but he sought the God of his father and walked by His commandments rather than the practices of Israel.
Parallel translations
- WEB but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not in the ways of Israel.
- KJV But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
- NKJV but sought the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not according to the acts of Israel.
- NASB but sought the God of his father, followed His commandments, and did not act as Israel did.
- NLT He sought his father’s God and obeyed his commands instead of following the evil practices of the kingdom of Israel.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jehoshaphat sought the God of his father and walked in His commandments, not in Israel's ways. He chose covenant obedience over the northern kingdom's idolatry.
Overview
Jehoshaphat deliberately distances himself from the apostate practices of Israel and pursues God's law. The contrast highlights the choice every generation faces between faithfulness and conformity to surrounding sin. His obedient seeking of God models the wholehearted devotion the gospel calls believers to in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Kgs 12:28After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
- Luke 1:6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
- 1 Th 2:12encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
- 1 Th 4:1Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more.
- 2 Kgs 17:19and even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced.
- 2 Kgs 8:18And Jehoram walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done. For he married a daughter of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD.
- Hos 4:15Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’
- Jer 3:7–8I thought that after she had done all these things, she would return to Me. But she did not return, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it.
- 1 Kgs 12:30And this thing became a sin; the people walked as far as Dan to worship before one of the calves.
- 1 Kgs 12:33On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had set up in Bethel. So he ordained a feast for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.
- 1 Kgs 16:31–33And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve and worship Baal.
- 1 Kgs 13:33–34Even after these events, Jeroboam did not repent of his evil ways, but again he appointed priests for the high places from every class of people. He ordained anyone who desired to be a priest of the high places.
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Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 17:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.