his son the royal title in his 16th year, while he advanced him to a real association in the…”

“He walked - After his father's death. The daughter - Athaliah. This unequal marriage, though Jehoshaphat possibly designed it as a means of uniting the two kingdoms under one head, is here and elsewhere noted, as the cause both of the great wickedness of his posterity, and of those sore calamities which befel them. No good could be reasonably expected from such an union. Those that are ill matched are already half - ruined. 4 Kings (2 Kings) 8:19”

“8:18 evil in the Lord’s sight: Not only did Jehoram marry Ahab’s daughter Athaliah but he followed the example of the kings of Israel in worshiping idols. Some have suggested that Ps 45 was composed in honor of the marriage between Jehoram and Athaliah, which joined the royal houses of Judah and Israel (see Ps 45:12; Athaliah was the daughter of Jezebel, the princess of Tyre). While the marriage created temporary harmony between the kingdoms, it brought disastrous spiritual results. Under Athaliah’s influence, Jehoram instituted various false forms of worship (2 Chr 21:11), including worship of Baal (2 Kgs 11:17-18).”

“in the way: Kg2 3:2, Kg2 3:3; Kg1 22:52, Kg1 22:53 the house: Kg2 9:7, Kg2 9:8, Kg2 21:3, Kg2 21:13; Ch2 21:13; Mic 6:16 the daughter: Kg2 8:26; Kg1 21:25; Ch2 18:1, Ch2 19:2, Ch2 21:6, Ch2 22:1-4 his wife: Gen 6:1-5; Deu 7:3, Deu 7:4; Kg1 11:1-5; Neh 13:25, Neh 13:26 4 Kings (2 Kings) 8:19”

“Joram had married a daughter of Ahab, namely Athaliah ( Kg2 8:26), and walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, transplanting the worship of Baal into his kingdom. Immediately after the death of Jehoshaphat he murdered his brothers, apparently with no other object than to obtain possession of the treasures which his father had left them ( Ch2 21:2-4). This wickedness of Joram would have been followed by the destruction of Judah, had not the Lord preserved a shoot to the royal house for David's sake. For ניר לו לתת see Kg1 11:36. The following word לבניו serves as an explanation of ניר לו, "a light with regard to his sons," i.e., by the fact that he kept sons (descendants) upon the throne. 4…”