2 Chronicles 21

By what means their deliverance was actually effected, is by no means clear. Some learned men translate the passage thus: “The Lord set against the children of Ammon and Moab, ambushments of those who came up from mount Seir against Judah; and the children of Ammon and Moab were smitten: but they afterwards rose up against the habitants destroyed each other.” Various are the methods by which the God of Israel delivered his people from their enemies. Sometimes he strengthened them to gain the victory over very superior forces; at others, (as here,) he so disposes circumstances, that the enemies themselves destroy one another; and in other instances, he terrifies them with thunder, or destroys them by fire from heaven.

Hither way, his power and goodness were equally displayed to Israel.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 22. And when they began, &c.—See Margin. [Houbigant’s version is, the Lord set against the children of Ammon 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 another, and mutually destroyed each other.’’]—Bagster.

Ver. 25. Both riches with the 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.”)—Bagster.

Ver. 28, 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 vicissitudes 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.)—Bagster.

Ver. 33. The high places were not taken away.—Their idolatries were suppressed, but the places not destroyed.

Ver. 36. Tarshish.—“Tarsos in the great sea,” says the [Hebrew] by which is meant a place in the Mediterranean, called the Great sea by the Hebrews.—Bagster.

(2 Chronicles 21)—The principal events of this ch. will be found in (2 Kings 8:16-22).

Ver. 2. King of Israel.—But we know that Jehoshaphat was king, not of Israel, but of Judah; and so read the Syriac, Arabic, LXX., and Vulgate, also 40 of Kennicott and De Rossi’s MSS.

Ver. 6. Began to reign.—That is, in concert with his father. See note on (1 Kings 8:16)