| II Chronicles 19:2
| And Jehu, the son of Hanani, the seer, met him, and said to him: Thou helpest the ungodly, and thou art joined in friendship with them that hate the Lord, and therefore thou didst deserve indeed the wrath of the Lord:
| Thou. Septuagint, "O king Josaphat, if thou helpest the sinner; or, wilt thou befriend one hated by the Lord?" Protestants, "shouldst thou....love them that hate the Lord?" (Haydock) --- The Donatists hence inferred, that it was not lawful to converse with sinners. But St. Augustine (contra ep. Par. 2:18.) replied, that Josaphat was blamed for aiding Achab in the contempt of the true prophet, and for going to battle conformably to the predictions of impostors. Both kings offended, but in a different degree. (Worthington) --- We must also keep at as great a distance as possible from the notorious enemies of God, as their conversation is dangerous. (Tirinus) --- Evil communications corrupt the best of manners. See Psalm cxxxviii., etc.
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