1 Kings 22:43 tells us that Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, followed the godly example of his father Asa and did what was right in the LORD’s eyes. Yet the verse also says that the high places of false worship were never removed, so the people kept offering sacrifices there.
The verse is spoken by the narrator of the book of Kings, who is summarizing the reign of Jehoshaphat for the people of Judah. It is written as a report about a king, not as words spoken by God to a person.
He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He didn’t turn away from it, doing that which was right in the LORD’s eyes. However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
1 Kings 22:43 (WEB)
What 1 Kings 22:43 Means
The phrase “He walked in all the way of Asa his father” describes a pattern of life. The writer is saying that Jehoshaphat copied the direction his father had set, staying on the path Asa had taken. Asa had a good reputation in Kings, so this is high praise.
The phrase “He didn’t turn away from it, doing that which was right in the LORD’s eyes” adds that Jehoshaphat did not drift from that path. He kept doing what pleased God. The verse does not claim he was flawless, but it shows a steady commitment to the LORD.
The last two sentences bring a sober note. The high places, local shrines where worship was often mixed with pagan practices, were still standing and still in use. The verse does not promise that good kings always fix every problem. It records a real limit to even a faithful reign.
The Context of 1 Kings 22:43
First and Second Kings were written as one continuous history of Israel and Judah. Traditionally the author is understood to be a compiler who drew on royal records, often pointed to as “the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah.” The original audience was the exiled or returning community, who needed to understand why the kingdoms had fallen.
Just before this verse, the text reports Ahab’s death and the start of Jehoshaphat’s rule. Right after it, the writer notes his peace with Israel and his military deeds, and then mentions Asa’s cleanup of the land. This framing shows a king who is mostly faithful but not fully reformed, which helps the reader see that the verse is mixed, not simply glowing.
Key Phrases in 1 Kings 22:43
2 Chronicles 17:3
The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and didn’t seek the Baals…
(WEB)
This verse describes Jehoshaphat as walking in the earlier ways of David, and it confirms the good pattern of his early life. Reading it alongside 1 Kings 22:43 gives a fuller picture of the king’s devotion to the LORD.
2 Chronicles 20:33
However the high places were not taken away, and the people had still not set their hearts on the God of their fathers.
(WEB)
This verse notes that the high places were still not removed, and it explains that the people had not yet fully turned their hearts to God. It deepens the honest tension found in 1 Kings 22:43 and shows how the chronicler handled the same issue.
A Short Prayer From 1 Kings 22:43
Lord, you see the paths I have chosen and the ones I still struggle to leave behind. Help me to walk steadily in the way of faithfulness, the way my own family and friends have shown me. Where I have allowed a high place to remain in my life, give me the honesty to name it and the strength to tear it down. Keep my heart turned toward you, and let my ordinary days reflect your goodness. Amen.
