1 Kings 22:48

Contextual Overview

⁴¹Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Israel’s King Ahab. ⁴¹ Yehoshafat the son of Asa began to reign over Yehudah in the fourth year of Ach'av king of Yisra'el. ⁴¹ And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. ⁴¹ Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. ⁴¹ Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah during Ahab's fourth year as king of Israel. ⁴¹ In the fourth year of King Ahab's reign over Israel, Asa's son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. ⁴¹Now Jehoshaphat the son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. ⁴¹ Now Jehoshaphat the son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. ⁴¹ And Iehoshaphat the sonne of Asa began to reigne vpon Iudah in the fourth yeere of Ahab King of Israel. ⁴¹Now Jehoshaphat the son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Jehoshaphat: 2 Chronicles 20:35, 36-21:1

made ships: or, had ten ships, 1 Kings 10:22, 2 Chronicles 9:21, Psalms 48:7, Isaiah 2:16, Isaiah 60:9, Jonah 1:3

Tharshish: Josephus and the Chaldee and Arabic paraphrasts explain this place of Tarsus in Cilicia; the LXX, Theodoret, and Jerome, understand it of Carthage; but the learned Bochart makes it Tartessus, an island in the straits of Gades. Ibn Haukal describes Tarsousa as belonging to Andalus, or Andalusia; and Festus Avienus expressly says, Hic Gadir urbs est dicta Tartessus prius, "the city Cadiz was formerly called Tartessus."

to Ophir: 1 Kings 9:28, Psalms 45:9

they went not: 2 Chronicles 20:37, 2 Chronicles 25:7

Eziongeber: 1 Kings 9:26, Numbers 33:35, Numbers 33:36

Reciprocal: Genesis 10:29 - Ophir 2 Chronicles 8:17 - Eziongeber Job 22:24 - Ophir Isaiah 23:1 - ye ships Ezekiel 27:12 - General Acts 27:41 - broken

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish,.... Ships to go to sea, particularly the Indian sea, 1 Kings 10:22. Tarshish is used for the sea in general, Psalms 48:7, in the Cetib, or text, it is "ten"; in the Keri, or margin, it is "made", which we follow, and may be put together, as in the Tigurine version, and read, "he made ten ships to go by sea":

even to go to Ophir for gold; as Solomon did; of which place see 1 Kings 9:28,

but they went not, for the ships were broken at Eziongeber; the port where they were built: as soon as they were launched, or sailed, they were broken to pieces against the rocks near the harbour, which stood up like a man's backbone, whence the port had its name;

1 Kings 9:28- :, and if this was Calzem, as there observed, near to it was a dangerous place for ships, and where many were lost, and is supposed to be the place where Pharaoh and his host were drowned y; the reason of this shipwreck was, because Jehoshaphat joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, for which he was reproved by the prophet Eliezer, and this was his punishment, 2 Chronicles 20:35.

y Vid. Geograph. Nub. Climat. 3. par. 3. in fine.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The expression, “ships of Tharshish,” probably designates ships of a particular class, ships (i. e.) like those with which the Phoenicians used to trade to Tharshish (Tartessus, 1 Kings 10:22 note). Compare the use of “India-man” for a vessel of a certain class. Jehoshaphat’s fleet was constructed at Ezion-Gaber, on the Red Sea 2 Chronicles 20:36, where Solomon had previously built a navy 1 Kings 9:26. Being lord-paramount of Edom, Jehoshaphat had the right of using this harbor.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 22:48. Ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold — In the parallel place (2 Chronicles 20:36) it is said that Jehoshaphat joined himself to Ahaziah, to make ships to go to Tharshish; and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. Concerning these places, and the voyage thither, see the notes on 1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:11; 1 Kings 10:22. Some translate, instead of ships of Tharshish, ships of burden. See Houbigant, who expresses himself doubtful as to the meaning of the word.