2 Chronicles 20

2 Chronicles 20:1-4

Ch. 2 Chronicles 20:1-4 (no parallel in Kings). The Invasion of the Moabites and their Allies For a discussion of the historical probabilities of the following account see Introduction, § 8, and G. A. Smith, Hist. Geography, pp. 272, 3.

2 Chronicles 20:2

2. on this side Syria] R.V. from Syria (so LXX.). The text is corrupt, and the words are either a gloss on from beyond the sea or a corruption of the original reading. From Edom is an easy correction. which is En-gedi] R.V. (the same is En-gedi). Cp. G. A. Smith, Hist. Geography as quoted above, and Bädeker p. 140. En-gedi is on the west coast of the Dead Sea at a point where a rugged pass leads up into the hill-country of Judah. Hazazon-tamar] Genesis 14:7. The name seems to describe the place as stony and as containing palm-trees. It is in fact an oasis.

2 Chronicles 20:3

3. set himself to seek the Lord] Render, set his face to seek unto the LORD. proclaimed a fast] A fast involved the assembling of the people; 1 Kings 21:9; 1 Kings 21:12; Jeremiah 36:6; Jeremiah 36:9; Joe 2:15. Special fasts were proclaimed for war, famine, or any other calamity or serious event.

2 Chronicles 20:4

4. to ask help] R.V. to seek help.

2 Chronicles 20:5-13

5–13 (no parallel in Kings). The Prayer of Jehoshaphat This prayer should be compared with Solomon’s (2 Chronicles 6:14 ff.).

2 Chronicles 20:6

6. O Lord God] R.V. O LORD, the God; cp. 2 Chronicles 21:10; 2 Chronicles 21:12. art not thou God] cp. Joshua 2:11. rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen?] R.V. art not thou ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Cp. Psalms 22:28. is there not power] R.V. is power. Cp. 2 Chronicles 14:11 (Asa’s prayer).

2 Chronicles 20:7

7. Art not thou our God, who didst drive out] R.V. Didst not thou, O our God, drive out. Cp. Deuteronomy 9:5. thy friend] Cp. Isaiah 41:8.

2 Chronicles 20:9

9. If, when evil cometh] R.V. If evil come. as the sword, judgment] Omit as and render with R.V. mg. the sword of judgement (cp. Ezekiel 14:17). we stand before this house, and in thy presence] R.V. we will stand before this house, and before thee. then thou wilt hear and help] R.V. and thou wilt hear and save.

2 Chronicles 20:10

10. mount Seir] Here and in 2 Chronicles 20:23 in the enumeration of the allied peoples “Mount Seir” takes the place of the “Meunim” of 2 Chronicles 20:1, yet no doubt the same contingent is meant. Mount Seir was indeed part of the territory of the Edomites, and the Meunim (Minaeans) were Arabians, but the two peoples were cognate and moreover were neighbours, so that Minaean invaders would probably bring along with them Edomite kinsmen in passing through Mount Seir. Mount Seir extended from the south of the Dead Sea to the head of the Gulf of Akaba. whom thou wouldest not etc.] Cp. Deuteronomy 2:4-5; Deuteronomy 2:9; Deuteronomy 2:19; see also Numbers 20:14-21. but they turned] R.V. but they turned aside.

2 Chronicles 20:11

11. thy possession] A “possession” means that which one takes possession of by the sword. Canaan is God’s “possession” because it was conquered by His arm (Psalms 44:3).

2 Chronicles 20:12

12. our eyes are upon thee] Cp. 2 Chronicles 14:11.

2 Chronicles 20:13

13. their little ones … and their children] Cp. 2 Chronicles 31:18, “their little ones … and their sons and their daughters.” “Little ones” (Heb. ṭ ?aph) seems always to mean quite small children.

2 Chronicles 20:14

14–19 (no parallel in Kings). The Prophecy of Jahaziel 14. Jahaziel] Nothing is known of him beyond that which is recorded of him in this chapter. His name is significant (“God giveth visions”).

2 Chronicles 20:15

15. the battle is not yours, but God’s] Jahaziel gives a special turn to the general troth, “The battle is the Lord’s” (David to Goliath, 1 Samuel 17:47).

2 Chronicles 20:16

16. the cliff of Ziz] R.V. the ascent of Ziz. The exact positions of this and of the “brook” and of the “wilderness” mentioned in this ver. are unknown, but probably the invaders followed not the direct road from En-gedi to Beth-lehem, but one a little to the left of this. the brook] R.V. the valley (Heb. naḥ ?al) strictly “ravine” or “water-course.”

2 Chronicles 20:17

17. see the salvation] Cp. Exodus 14:13. will be with you] R.V. is with you; cp. 2 Chronicles 15:2.

2 Chronicles 20:18

18. fell] R.V. fell down.

2 Chronicles 20:19

19. the Korhites] R.V. the Korahites. The Korahites were a branch of the Kohathites (1 Chronicles 6:22 [7 Heb.], 37, 38 [22, 23 Heb.]); the Chronicler simply defines his first statement; those who stood up to praise were Kohathites by clan, Korahites by family. a loud voice on high] R.V. an exceeding loud voice.

2 Chronicles 20:20

20–25 (no parallel in Kings). The Deliverance 20. Tekoa] The modern Teḳ ?u‘a, a ruin on a hill 2790 feet above the sea, about six miles south of Beth-lehem. It was an ancient place; 2 Chronicles 11:6; 1 Chronicles 2:24; 2 Samuel 14:2; Amos 1:1. The “wilderness of Tekoa” means that part of the “wilderness of Judah” which was near Tekoa. Believe … so shall you be established] Heb. ha’amξnϋ … tη’βmηnϋ. Cp. Isaiah 7:9, “If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.” In both places there is a play on the words In the Heb.; “believe” and “be established” representing two voices of the same verb.

2 Chronicles 20:21

21. consulted] R.V. taken counsel. singers unto the Lord, and that should praise] R.V. them that should sing unto the LORD, and praise. Cp. the preliminaries of the Battle of the Standard fought between the Scots and English in 1138. the beauty of holiness] Cp. 1 Chronicles 16:29 (note). before the army] Contrast Joshua 6:7; Joshua 6:9 (the armed men precede the ark). Praise] R.V. Give thanks; cp. 1 Chronicles 16:41.

2 Chronicles 20:22

22. the Lord set ambushments] R.V. the LORD set liers in wait. All that is meant by this is that the Lord suggested to Jehoshaphat the plan of setting an ambush; cp. Joshua 8:2 (where it is said that the Lord suggested the same plan to Joshua). Jehoshaphat himself marched with the bulk of his forces, but the flower of the Judæan army was probably disposed in ambush. G. A. Smith (Hist. Geography, p. 272) points out that the country between En-gedi and Tekoa is well suited for attack by surprise.

2 Chronicles 20:23

23. For the children of Ammon] Render, And the children of Ammon. The sudden attack of the ambushed Judæans created a panic and a suspicion of treachery among the allies; so at Gideon’s surprise of Midian every man turned his sword against his fellow (Judges 7:22). utterly to slay] Lit. to devote; cp. Leviticus 27:28-29.

2 Chronicles 20:24

24. toward the watch tower] R.V. to the watch-tower. This tower may have been one of the castles mentioned in 2 Chronicles 17:12. unto the multitude] R.V. upon the multitude. and none escaped] R.V. and there were none that escaped.

2 Chronicles 20:25

25. to take away the spoil] R.V. to take the spoil. they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies] The Heb. text is faulty. LXX. εὗρονκτήνηπολλὰκαὶἀποσκευὴνκαὶσκῦλα, i.e. “they found much cattle and property and spoils.” in gathering] R.V. in taking.

2 Chronicles 20:26

26–30 (no parallel in Kings). The Sequel of the Deliverance 26. valley of Berachah] A wâdi Bereikût south of Tekoa is mentioned by Robinson. It is probable that also the “valley of Jehoshaphat” mentioned by Joel (3. [4. Heb.] 2) is to be identified with the scene of Jehoshaphat’s deliverance.

2 Chronicles 20:27

27. with joy] Rather, with rejoicing; cp. 2 Chronicles 20:28. LXX., ἐνεὐφροσύνῃμεγάλῃ.

2 Chronicles 20:29

29. was on all] Rather, came upon all; cp. 2 Chronicles 14:14; 2 Chronicles 17:10. the kingdoms of those countries] R.V. the kingdoms of the countries (a characteristic phrase with the Chronicler; cp. 2 Chronicles 12:8; 2 Chronicles 17:10 and 1 Chronicles 29:30).

2 Chronicles 20:31-34

31–34 (= 1 Kings 22:41-45). The Summary of Jehoshaphat’s Reign There are several variations of text between Kings and Chron. here; and in particular the Chronicler omits the statement that Jehoshaphat made peace with Israel.

2 Chronicles 20:32

32. departed not] R.V. turned not aside. in the sight] R.V. in the eyes.

2 Chronicles 20:33

33. the high places] Cp. 2 Chronicles 15:17, note. for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts] R.V. neither as yet had the people set their hearts; cp. 2 Chronicles 12:14. In Kings it is said particularly that the people sacrificed and burnt incense at the high places.

2 Chronicles 20:34

34. in the book of Jehu] R.V. in the history of Jehu. Jehu] See 2 Chronicles 19:2 (note). who is mentioned] R.V. which is inserted. Chronicles of particular reigns were joined together to form one continuous Chronicle.

2 Chronicles 20:35-37

35–37 (cp. 1 Kings 22:48-49). The Destruction of Jehoshaphat’s Fleet The Chronicler gives an account of this incident quite different from that given in Kings. According to the latter it seems that Jehoshaphat’s fleet was wrecked through the inexperience of his mariners, and that he rejected the offer of the king of Israel to lend the services of more experienced seamen. In Chron. the loss of the ships is ascribed through the mouth of a prophet to Divine displeasure caused by Jehoshaphat’s association with Ahaziah. The accounts may be partly reconciled by the supposition that Jehoshaphat accepted the aid of the king of Israel in building but not in navigating the ships. The Chronicler here follows his habit of looking upon great public calamities as the direct punishment of particular sins.

2 Chronicles 20:36

36. ships to go to Tarshish] In Kings, ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir: cp. 2 Chronicles 9:21 (= 1 Kings 10:22), note. In both passages the reading of Kings, “ships (or ‘navy’) of Tarshish,” i.e. large sea-going ships (cp. Psalms 48:7) is to be preferred, because (1) Ezion-geber was a port for vessels sailing eastward, while Tarshish was in the west, (2) gold, the object of the voyage (cp. 1 Kings 22:48), came from Ophir (2 Chronicles 8:18; 1 Kings 9:28; 1 Kings 10:11; Psalms 45:9). Tarshish] Cp. 1 Chronicles 1:7 (note). Ezion-geber] Cp. 2 Chronicles 8:17 (note).

2 Chronicles 20:37

37. Mareshah] Cp. 2 Chronicles 11:8 (note); 2 Chronicles 14:10. hath broken] R.V. hath destroyed. The same Heb. word is used 1 Chronicles 13:11 (“had broken forth,” R.V.); 2 Chronicles 14:11 (“hath broken forth,” R.V. mg.).