_And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem._ Ver. 1. And Jehoshaphat … returned to his house in peace.] He looked upon himself as "a brand pulled out of the fire"; and having seen another ship wrecked, he resolveth to look better to his tackling. His soul had esc... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 2. _And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer._] Jehu delivered his message with better succ... [ Continue Reading ]
Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. Ver. 3. _Nevertheless there are good things found in thee._] Therefore God, rewarding his own graces in thee, will not suffer his whole wrath to aris... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers. Ver. 4. _And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem._] He made no more journeys to Samaria; as he who had escaped with his life at the fall... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,_ Ver. 5. _And he set judges in the land._] Judges they had before; but some of them, haply, fell in the late war with the Syrians, or were otherwise wanting to their places and duties. It is a mercy to have judg... [ Continue Reading ]
_And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who [is] with you in the judgment._ Ver. 6. _And he said to the judges._] He left them their lesson: and it is such, surely, as deserveth not only to be written in letters of gold on all seats of judicature a... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do [it]: for [there is] no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts. Ver. 7. _Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you._] Fear to offend so great a majesty. _Cave, spectat Cato,_ was a wat... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and [of] the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem._ Ver. 8. _Moreover, in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set._] He constituted the high senate or... [ Continue Reading ]
And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. Ver. 9. _In the fear of the Lord, faithfully._] The fear of the Lord will make you faithful; and keep you from wrying or wrong doing. _ And with a perfect heart._] _Et candido corde,_ uprig... [ Continue Reading ]
And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and [so] wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye sh... [ Continue Reading ]
And, behold, Amariah the chief priest [is] over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king's matters: also the Levites [shall be] officers before you. Deal courageously, and the LORD shall be with the good. Ver. 11. _In all the... [ Continue Reading ]