But in the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
Though Ahab continued under guilt and wrath, and the dominion of the lusts to which he had sold himself, yet, as a reward for his professions of repentance and humiliation, though the time drew near when he should descend into battle and perish, yet we have him blessed with a three years' peace (Kg1 22:1) and an honourable visit made him by Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Kg1 22:2.
Commenting on 1 Kings 22:1-14
(And the king of Israel said unto his servants,.... His nobles, those of his privy council, his ministers of state; or "had said" (n), some little time before Jehoshaphat came: know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours a city of refuge beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Gad, and so of course must belong to the kingdom of Israel, of which see Jos 20:8.
Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel--It was singular that a friendly league between the sovereigns of Israel and Judah should, for the first time, have been formed by princes of such opposite characters--the one pious, the other wicked. Neither this league nor the matrimonial alliance by which the union of the royal families was more closely cemented, met the Lord's approval (Ch2 19:2).