And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat,.... In his royal robes:
that they said, surely it is the king of Israel; for they might not know the persons either of Ahab or him, but judged by his habit:
and they turned aside to fight against him; pressed upon him with all their force, either to take him or slay him:
and Jehoshaphat cried out; with a loud voice, either to the captains to let them know who he was, or to his men to come to his assistance, or rather to God to help and deliver him; since it is said in 2 Chronicles 18:31 that the Lord helped him, and moved or inclined the hearts of the captains to depart from him, as it follows here.