King Jehoshaphat
2 Chronicles 21:2 reads, "All these were sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel" while 2 Chronicles 20:31 identifies him as king of Judah. Why the discrepancy?
Strictly speaking, Jehoshaphat was king of the southern kingdom, which consisted of Judah and Benjamin. In calling Jehoshaphat the “king of Israel,” the inspired writer was stating the truth that in spite of the divided kingdoms, there was still the nation of Israel.
While the 2011 NIV speaks of Jehoshaphat being the king of Israel (2 Chronicles 21:2), the footnote is helpful: “That is Judah, as frequently in 2 Chronicles.”