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 Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
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,... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 tha... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 o... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 woul... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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;... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 nume... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 th... [ Continue Reading ]
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 th... [ Continue Reading ]
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 hi... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Jerom u, was six miles from Bethlehem, and nine from Jerusalem, some say twelve, beyond which was nothing but a desert; it... [ Continue Reading ]
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 hi... [ Continue Reading ]
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 tak... [ Continue Reading ]
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 t... [ Continue Reading ]
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 hil... [ Continue Reading ]
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:... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 victo... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Lo... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 31,32. AND JEHOSHAPHAT REIGNED OVER JUDAH,.... Of these two verses, 1 Kings 22:42. 1 Kings 22:43.... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Chronicles 20:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 w... [ Continue Reading ]
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 sa... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE JOINED HIMSELF WITH HIM TO MAKE SHIPS TO GO TO TARSHISH,.... Of which, 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: A... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]