מלכים ב, פרק ג׳, פסוק ז׳

Facing a mutual threat, the leaders of two historically divided kingdoms recognize the necessity of joining forces. The King of Israel reaches out to the King of Judah, proposing a military alliance to confront a shared enemy.

Despite the political split between the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, the two nations experienced a period of peace during this time. They maintained family ties and understood that, underneath their political division, they remained a single people with a shared interest in their mutual survival [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because of this underlying unity, when the King of Israel asks Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, for help in a war against Moab, Jehoshaphat agrees without hesitation.

His immediate response is a promise of full and equal partnership in the coming battle. He assures the King of Israel that he will commit to the war effort with the exact same level of dedication and readiness [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This expression of total solidarity is the exact same reply Jehoshaphat had previously given to Ahab, a former King of Israel, when asked for military support [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Beyond a simple declaration of national unity, there is a deeper historical reason for Jehoshaphat's absolute willingness to join the campaign. When the nation of Moab previously rebelled, they formed an alliance with the Ammonites and some of the inhabitants of Seir to wage war directly against Jehoshaphat. Therefore, his pledge of equal partnership goes beyond brotherly support; it is a declaration that Moab's aggression is a deeply personal matter. The Moabites had provoked him in the past, making this military campaign a direct and personal interest of his own [מלבי״ם].