2 Chronicles 20:31
And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
The verse places Jehoshaphat among the kings of Judah whose reigns are recorded in the opening chapters of 2 Chronicles, as one who reigned over Judah from Jerusalem. He succeeded Asa, beginning to reign at thirty-five years old and reigning twenty-five years in Jerusalem, and his mother was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. As part of the historical record of Judah's kings, the verse helps place biblical events in their historical setting and carries spiritual lessons within the Bible's revelation centered on Christ.
Jehoshaphat was a good and truly great king and a great champion of Jehovah. His loyalty and devotion to God were shown by humility when reproved and by seeking God in trouble. He shared Asa's weakness of joining himself with wicked rulers by allying with wicked Israel. He accepted reproof and returned to integrity, showing marked faithfulness in his last days by seeking to restore the worship of God. Yet he later made another such alliance, and his ties to Israel continued through his descendants and successors.
He led his people into the wilderness valley of Tekoah and received an exceptional victory over their enemies, a victory assured by faith before it was accomplished. The victory was over a much larger enemy force and came through song: he sent singers ahead of the army, and as they praised God the enemy ranks broke into confusion and destroyed one another.