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2
Chronicles Chapter Twenty
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 20
Jehoshaphat
having notice of a numerous army coming against him
2 Chronicles 20:1
betakes himself to fasting and prayer with his people
2 Chronicles 20:3
when they were immediately assured of victory by a prophet
which filled them
with joy and thankfulness
2 Chronicles 20:14
and accordingly their enemies destroyed one another
and Jehoshaphat and his
people returned to Jerusalem rejoicing and praising God
2 Chronicles 20:22
and the chapter is closed with an account of the latter part of Jehoshaphat's
reign
2 Chronicles 20:31.
2 Chronicles
20:1 It happened
after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon
and others
with them besides the Ammonites
[a] came to
battle against Jehoshaphat.
YLT
1And it cometh to pass after
this
the sons of Moab have come in
and the sons of Ammon
and with them of
the peoples
against Jehoshaphat to battle.
It came to pass after this also
.... After Jehoshaphat's
return from Ramothgilead
and putting the civil and religious affairs of his
people on a better footing
when he might have expected much peace and
prosperity:
that the children of Moab
and the children of Ammon; both the
descendants of Lot
see Psalm 83:8
and with them other besides the Ammonites; a great
company of Arabians
according to JosephusF18Antiqu. l. 9. c. 1.
sect. 2. ; or "with the Meamonites"
which the Targum understands of
the Idumaeans or Edomites; and so do other interpreters
and which they
conclude from 2 Chronicles 20:10.
Jarchi thinks the Amalekites are meant
who were of the race of Edom; but the
notion of Kimchi seems best
that these are the people that are so called from
the name of a place
Meon
and
by an inversion of letters
the same with the
Meunim or Maonites
mentioned along with the Zidonians and Amalekites
Judges 10:12 and
whom the Septuagint version here calls Minaeans; someF19Weemse of
the Moral Law
l. 2. c. 6. p. 161. take them to be such who counterfeited the
Ammonites in their apparel and gestures:
these came against Jehoshaphat in battle; being
instigated perhaps by the Syrians
who owed him ill will for assisting Ahab
against them at Ramothgilead; for from that quarter they came
as the following
verse shows.
2 Chronicles
20:2 2 Then
some came and told Jehoshaphat
saying
“A great multitude is coming against
you from beyond the sea
from Syria;[b] and they
are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi).
YLT
2And they come in and
declare to Jehoshaphat
saying
`Come against thee hath a great multitude from
beyond the sea
from Aram
and lo
they [are] in Hazezon-Tamar -- it [is]
En-Gedi.'
Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat
.... Deserters
or spies
or some of the inhabitants of those parts where they had entered
who
rode post haste to acquaint him with it:
saying
there cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond
the sea on this side Syria; that is
beyond the Dead or Salt sea
the
sea of Sodom; the Targum is
"beyond the west of Syria
'that sea being the
western boundary of it:
and
behold
they be in Hazazontamar
which is Engedi; See Gill on Genesis 14:7.
2 Chronicles
20:3 3 And
Jehoshaphat feared
and set himself to seek the Lord
and
proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
YLT
3And Jehoshaphat feareth
and setteth his face to seek to Jehovah
and proclaimeth a fast over all Judah;
And Jehoshaphat feared
.... Exceedingly
as the
Targum adds
not merely because of the number of his enemies
for he had forces
enough to go forth against them
see 2 Chronicles 17:14
but chiefly because the Lord had told him that wrath was upon him from him
2 Chronicles 19:2
and he might fear that this was the time for the execution of it:
and set himself to seek the Lord; by prayer and
supplication
with all seriousness
fervour
and constancy:
and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah; a day of
humiliation and mourning for sin before the Lord; when they were ordered to
abstain from bodily food and labour
that they might be fit and more at leisure
for spiritual exercises.
2 Chronicles
20:4 4 So
Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all
the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
YLT
4and Judah is gathered to
inquire of Jehovah; also
from all the cities of Judah they have come in to
seek Jehovah.
And Judah gathered themselves together to ask help of the Lord
.... To
implore his assistance against their enemies
and his protection of them; and
they met not in their several cities
but at Jerusalem
as appears by what
follows:
even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord; at the
temple
where was the ark
the symbol of his presence.
2 Chronicles 20:5 5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in
the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem
in the house of the Lord
before the
new court
YLT
5And Jehoshaphat standeth in
the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem
in the house of Jehovah
at the front of
the new court
And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem
in the house of the Lord
.... In the temple
in the court of the people
where the
inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem were assembled
in the midst of which he
stood very probably on the brasen scaffold erected by Solomon
2 Chronicles 6:13
before the new court: which must be the court
of the priests
for he stood in the great court
or court of the people
and
before this
which might be so called
because renewed or repaired when the
altar was by Asa
2 Chronicles 15:8.
Dr. LightfootF20Prospect of the Temple
ch 18. p. 1090. thinks it
was the court of the women; but it is a question whether there was any such
court in the first temple; or that the great court was then divided into two
one for the men
the other for the women.
2 Chronicles 20:6 6 and said: “O Lord God of our
fathers
are You not God in heaven
and do You not rule over all
the kingdoms of the nations
and in Your hand is there not power and
might
so that no one is able to withstand You?
YLT
6and saith
`O Jehovah
God
of our fathers
art not Thou -- God in the heavens? yea
Thou art ruling over
all kingdoms of the nations
and in Thy hand [is] power and might
and there is
none with Thee to station himself.
And said
O Lord God of our fathers
.... Abraham
Isaac
and
Jacob
whose covenant God he was:
art not thou God in heaven? that dwellest and rulest
there
and dost whatever thou pleasest in the armies of it:
and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the Heathens? being King of
kings
and Lord of lords
all the world over:
and in thine hand is there not power and might
so that none is
able to withstand thee? his power being infinite
unlimited
and uncontrollable
and so
not resistible by finite creatures
at least not so as to be stopped and
overcome.
2 Chronicles 20:7 7 Are
You not our God
who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your
people Israel
and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?
YLT
7`Art not Thou our God? Thou
hast dispossessed the inhabitants of this land from before Thy people Israel
and dost give it to the seed of Abraham Thy friend to the age
Art not thou our God
.... In a peculiar sense
not merely as the Creator and Governor of men
but in a covenant relation their
covenant God and Father:
who didst drive out the inhabitants of the land before thy people
Israel; the seven nations of Canaan
to make way and room for Israel:
and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? made a deed
of gift of it to them
and settled it on them till the coming of the Messiah
and that as an instance of love and friendship to Abraham; and wilt thou
therefore suffer it to be taken from his seed?
2 Chronicles 20:8 8 And they dwell in it
and
have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name
saying
YLT
8and they dwell in it
and
build to Thee in it a sanctuary for Thy name
saying
And they dwelt therein
.... From ages past
hitherto
since it was first given them
and they were put into the possession
of it:
and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name; a temple for
his worship
honour
and glory
and for him to dwell in; and is a reason why it
might be hoped he would protect them
especially when they prayed to him:
saying; and he promised to hear and help them
as follows.
2 Chronicles 20:9 9 ‘If disaster comes upon
us—sword
judgment
pestilence
or famine—we will stand before this temple and
in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple)
and cry out to You
in our affliction
and You will hear and save.’
YLT
9If evil doth come upon us
-- sword
judgment
and pestilence
and famine -- we stand before this house
and before Thee
for Thy name [is] in this house
and cry unto Thee out of our
distress
and Thou dost hear and save.
If when evil cometh upon us
.... Any calamity:
as the sword
judgment
or pestilence
or famine
God's four
sore judgments
if by "judgment" is meant wild beasts:
we stand before this house; in the court before the
holy place
and holy of holies:
and in thy presence
for thy name is in this house; called upon
in it
and it was called by his name
and in which he dwelt:
and cry unto thee in our affliction; as Solomon prayed at the
dedication of it:
then thou wilt hear and help; as the Lord promised
see 1 Kings 8:33.
2 Chronicles 20:10 10 And now
here are the
people of Ammon
Moab
and Mount Seir—whom You would not let Israel invade when
they came out of the land of Egypt
but they turned from them and did not
destroy them—
YLT
10`And now
lo
sons of
Ammon
and Moab
and mount Seir
whom Thou didst not grant to Israel to go in
against in their coming out of the land of Egypt
for they turned aside from
off them and destroyed them not
And now
behold
the children of Ammon
and Moab
and Mount Seir
whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade
when they came out of the land of
Egypt
.... Charging them not to meddle with them
nor take any of their
lands from them
Deuteronomy 2:5
but they turned from them
and destroyed them not; in obedience
to the divine command
when it was in their power to have done it.
2 Chronicles 20:11 11 here they are
rewarding
us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.
YLT
11and lo
they are
recompensing to us -- to come in to drive us out of Thy possession
that Thou
hast caused us to possess.
Behold
I say
how they reward us
.... Evil for good:
to come to cast us out of thy possession
which thou hast given us
to inherit; the land of Canaan was their inheritance
an inheritance given
them by God
their covenant God and Father
who had a right to dispose of it;
and yet so given
that it was still his possession
he was the Lord and
Proprietor
they but tenants under him; all which
as they were so many
aggravations of the guilt of their enemies
so they were so many arguments with
the Lord to protect them.
2 Chronicles 20:12 12 O our God
will You not
judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming
against us; nor do we know what to do
but our eyes are upon You.”
YLT
12`O our God
dost Thou not
execute judgment upon them? for there is no power in us before this great
multitude that hath come against us
and we know not what we do
but on Thee
[are] our eyes.'
O our God wilt thou not judge them?.... Bring them to thy
bar
examine these facts alleged against them
convict them of injustice
and
condemn and punish them for it:
for we have no might against the great company that cometh against
us; for though the militia of the kingdom of Judah was very
numerous
as described 2 Chronicles 17:14
yet on a sudden it might not be easy to gather it together; besides
it was
nothing to put trust and confidence in; and if the Lord was not with them
their strength would be weakness
and they not able to withstand this numerous
army:
neither know we what to do; whether to attempt to
muster the militia
and go out to meet them
or to shut up themselves in
Jerusalem
and make the best defence they could:
but our eyes are upon thee; for advice and
direction
for help and protection; the eyes of their bodies were lifted up in
prayer to him
and the eyes of their souls
of faith
hope
expectation
and
desire
were fastened on him.
2 Chronicles 20:13 13 Now all Judah
with their
little ones
their wives
and their children
stood before the Lord.
YLT
13And all Judah are standing
before Jehovah
also their infants
their wives
and their sons.
And all Judah stood before the Lord
.... Looking towards the
most holy place
where the ark of his presence was
in an humble and submissive
posture; waiting what would be the issue of things
what answer they should
have from the Lord:
with their little ones
their wives
and their children: they and
their wives
with their children
both small and grown up
which they brought
with them
that as the sight of them
now in the utmost danger
might affect them
and make them the more fervent in their supplications to God
so they might
hope the Lord would have pity and compassion on them
and save them.
2 Chronicles 20:14 14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon
Jahaziel the son of Zechariah
the son of Benaiah
the son of Jeiel
the son of
Mattaniah
a Levite of the sons of Asaph
in the midst of the assembly.
YLT
14And upon Jahaziel
son of
Zechariah
son of Benaiah
son of Jeiel
son of Mattaniah
the Levite
of the
sons of Asaph
hath the Spirit of Jehovah been
in the midst of the assembly
Then upon Jahaziel
the son of Zechariah
the son of Benaiah
the son of Jehiel
the son of Mattaniah
a Levite
of the sons of
Asaph
.... Being a man of some note
though a Levite
his genealogy is
given:
came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation; the spirit of
prophecy from the Lord
as the Targum
as it was; for he foretold the victory
that should be obtained over the enemy
and that without fighting
yea
the
particular place where they should meet them; and this came upon him suddenly
while he was in the midst of the congregation
while he and they were waiting
upon the Lord
and perhaps had never prophesied before; or if he had
prophecy
did not come according to the will of man
but by the will of God; the Spirit
of God in that
as in other instances
is like the wind that blows when and
where it listeth.
2 Chronicles 20:15 15 And he said
“Listen
all
you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem
and you
King Jehoshaphat! Thus
says the Lord
to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude
for the
battle is not yours
but God’s.
YLT
15and he saith
`Attend
all
Judah
and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem
and O king Jehoshaphat
Thus said
Jehovah to you
Ye fear not
nor are afraid of the face of this great
multitude
for not for you [is] the battle
but for God.
And he said
hearken ye
all Judah
and ye inhabitants of
Jerusalem
and thou King Jehoshaphat
.... There is a climax or
gradation in these words rising from the lowest to the highest; from the people
of the cities in the country
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem the metropolis
and from thence to the king the supreme governor:
thus saith the Lord unto you
be not afraid
nor dismayed
by
reason of this great multitude; whose numbers were discouraging to the
king
and he had taken notice of them
which this respects:
for the battle is not your's
but God's: the cause was
his
and he would espouse and maintain it; not they
but he
would fight the
battle
and therefore they had nothing to fear.
2 Chronicles 20:16 16 Tomorrow go down against
them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz
and you will find them at
the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel.
YLT
16To-morrow
go ye down against
them
lo
they are coming up by the ascent of Ziz
and ye have found them in
the end of the valley
the front of the wilderness of Jeruel.
Tomorrow go ye down against them
.... This was the fast
day
and so not proper to march out in
but on the morrow they might go out
with great confidence and intrepidity; and as Jerusalem was situated on an
eminence
they are directed to go down:
behold
they come up by the cliff of Ziz; a steep hill
so called from the flowers upon it:
and ye shall find them at the end of the brook; on the bank
of Kidron
according to Beckius
which seems not likely to be meant
since they
went as far as the wilderness of Tekoa
2 Chronicles 20:20
before the wilderness of Jeruel; the same with that of
Tekoa
or near it.
2 Chronicles 20:17 17 You will not need
to fight in this battle. Position yourselves
stand still and see the
salvation of the Lord
who is with you
O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow
go out against them
for the Lord is with you.”
YLT
17Not for you to fight in
this; station yourselves
stand
and see the salvation of Jehovah with you
O
Judah and Jerusalem -- be not afraid nor fear ye -- to-morrow go out before
them
and Jehovah [is] with you.'
Ye shall not need to fight in this battle
.... Since the
Lord would fight for them:
set yourselves
stand ye still; present themselves they
might
as if ready to engage; and keep their ground
not giving way in the
least
but would have no need to strike a stroke:
and see the salvation of the Lord with you; which he
would work for them
see Exodus 14:13
and Judah
and Jerusalem
fear not
nor be dismayed; which is
repeated for the confirmation of them:
tomorrow go out against them
for the Lord will be with you; to protect
them
fight for them
and give them victory; the Targum is
"the Word of the
Lord shall be your help.'
2 Chronicles 20:18 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his
head with his face to the ground
and all Judah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem bowed before the Lord
worshiping the Lord.
YLT
18And Jehoshaphat boweth --
face to the earth -- and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem have fallen
before Jehovah
to bow themselves to Jehovah.
And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground
.... Not only
in reverence of God
and his prophet
but as a token of his belief of what was
said
and his thankfulness for it:
and all Judah
and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
fell before the
Lord
worshipping him; adoring his goodness to them
in imitation of their king.
2 Chronicles 20:19 19 Then the Levites of the
children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to
praise the Lord
God of Israel with voices loud and high.
YLT
19And the Levites
of the
sons of the Kohathites
and of the sons of the Korhites
rise to give praise to
Jehovah
God of Israel
with a loud voice on high.
And the Levites
of the children of the Kohathites
and of the
children of the Korhites
.... Who were of the posterity of Kohath
in the line of Korah:
stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on
high; in high notes; they being the course in turn at this time for
this service.
2 Chronicles 20:20 20 So they rose early in the
morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out
Jehoshaphat stood and said
“Hear me
O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem:
Believe in the Lord
your God
and you shall be established; believe His prophets
and you shall
prosper.”
YLT
20And they rise early in the
morning
and go out to the wilderness of Tekoa
and in their going out
Jehoshaphat hath stood and saith
`Hear me
O Judah
and inhabitants of
Jerusalem
remain stedfast in Jehovah your God
and be stedfast; remain
stedfast in His prophets
and prosper.'
And they rose early in the morning
.... Being confident of
success
animated by what the prophet said to them:
and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa; which
according to JeromF21Prooem. in Amos
and Comment. in ch. i. 1.
was six miles from Bethlehem
and nine from Jerusalem
some say twelve
beyond
which was nothing but a desert; it was part of the wilderness of Judah:
and as they went forth; out of Jerusalem
through one of the gates of it:
Jehoshaphat stood and said
believe in the Lord your God; in the
promises he had made
particularly with respect to the victory over their
present enemies; the Targum is
"in the Word of the Lord your God:"
so shall you be established; have courage and
firmness of mind
as well as be safe and secure:
believe his prophets; sent by him
and that
speak in his name
particularly Jahaziel
who had predicted victory to them:
so shall ye prosper; things will succeed to
your wishes
and beyond your expectations.
2 Chronicles 20:21 21 And when he had consulted
with the people
he appointed those who should sing to the Lord
and who
should praise the beauty of holiness
as they went out before the army and were
saying: “Praise the Lord
For His mercy endures forever.”[c]
YLT
21And he taketh counsel with
the people
and appointeth singers to Jehovah
and those giving praise to the
honour of holiness
in the going out before the armed [men]
and saying
`Give
ye thanks to Jehovah
for to the age [is] His kindness.'
And when he had consulted with the people
.... His
principal officers
in what order they should march
and in what manner they
should form themselves
when they met the enemy
and how they should conduct as
if they were to engage:
he appointed singers unto the Lord; to sing his praise
and
give him glory
as if the victory was already completed
it being so sure:
and that should praise the beauty of holiness
as they went out
before the army; that is
praise God
who is glorious in holiness
whose beauty
lies in his holiness
and who is holy in all his ways and works:
and to say
praise the Lord
for his mercy endureth for ever; with which
they were to conclude their songs of praise
as David did
and whose songs they
might sing; see Psalm 136:1.
2 Chronicles
20:22 22 Now
when they began to sing and to praise
the Lord set ambushes
against the people of Ammon
Moab
and Mount Seir
who had come against Judah;
and they were defeated.
YLT
22And at the time they have
begun with singing and praise
Jehovah hath put ambushments against the sons of
Ammon
Moab
and mount Seir
who are coming in to Judah
and they are smitten
And when they began to sing and to praise
.... They sung
more or less all the way they went
from the time they set out
but when they
came nearer the enemy
they sung louder and louder:
the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon
Moab
and
Mount Seir
which came against Judah; some take them to be
their own ambushments
which they set for the destruction of Judah; but the
Lord turned them against their own confederates
mistaking them for Jews; so
the Vulgate Latin version
"the
Lord turned their ambushments against themselves;'or rather these were angels
who appeared in the form of the Edomites
and so fell upon the Ammonites and
Moabites:
and they were smitten; by them
many of them
were destroyed; hence it follows
2 Chronicles
20:23 23 For
the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to
utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the
inhabitants of Seir
they helped to destroy one another.
YLT
23and the sons of Ammon stand
up
and Moab
against the inhabitants of mount Seir
to devote and to destroy
and at their finishing with the inhabitants of Seir
they helped
a man against
his neighbour
to destroy.
For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the
inhabitants of Mount Seir
.... Supposing that they had acted a
treacherous part by them
and took on the side of their enemies:
utterly to slay and destroy them; as they did:
and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir; so that there
were none left of them:
everyone helped to destroy one another; in their
confusion mistook one another
either for Edomites or Jews
like the Midianites
in the times of Gideon.
2 Chronicles 20:24 24 So when Judah came to a
place overlooking the wilderness
they looked toward the multitude; and there were
their dead bodies
fallen on the earth. No one had escaped.
YLT
24And Judah hath come in unto
the watch-tower
to the wilderness
and they look unto the multitude
and lo
they [are] carcases fallen to the earth
and there is none escaped
When Judah came towards the watch tower in the wilderness
.... Which
might stand upon the hill or cliff of Ziz
for the sake of the direction of
travellers
and the preservation of them from thieves and robbers:
they looked unto the multitude; which they could take a
view of from the top of the hill:
and behold
they were dead bodies fallen to the earth
and none
escaped; all to a man slain
there was not one to be seen standing on his
feet.
2 Chronicles 20:25 25 When Jehoshaphat and his
people came to take away their spoil
they found among them an abundance of
valuables on the dead bodies
[d] and
precious jewelry
which they stripped off for themselves
more than they could
carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so
much.
YLT
25and Jehoshaphat cometh in
and his people
to seize their spoil
and they find among them
in abundance
both goods and carcases
and desirable vessels
and they take spoil to
themselves without prohibition
and they are three days seizing the spoil
for
it [is] abundant.
And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them
.... Which was
all they had to do; they had no need to fight
as they were told
the Lord had
fought for them:
they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead
bodies; rich garments on them
and gold and silver on them:
and precious jewels
which they stripped of for themselves; with which
their clothes
or some part of their bodies
were ornamented:
more than they could carry away; they were so many
that
they made too great a burden for them:
and they were three days in gathering of the spoil
it was so much; it took up so
much time to strip the bodies
to search for their money and jewels
rings
chains
and such like things of value
worn by them.
2 Chronicles 20:26 26 And on the fourth day they
assembled in the Valley of Berachah
for there they blessed the Lord; therefore the
name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah[e] until this
day.
YLT
26And on the fourth day they
have been assembled at the valley of Blessing
for there they blessed Jehovah:
therefore they have called the name of that place
`Valley of Blessing
' unto
this day.
And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of
Berachah
.... As it was afterwards called from what they did there
as
follows
which was the reason of its name:
for there they blessed the Lord; returned thanks to him
for this wonderful appearance on their behalf
and gave him the glory of it; no
doubt but they had given him praise before in some sort and manner
but now in
a set
solemn
and public manner
with one heart and voice they united in
ascribing honour
blessing
and glory to him:
therefore the name of the same place was called the valley of
Berachah unto this day; the valley of Blessing; this name it bore in the times of Ezra
the writer of this book
even after the Jews returned from the Babylonish
captivity; it is thought to be the same that is called by JeromF23Epitaph.
Paulae. Cepharbarucha
which he speaks of as not far from Engedi
see 2 Chronicles 20:2
others will have it to be the same with the valley of Jehoshaphat
but not so
likely
that seems to be nearer Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 20:27 27 Then they returned
every
man of Judah and Jerusalem
with Jehoshaphat in front of them
to go back to
Jerusalem with joy
for the Lord had made them rejoice
over their enemies.
YLT
27And they turn back
every
man of Judah and Jerusalem
and Jehoshaphat at their head
to go back unto
Jerusalem with joy
for Jehovah hath made them rejoice over their enemies.
Then they returned
every man of Judah and of Jerusalem
and
Jehoshaphat at the forefront of them
to go again to Jerusalem with joy
.... There to
praise the Lord in the temple
as they had done in the valley:
for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies; by giving
them a complete victory
and making them masters of so much wealth and riches.
2 Chronicles 20:28 28 So they came to Jerusalem
with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets
to the house of the Lord.
YLT
28And they come in to
Jerusalem with psalteries
and with harps
and with trumpets
unto the house of
Jehovah.
And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries
and harps
and
trumpets
.... The three principal instruments of music used in singing the
praises of God; these they played upon as they came to the city
and entered
it
and passed through it:
unto the house of the Lord; the temple
there to
offer praise and thanksgiving again.
2 Chronicles 20:29 29 And the fear of God was on
all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought
against the enemies of Israel.
YLT
29And there is a fear of God
on all kingdoms of the lands in their hearing that Jehovah hath fought with the
enemies of Israel
And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of these countries
.... Whose
armies were slain
and all other neighbouring ones; for the word these is
supplied:
when they had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of
Israel; and they were afraid to invade their land
or make war with
them; nor did the Edomites dare to revolt in the times of Jehoshaphat.
2 Chronicles 20:30 30 Then the realm of
Jehoshaphat was quiet
for his God gave him rest all around.
YLT
30and the kingdom of
Jehoshaphat is quiet
and his God giveth rest to him round about.
So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet
.... Both
within and without; they were at peace among themselves
and none from abroad
dared to molest them:
for his God gave him rest round about; from all his
enemies; the Targum has it
the Word of his God; and so
in the preceding
verse
the Word of the Lord fought; and in 2 Chronicles 20:28
the Word of the Lord made them rejoice.
2 Chronicles 20:31 31 So Jehoshaphat was king
over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king
and he
reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the
daughter of Shilhi.
YLT
31And Jehoshaphat reigneth
over Judah
a son of thirty and five years in his reigning
and twenty and five
years he hath reigned in Jerusalem
and the name of his mother [is] Azubah
daughter of Shilhi.
Verse 31-32
And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah
.... Of these two verses;
see Gill on 1 Kings 22:42. 1 Kings 22:43.
2 Chronicles 20:32 32 And he walked in the way
of his father Asa
and did not turn aside from it
doing what was right
in the sight of the Lord.
YLT
32And he walketh in the way
of his father Asa
and hath not turned aside from it
to do that which is right
in the eyes of Jehovah.
2 Chronicles 20:33 33 Nevertheless the high
places were not taken away
for as yet the people had not directed their hearts
to the God of their fathers.
Howbeit
the high places were not taken away
.... The high
places
where idols were worshipped
were taken away
2 Chronicles 17:6
but not those where sacrifices were offered to the true God:
for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God
of their fathers; to seek and serve him wholly
according to his will
to offer
sacrifices to him only at Jerusalem
as the law required
Deuteronomy 12:5
they could not as yet be prevailed upon to relinquish the high places
built
and made use of before the temple was; partly because they were nearer to some
of them than that
and partly out of veneration for them
as being of a long
time used.
2 Chronicles 20:34 34 Now the rest of the acts
of Jehoshaphat
first and last
indeed they are written in the book of
Jehu the son of Hanani
which is mentioned in the book of the kings of
Israel.
YLT
34And the rest of the matters
of Jehoshaphat
the first and the last
lo
they are written among the matters
of Jehu son of Hanani
who hath been mentioned on the book of the kings of
Israel.
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat
first and last
.... Those
that were done at the beginning
and those that were done at the latter end of
his reign:
behold
they are written in the book of Jehu
the son of Hanani
who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel; see 1 Kings 16:1
the
same that reproved Jehoshaphat
2 Chronicles 19:2.
He wrote a book of his own times
and which was so much esteemed
according to
Kimchi
that it was written with
or put along with
the book of the kings of
Israel
for so he interprets the phrase; but the Targum understands it of Jehu
being the king's historiographer
who had the care and oversight of the diary
journal
or annals of the kings of Israel.
2 Chronicles 20:35 35 After this Jehoshaphat
king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel
who acted very
wickedly.
YLT
35And after this hath
Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel
(he did
wickedly in [so] doing)
And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with
Ahaziah king of Israel
.... Meaning
not after the invasion of the Moabites
&c. and
the slaughter of them
but after Jehoshaphat returned from Ramothgilead
when
he was reproved by a prophet for helping the ungodly
2 Chronicles 19:1
so that it was a great aggravation of his folly and weakness
that after that
and quickly after that
he should join himself to a wicked prince
though not
in war
but in trade; for so it must be
since Ahaziah reigned but two years
and those not complete
see 1 Kings 22:51
but
is here related
that Jehoshaphat's weaknesses and blemishes might be laid
together:
who did very wickedly; that is
Ahaziah
who
walked in the ways of Ahab his father
and of Jezebel his mother
and of
Jeroboam the son of Nebat
1 Kings 22:52.
2 Chronicles 20:36 36 And he allied himself with
him to make ships to go to Tarshish
and they made the ships in Ezion Geber.
YLT
36and he joineth him with
himself to make ships to go to Tarshish
and they make ships in Ezion-Geber
And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish
.... Of which;
see Gill on 1 Kings 22:48
and
though it is there said
1 Kings 22:49
that
Jehoshaphat refused letting the servants of Ahaziah go with his
that was after
he had been reproved for joining with him
and after the ships were broken:
and they made the ships in Eziongeber; of which see
Gill on 1 Kings 9:26.
2 Chronicles 20:37 37 But Eliezer the son of
Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat
saying
“Because you have
allied yourself with Ahaziah
the Lord has destroyed your
works.” Then the ships were wrecked
so that they were not able to go to
Tarshish.
YLT
37and prophesy doth Eliezer
son of Dodavah
of Mareshah
against Jehoshaphat
saying
`For thy joining
thyself with Ahaziah
Jehovah hath broken up thy works;' and the ships are
broken
and have not retained [power] to go unto Tarshish.
Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah
.... A city in
the tribe of Judah
Joshua 15:44.
prophesied against Jehoshaphat
saying
because thou hast joined
thyself with Ahaziah; an idolatrous prince
with whom he ought to have had no
fellowship
even in civil things
it being both a countenancing him
and
exposing himself and people to danger:
the Lord hath broken thy works; the ships built at the
joint expense of the two kings
that is
the Lord had determined to break them
and now foretold that he would; the Targum is
"the Word of the Lord hath
destroyed thy works:"
and the ships were broken
that they were not able to go to
Tarshish; see Gill on 1 Kings 22:48.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)