2 Chronicles 19:2

King James Version (KJV)

And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Jehu the son of Hanani - We have met with this prophet before; see the note on 1 Kings 16:7.

Therefore is wrath upon thee - That is, Thou deservest to be punished. And who can doubt this, who knows that he did help the ungodly, and did love them that hated Jehovah? And is not the wrath of God upon all those alliances which his people form with the ungodly, whether they be social, matrimonial, commercial, or political?

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

Jehu … went out to meet him - Compare 2 Chronicles 15:2. The monarch was therefore rebuked at the earliest possible moment, and in the most effective way, as he was entering his capital at the head of his returning army. Jehu, 35 years previously, had worked in the northern kingdom, and prophesied against Baasha 1 Kings 16:1-7, but had now come to Jerusalem, as prophet and historian (compare 2 Chronicles 20:34).

Shouldest thou help … - As a matter of mere human policy, the conduct of Jehoshaphat in joining Ahab against the Syrians was not only justifiable but wise and prudent. And the reasonings upon which such a policy was founded would have been unexceptionable but for one circumstance. Ahab was an idolater, and had introduced into his kingdom a false religion of a new and most degraded type. This should have led Jehoshaphat to reject his alliance. Military success could only come from the blessing and protection of Yahweh, which such an alliance, if persisted in, was sure to forfeit.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

2. Jehu the son of Hanani. Hanani was the name of the prophet who had rebuked Asa for relying on the king of Syria rather than on the Lord, and who had been thrown into prison for his rebuke (ch. 16:6-10), and Jehu was the prophet who boldly rebuked Baasha for his iniquity (1 Kings 16:1-7). Jehu was also the historian of Jehoshaphat’s reign (2 Chron. 20:34).

To meet him. Jehoshaphat was rebuked at a most auspicious time when, downcast and dispirited, he approached his capital. At such a moment the prophetic message could do a most telling work on his heart.

Help the ungodly. From a human standpoint, the conduct of Jehoshaphat in joining with Ahab in an attack on Syria might have appeared wise. Syria was growing in power, a menace to both Judah and Israel. The Hebrews had a right to recover the cities across the Jordan that Syria had taken from them. Probably Jehoshaphat had carefully appraised the situation and may have felt that his undertaking against Syria was sound. But the venture did not have divine sanction and in carrying it out Jehoshaphat was associated with a man whom the Lord could not bless. Ahab was a base idolater, while Jehoshaphat had been endeavoring to wipe out idolatry. There was little in common between the two, and Jehoshaphat had no right to join himself to so base a man. He would have been much better off and would have been surer of success if he had gone against Syria alone. With God’s help and blessing he could have succeeded, even without the assistance of the forces of Ahab. Human help can prove to be more of a curse than a blessing, if it does not have the benediction of Heaven.

Wrath upon thee. God was not pleased with Jehoshaphat’s course, and made His displeasure known by an open rebuke. The following chapter mentions a great attack upon Judah by the forces of Moab, Ammon, and Mt. Seir and the wrecking of Jehoshaphat’s navy.

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Ellen G. White
Fundamentals of Christian Education, 295

We are not compelled to choose as familiar associates those who reject the love of God that has been expressed in giving His Son to our world, “that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Those who love God will not choose the enemies of God to be their friends. The question was asked, “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them which hate the Lord?” Will you prefer the association of the irreligious and disloyal, to that of those who are obeying the commandments of God? Will you choose to separate yourself from those who love God, and place yourself as far as possible from the channel of light? You want to keep in an atmosphere of purity and faith, and bring into your character principles that will be as solid timbers. Christians will not choose and cultivate the society of non-Christians. If the Lord gives you a special position in the world, as He did Joseph and Daniel, then he will sustain and keep you in the midst of temptation. But you will never be where you will find too much light, in our world. Then how perilous it is to choose the association of those who love darkness rather than light, and will not come to the light, lest their deeds should be reproved.—The Review and Herald, January 16, 1894. FE 295.1

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2 Chronicles 19:2