וִיהֽוֹשָׁפָט֙ בֶּן־אָסָ֔א מָלַ֖ךְ עַל־יְהוּדָ֑ה בִּשְׁנַ֣ת אַרְבַּ֔ע לְאַחְאָ֖ב מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Josaphat, fils d’Asa, était monté sur le trône de Juda la quatrième année du règne d’Achab en Israël.
From David to Destruction
Yehoshafat is presented in a grand manner at significant length in Divrei HaYamim II 17-20. Yet, Sefer Melachim devotes barely 11 Pesukim (Melachim I 22:41-51) to the description of his reign. The rest of Yehoshafat’s noteworthy royal activities are either omitted by Sefer Melachim or scattered throughout it. While most of the information is identical, the difference in the format of the two accounts is striking. Sefer Melachim’s presentation clearly diminishes the great king portrayed in Divrei HaYamim. In fact, Yehoshafat is presented without a formal introducton in Melachim I 22, and only at the end of the chapter is he presented as a footnote to his earlier mention. What is the reason behind these two dramatically different styles of portrayal?