Learn from Jehoshaphat – Drash: Seek HaShem

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the Torah of HaShem.  Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek him [y’dr’shuhu] with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in His ways.
Psalms 119:1-3
With my whole heart have I sought You [d’rashticha]: Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments.
Psalms 119:10

Introduction

• Jehoshaphat [“HaShem has judged”]
• 2 Chron 17:1: Son of Asa
• Ruled from ~914 BCE to 889 BCE (25 years)
• Began ruling at age 35

Successes                                                            

• 2Chron 17:1-2: 11-19; Fortified and strengthened Judah’s military, and amassed great wealth.
• 17:3-6; 19:3: Sought HaShem, delighted in His ways; walked in His commandments; removed high places etc.
• 17:7-10: Established a Torah education system with leaders and Kohenim [priests] as teachers.
• 19:4-11: Established courts and judges which included Kohenim.
• 20:1-30: Battle against Ammon/Moab/Seir alliance. Arranged singing Levites to lead the to the battle.
• 20:30: nuach [rest], like his father Asa.

Failures                                                           

• 18:1: By marriage, allied himself with Ahab, king of the Northern Kingdom. Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram married Ahab’s daughter Athaliah. This union not only brought the idolatry of Athaliah’s mother Jezebel into the Southern Kingdom, it was the source of at least two troublesome events for Jehoshaphat.
• 18:2-34: alliance with Ahab
• 19:2: Wrath of the Almighty because of his alliance with Ahab.
• 20:35-37: alliance with Ahaziah (Ahab’s son) in shipping venture.

Lesson from Jehoshaphat                                                           

• Chron 17:4: drash [searched out]. He sought G-d intensely. That does not mean he sought and then did not follow through. When He read and heard, he acted. He established education and justice; and destroyed idolatry as a result of his drash [seeking] of the Almighty.
• 18:4; 2Kings 3:11: 20:3: drash-ed HaShem to depend upon Him in battle.

Summary                                                              

• Jehoshaphat was one of the most obedient of the kings of Judah. He walked in the ways of His father David. He walked in the ways of G-d. He was earnest in discovering G-d’s will – understanding that G-d’s will is first discovered by acting on what He has already spoken, and is written down.
• His only recorded failures come from allying with the unrighteous.