2 Chronicles 17:1--20:37
Jehoshaphat <03092> [Jehoshaphat.]
[Josaphat. and strengthened.]
placed troops ......... posted <02428 05414> [placed forces.]
cities ............. cities <05892> [in the cities.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
followed <01980> [he walked.]
ancestor David's <01732 01> [his father David. or, his father, and of David.]
seek <01875> [sought.]
<01980> [walked.]
unlike <04639> [not after.]
Lord <03068> [A.M. 3091. B.C. 913. the Lord.]
<05414> [brought. Heb. gave. presents.]
wealthy <06239> [he had riches.]
<03820> [his heart.]
committed <01361> [lifted up. that is, was encouraged. in the ways.]
removed <05493> [he took away.]
sent <07971> [A.M. 3092. B.C. 912. he sent.]
In these verse we have an account of a remarkable itinerant ministry established by Jehoshaphat, in which three classes of men were employed: 1. the Princes; 2. the Levites; 3. the Priests. We may presume that the Princes instructed the people in the nature of the civil law and constitution of the kingdom; that the Levites instructed them in every thing that appertained to the temple service, and ritual law; and that the Priests instructed them in the nature and design of their religion. Thus the nation became thoroughly instructed in their duty to God, to the king, and to each other; they therefore became as one man; and against a people thus united, on such principles, no enemy could be successful.
teach <03925> [to teach.]
priests <03548> [priests.]
taught ........................ taught <03925> [they taught.]
scroll <05612> [the book.]
cities <05892> [throughout.]
fear <06343> [the fear.]
kingdoms <04467> [fell. Heb. was. so that.]
brought ........... brought <0935> [brought.]
increasing <01980 01432> [A.M. 3092-3115. B.C. 912-889. waxed great.]
Judah <03063> [in Judah.]
fortresses <01003> [castles. or, palaces.]
many supplies stored <04399 07227> [much business.]
divisions <06486> [the numbers.]
families <01004> [to the house.]
300,000 <07969 03967> [three hundred.]
Jehochanan <03027 03076> [next to him. Heb. at this hand.]
volunteered <05068> [willingly.]
equipped <05401> [armed men.]
placed .... fortified <05414 04013> [put in.]
wealthy <06239> [A.M. 3107. B.C. 897. riches.]
alliance <02859> [joined affinity.]
He took Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, to be wife to his son Joram, (2 Ki 8:18;) which fatal connection was highly displeasing to God, and Jehoshaphat was severely reproved for it by Jehu the seer, 2 Ch 19:1-3.
after ... years <08141 07093> [after certain years. Heb. at the end of years.]
went down <03381> [he went.]
Ahab .... Ahab <0256> [Ahab.]
persuaded <05496> [persuaded.]
Ramoth <07433> [Ramoth-gilead.]
army <05971> [I am as thou.]
seek <01875> [Enquire.]
prophets <05030> [prophets.]
<03212> [Shall we go.]
Attack <05927> [Go up.]
prophet <05030> [Is there not.]
ask <01875> [besides. Heb. yet, or more.]
one man <0376 0259> [one man.]
despise ....... prophesy <08130 05012> [I hate him.]
prosperity <02896> [good.]
always <03117> [me.]
king ............................................ king <04428> [Let not the.]
officer <05631> [officers. or, eunuchs.]
Quickly <04116> [Fetch quickly. Heb. hasten.]
sitting on ... respective <03427 0376> [sat either.]
dressed in <03847> [clothed.]
threshing floor <01637> [void place. or, floor.]
Threshing-floors, among the ancient Jews, as we have before remarked, were only, as they are to this day in the East, round level plats of ground in the open air. Hence a floor might well be near the gate of Samaria, which was built on a hill, and afford no improper place for the kings of Judah and Israel to give audience to the prophets.
prophets <05030> [all the prophets.]
iron horns <01270 07161> [horns of iron.]
Mr. Bruce, in describing the head-dress of the governors of Abyssinia, says, "A large broad fillet was bound upon their forehead, and tied behind their head: in the middle of this was a horn, or conical piece of silver, gilt, about four inches long, much in the shape of our common candle extinguishers. This is called {kirn,} {[keren,]} and is only worn in reviews, or parades after victory." Such, it may be supposed, were the horns of iron which Zedekiah (who appears to have acted the hero returning from a military triumph) made for himself, when he presumed, in the name of Jehovah, to flatter his prince with the promise of victory: "Thus saith the Lord, With these thou shalt push Syria, until they be consumed."
said ....... says <0559> [Thus.]
destroyed <03615> [they be consumed. Heb. thou consume them.]
prophets <05030> [all the prophets.]
words ......... success <01697> [Behold.]
<06310> [assent. Heb. mouth.]
God <0430> [even what my God.]
Attack <05927> [Go ye up.]
solemnly <07650> [shall I adjure.]
replied ................... said <0559> [he said.]
sheep <06629> [as sheep.]
master <0113> [master.]
said ...... tell <0559> [Did I not tell.]
disaster <07451> [but evil. or, but for evil.]
hear ... word <01697 08085> [hear the word.]
saw <07200> [I saw.]
assembly <06635> [all the host.]
deceive <06601> [Who shall entice.]
so .... attack ...... there <05927> [go up.]
Then .... stepped <03318> [there came.]
lying spirit <07307 08267> [a lying spirit.]
[See on]
Deceive <06601 03201> [Thou shalt.]
Lord ... placed ................ Lord ... decreed <03068 05414 01696> [the lord hath.]
Lord .................. Lord <03068> [and the Lord.]
Zedekiah <06667> [Zedekiah.]
Which way <0335 01870> [Which way.]
see <07200> [Behold.]
inner room <02315> [into an inner chamber. or, from chamber to chamber. Heb. into a chamber in a chamber.]
"In one of the halls of the {seraglio} at Constantinople," says De La Motraye, "the eunuch made us pass by several little chambers, with doors shut, like the cells of monks or nuns, as far as I could judge by one that another eunuch opened." This exactly corresponds with the idea of a "chamber within a chamber;" and it would appear that Micaiah predicted that Zedekiah should fly for shelter to a Harem, which we have seen was deemed inviolate. (See on 1 Sa 19:16.)
return <07725> [and carry him back.]
Put <07760> [Put.]
prison <01004> [this fellow.]
bread <03906 03899> [bread of affliction.]
return <07725> [until I return.]
really ... return ... then <07725> [If.]
note <08085> [Hearken.]
king ..... King <04428> [the king.]
disguise ................... disguised <02664> [I will disguise.]
wear .... attire <0899 03847> [put thou on thy robes.]
king ........................ king <04428> [the king.]
fight ...... ranking <03898 06996> [Fight ye.]
ranking <01419 06996> [small or great.]
Jehoshaphat .................. Jehoshaphat <03092> [Jehoshaphat.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
God lured <05496 0430> [God moved them.]
away ... him <0310> [from pursuing him. Heb. from after him.]
shot <04900> [a certain man.]
random <08537> [at a venture. Heb. in his simplicity.]
plates <01694> [between the, etc. Heb. between the joints and between the breast plate.]
The {shiryon,} in Syriac, {sheryono,} seems to have covered both the back and breast of the warrior, and was consequently not properly a breast-plate, but a coat of mail or corslet. The corslet was made of flax or of wool woven very thick, of ox-hide, of brass, or of iron. The metallic corslet consisted not of solid piece, but of scales, hooks, or rings, connected like the links of a chain, that the warrior might move with greater ease. It was between the joints of this harness that Ahab received his mortal wound.
wounded <02470> [wounded. Heb. made sick.]
died <04191> [he died.]
safely <07965> [A.M. 3108. B.C. 896. in peace.]
Jehu <03058> [And Jehu.]
Hanani <02607> [Hanani.]
prophet <02374> [the seer.]
help <05826> [Shouldest.]
oppose ... Lord ........ Lord <03068 08130> [hate the Lord.]
angry <07110> [is wrath.]
good <01697 02896> [good things.]
determined <03559> [prepared.]
went out ............... encouraged <07725 03318> [went out again. Heb. returned and went out.]
Beer Sheba <0884> [Beer-sheba.]
hill country <02022> [mount.]
went ................ encouraged <07725> [brought.]
careful <07200> [Take.]
judges ........... judging <08199> [ye judge.]
judicial <01697> [judgment. Heb. matter of judgment.]
Respect <06343> [let the.]
injustice <05766> [no iniquity.]
disapproves .... partiality <06440 04856> [respect of persons.]
bribery <07810 04727> [taking of gifts.]
Levites <03881> [Levites.]
judge <04941> [the judgment.]
respect <03374> [in the fear.]
violent crime <01818> [between blood.]
warn ................................... guilt <02094 0816> [warn them.]
countrymen ................................................ angry ...... colleagues <07110 0251> [wrath come.]
Amariah <0568> [Amariah.]
matters .... the .......... the ... of the ....... matters .... the ... The <01697> [all matters.]
you Confidently carry ............ do <02388 06213> [Deal courageously. Heb. Take courage and do.]
Lord's ...................................... Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
well <02896> [the good.]
Later ... Moabites ... Ammonites <0310 01121> [after this also.]
Moabites ... Ammonites <04124 01121> [the children of Moab.]
Jehoshaphat <0935 03092> [came against.]
side .... Dead Sea <03220 05676> [beyond the sea.]
That is, the Dead or Salt Sea, the western and northern boundary of Edom, which is the reading of one of Dr. Kennicott's MSS. (89,) instead of {aram}, "Syria."
Hazezon Tamar <02688> [Hazazon-tamar.]
En Gedi <05872> [En-gedi.]
afraid <03372> [feared.]
<06440> [himself. Heb. his face. seek the Lord. See on ch.]
so ............... observe <07121> [proclaimed.]
ask .... Lord's ............ ask .... Lord's <03068 01245> [ask help of the Lord.]
cities <05892> [the cities.]
Jehoshaphat <03092> [Jehoshaphat.]
Lord <03068> [O Lord.]
God ........ God ..... heaven <0430 08064> [God in heaven.]
rules ..... kingdoms <04910 04467> [rulest not.]
<03027> [in thine hand.]
stand <03320> [none is able.]
God <0430> [our God.]
drove <03423> [who. Heb. thou. drive out.]
gave <05414> [gavest.]
friend <0157> [thy friend.]
built ..... temple <01129 04720> [built thee.]
[If, when evil.]
front ..... before <06440> [and in thy presence.]
present <08034> [thy name.]
temple .......... temple <01004> [is in this house.]
Several MSS. with the Syriac, Arabic, and Vulgate, read {nikra}, "is invoked:" "thy name is invoked in this house."
allow <05414> [whom thou.]
repaying .... come <01580 0935> [how they reward us.]
Six of Dr. Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. and {r„ƒh}, "evil:" "Behold they reward us evil:" which is also the reading of the Targum.
drive <01644> [to cast us.]
judge <08199> [wilt.]
powerless <03581> [we have.]
know <03045> [neither.]
look <05869> [our eyes.]
Judah <03063> [all Judah.]
Jachaziel <03166> [Then upon.]
Spirit <07307> [came the Spirit.]
afraid <03372> [Be not afraid.]
battle <04421> [the battle.]
Ascent <04608> [cliff. Heb. ascent. Ziz.]
The cliff of Ziz was probably near Ziza, which Ptolemy places in Arabia Petra‘, long. 69 11/24 degrees lat. 31 degrees.
[brook. or, valley. the wilderness.]
The wilderness of Jeruel seems, from ver. 20, to have been a part of the wilderness of Tekoa.
fight <03898> [not need.]
stand ... watch <05975 07200> [stand ye still.]
Lord .................... Lord <03068> [for the Lord.]
bowed ..... face <06915 0639> [bowed his head.]
fell ... before <05307 06440> [fell before.]
Levites <03881> [Levites.]
Korahites <07145> [Korhites.]
loudly <01419> [a loud.]
Tekoa <08620> [Tekoa.]
Listen <08085> [Hear ye.]
Trust .... Lord ........ safe Trust <0539 03068> [Believe in the Lord.]
Trust ........... safe Trust ....... prophets <0539 05030> [believe his.]
met <03289> [consulted.]
appointed <05975> [appointed.]
praise <01984> [that should praise. Heb. praisers of. the beauty.]
Lord ................ Give thanks .... Lord <03034 03068> [Praise the Lord.]
When ... began <06256 02490> [when they. Heb. in the time that they, etc. to sing and to.]
Heb. in singing and. the Lord set ambushments. Houbigant's version is, "the Lord set against the children of Amon and Moab ambushments of those who came from mount Seir against Judah; and the children of Ammon and Moab were smitten: but they afterwards rose up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, and utterly destroyed them; who being destroyed, they rose up one against one another, and mutually destroyed each other."
defeated <05062> [were smitten. or, smote one another.]
Mount Seir ............. Seir <08165 02022> [mount Seir.]
destroyed ... another <04889 07453> [to destroy another. Heb. for the destruction.]
dead bodies <06297> [they were dead.]
survivors <06413> [none escaped. Heb. there was not an escaping.]
found <04672> [they found.]
clothing <06297> [dead bodies.]
Instead of {pegarim,} "dead bodies," eight MSS. and several ancient editions read {begadim,} "garments." None of the ancient versions, except the Chaldee, have dead bodies: garments would therefore appear to be the true reading; and the succeeding clause should be rendered, "which they seized for themselves."
items <03627 02532> [precious jewels.]
so much <07227> [it was so much.]
Berachah ............... Berachah <01294> [Berachah. that is, Blessing.]
Having previously sought deliverance by fasting and prayer, and received the assurance of it with grateful joy, Jehoshaphat and his army returned immediate and fervent thanks and praise to the Lord, who had in so wonderful a manner performed his promise. Scott, who quotes the following from Bp. Patrick: "They did not return every man to his own home; but first went back to Jerusalem, to bless the Lord again for hearing their prayer and making good his promises."
praised <01288> [blessed.]
called <08034> [the name.]
day .......................... day <03117> [unto this day.]
leading <07218> [forefront. Heb. head.]
<03068> [the Lord.]
stringed instruments <05035> [with psalteries.]
Instead of celebrating his own heroism or the valour of his troops on this memorable occasion, this excellent prince sung with his whole army the praises of Jehovah, the God of hosts, who disposes of the victory according to his pleasure. This conduct was becoming the descendant and successor of David, the man after God's own heart, and of a religious people, the peculiar inheritance of Jehovah.
afraid <06343> [the fear.]
heard <08085> [they had heard.]
God <0430> [his God.]
Jehoshaphat <03092> [A.M. 3090-3115. B.C. 914-889. Jehoshaphat.]
<03212> [he walked.]
followed ...... footsteps <01870> [the way.]
careful ... do what <05493 06213> [departed not.]
high places <01116> [the high places.]
<03559> [had not.]
rest <03499> [the rest.]
events ............. Annals ........... Scroll <01697 05612> [book. Heb. words. Jehu the son of Hanani.]
[is mentioned. Heb. was made to ascend.]
Jehoshaphat <03092> [A.M. 3108. B.C. 896. did Jehoshaphat.]
did evil <06213 07561> [who did very.]
agreed <02266> [And he joined.]
"At first Jehoshaphat was unwilling, 1 Ki 22:28, 49."
large seagoing merchant ships <08659> [Tarshish.]
"Tarsos in the great sea," says the Targumist, by which is meant a a place in the Mediterranean, called the Great Sea by the Hebrews. See on
[Tharshish. Ezion-gaber.]
Ezion Geber <06100> [Ezion-geber.]
alliance <02266> [Because.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
ships <0591> [And the ships.]
sea <08659> [to Tarshish.]
