And Jehoshaphat ... in. his stead. — The last words of 1 Kings 15:24. The name means Iah judgeth.
And strengthened himself against Israel. — As described in 2 Chronicles 17:2. Israel is here the northern kingdom. These defensive measures were taken in the early part of the reign, and before Jehoshaphat connected himself by marriage with the northern dynasty (2 Chronicles 18:1).