2 Chronicles 20

Jsaphat being I distress by reason f multitude of enemies that came against him prolaimeth a Fat, vers.1. etc.himelf maketh a payer to God, 5. He is courted by the roped Jahazie, promise of Gods aid and assistance, 14. Which he obatineth miraculously, 20. Getteth great spoil, and cometh to Jerusalem, with praise and thanksgiving to God, 25. His government, 31. His navy miscarrieth, 34.

1. Now it came to pass after this, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them (others) [Namely, the Syrians, vers.2. and the Edomites, that dwelt on mount Seir, vers.10.] nigh to the Ammonites, [or, without, apart from the Ammorites. Others, over, or, beside. Others, for with them, namely, the Moabites, were (to wit, certain) of the Ammonites. Others conceive that Ammonim here, and chap.26.8. are a peculiar people, distinct from the children of Ammon] came against Josaphat to battle.

2. Then cometh a great multitude against thee from the other side of the sea, [Meaning the Salt sea, or the dead sea, which was the Fast border of the land of Jury, Josh.15.5. See of this sea Gen.14.on vers.3.] out of Syria; and behold, they are at Hazezon Tamar, [See Gen.14.on vers.7.] which is Engedi.

3. Now feared, and set his face, [That is, had a firm resolution in his heart. AS we turn the face of our body towards the place, where we would be: so we turn and fix the thoughts of the our mind upon the work which we intend to do. See 2 Kings 12.on vers.17.] to seek the LORD: [Others, to seek (help) of the Lord. To seek the Lord, is in this place as much as earnestly or zealously to call upon him. So Psalms 34:5. and 78.34, etc. This phrase is elsewhere taken more generally. See above chap.11.on vers.16.] and he proclaimed a Fast in all Juda. [To wit, that every one might be the fitter, to pray unto God for the welfare and prosperity of the land, and the removal or turning away of the enemies, and to give a public testimony of humility and repentance for former sins, and of n upright resolution and purpose to amend ones ways for time to come. Compare Judges 20:26. 1 Sam.7.6. and 31.13. 2 Sam.1.12. 1 Kings 21:9. and the Annotations. Nehem.9.11. Esther 4:16. Joel 2:15.]

4. And Juda was gathered together, to seek (help) [Or, (answer)] of the LORD: also they came out of all the cities of Juda to seek the LORD.

5. And Josaphat stood [To wit, in the outer, and great Court, called the peoples court, on the Royal Scaffold, of which see above chap.6.on v.13.] in the congregation of Juda, and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new Court. [Meaning the inner Court, which was the Priests Court, called here the new Court, because (as is thought) Asa caused the same to be renewed, when he renewed the altar of burnt-offering, above chap.15.8.]

6. And he said; O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou that God in heaven; yea thou art the ruler over all the Kingdoms of the heathen; and in thine hand is power, and strength [Compare 1 Chron.29.12. Matth.6.13.] so that no man is able to set himself against thee. [Or, so that no man is with, or, by, or, against thee, to set himself; that is, so that no man is to be compared with thee in might, that were able to withstand thee.]

7. Hast thou not, our God, driven out the inhabitants of this land from before the face of thy people Israel, and given that to the seed [That is, the posterity, see Gen.9.on vers.9.] of Abraham thy lover forever? [That is, to the coming of the Messiah, and the fulfilling of the to the coming of the Messiah, and the fulfilling of the Law, see Gen.13.on vers.15.]

8. Now they have dwelt therein, and they have built thee a Sanctuary [That is, a Temple; so the Temple is called, Psalms 74:7. Ezech.45.5. item the Tabernacle of Moses, Exod.25.8. Lev.20.3.] therein for thy Name, [that is, for thee. See 1 Kings 5:3. so in the sequel] saying;

9. If (any) evil come upon us, [Compare 1 Kings 8:33,34,35, etc. above chap.6.28. and 7.13.] the sword of judgement, [meaning war, whereby God is wont to execute his just Judgements and punishments upon men. The word sword is put or used for war; see Lev.26.on vers.6. and Judgement for punishment, or, vengeance, Exod.7.4. Jer.48.47. Ezech.14.21. 1 Peter.4.17, etc. therefore this sword of war is also called a revenging sword, Lev.26.25.] or pestilence, or famine, we shall stand before this house, and before thy face, because thy Name [That is, thou, O Lord, by the tokens of thy presence, and the working of thy grace] is in this house; and we shall cry unto thee out of our distress; and thou shalt hear, and deliver.

10. And now, behold, the children of Ammon, and Moab, and those of mount Seir, [Hebr. the mount, or, mountains of Seir, that is, the inhabitants of those mountains, which were the Edomites, Deut.2.5.] thorough which thou didst not suffer Israel to pass, [to wit, as enemies to hurt and annoy the people, or to take possession of their land; but they might have passed thorough as friends, if the Edomites had not denied them passage, Numb.20.17,20,21. Deut.2.4,8,18.] when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not.

11. Behold then, they reward us; [To wit, the good, which we have done to them, they reward with evil, which they now intend to do to us. The Hebrew word is taken here for evil reward, so 2 Chron.32.25. Psalms 7:5, etc. also elsewhere for good reward, Judges 9:16. 2 Sam.19.36. for both, 1 Sam.24.18. Prov.31.12.] coming to drive us out away out of thine inheritance, which thou hast given us to inherit.

12. O our God, wilt thou not exercise Judgement against them? [That is, wilt thou not punish them? So Judging is put for punishing, 1 Sam.3.13. Psalms 51:6. Ezech.24.14. Compare Gen.15.on vers.14. Thus by way of demand, he prayeth God to punish] for there is no might in us against this great multitude, that cometh against us: and we know not what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. [That is, we trust in thee, and expect thy help. So Psalms 25:15. and 123.2. and 141.8. and compare 1 Kings 1 20.]

13. And all Juda stood before the face of the LORD: [To wit, in the great Court, before the Court of the Priests, and the Temple. Compare Lev.1.on vers.3.] also their little children, their wives, and their sons.

14. Then the spirit of the LORD [Understand this of the spirit of Prophesy. So Numb.24.2. below chap.24.20.] came upon [Hebr. was upon. So Judges 11:29. and see the Annotations] Jahaziel the son of Zecharia, the son of Benaia, the son of Jehiel, the son of Matthania, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph: [by this description this Jahaziel is distinguished from others of the same name, 1 Chron.12.4. and 16.6. and 23 19.]

15. And he said; Attend, all Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Josaphat; Thus saith the LORD unto you: Be ye not afraid, nor be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours but Gods. [That is, ye shall not fight against this company, but God, whom they fight against, when they marched up against you.]

16. March down [This is so affirmed, in regard of the situation of the city of Jerusalem, which lay in an high place. See Gen.46.on vers.4.] tomorrow to ward them: behold, they come up by the ascent of Ziz; [the name of a place having the wilderness of Engedi East-ward, and the wilderness of Jeruel (whereof is spoken in the end of this verse) Westward] and ye shall find them in the end of the valley [others, brook] before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17. Ye shall not have (need) to fight in this (battle:) set your selves, stand (still,) and see the salvation of the LORD with you, [That is, which the Lord will send you] O Juda, and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed, tomorrow go out against them; for the LORD shall be with you. [See Numb.14.on vers.9.]

18. Then Josaphat bowed himself with his face to the ground: [To wit, declaring thereby, that he believed the promise of God, and thanked him for it] and all Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the face of the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

19. And the Levites, of the children of the Kahathites, [Descended from Kahath by Korah. They came indeed from Kahath, 1 Chron.6.22. but were not of the priests family; but were Singers in the temple] and of the children of the Korahites, stood up, to praise the LORD the God of Israel with a loud [Hebr. great] voice in the highest (manner.) [So is the Hebrew word taken, 1 Chron.14.2. and 23.17. and 29.25. and 2 Chron.1.1. Others, upward on, or in the heighth.]

20. And they gat them up betimes in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa [Lying South-east of Jerusalem in the Tribe of Juda] and when they went forth, josaphat stood, and said; Hear me, O Juda, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his Prophets, [that is, the promises of God, published by the Prophets in general, and by theProphet Jahaziel in particular. See Exod.14.31.] and ye shall be prosperous.

21. Now he [Namely, Josaphat] consulted with the people, and he appointed Singers unto the LORD, which should praise the holy Majesty [Hebr. the Majesty, or, the glory of Holiness: that is, the holy and the glorious God, the holy divine Majesty. It is a periphrasis, or circumlocution of the most high God] before the ready marching forth, [That is, before the men of war, which marched forth with their arms in aray] saying; praise the LORD, for his kindness is for ever. [this is the beginning of the 136. Psalm, which perhaps they sung quite out.]

22. Now at the time when they began with a joyfull acclamation, and song of praise; the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and those of mount Seir, which were come against Juda, [The Hebrew word rendered here ambushments, signifieth some hidden men secretly, lurking to surprise the Enemies. Note here that God sent a spirit of confusion among them, so that they holding each other for Enemies, did he in ambush one against another, and destroyed one another, as followeth. Some understand here the holy Angels, whose ministery God useth for his people against their Enemies, 2 Kings 6:17. and 19.35.] and they were smitten. [to wit, in manner, as in the foregoing annotate. Was said, whereby Jahaziels prophecy was fulfilled, above v.15.17. Oth. They smote themselves: that is, one another.]

23. For the children of Ammon and Moab, stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, to ban, and to detroy (them): and when they had made an end of destroying the inhabitants of mount Seir, they helped one another [Hebr. the man his neighbor, or, companion] to destruction. [see an example of the like confusion, Judg.7.22.]

24. Now when Juda was come to the watch-tower [Standing upon the high place of Ziz, of which place see above on v.6. Oth. Mizpa] in the wilderness, they turned themselves towards the multitude; and behold they were dead bodies, lying on the ground, and no man had escaped. [Hebr. there had been no escapeing: that is, no man had escaped.]

25. Now Josaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, and they found among them, as well substance dead bodies, [Oth, and garments] as precious furniture, [Hebr. vessels, or, furniture of desires; that is, things that are much desired by reason of their preciousness and beauty] and took for themselves until they could carry no more: [Hebr. unto no carrying, or, taking up] and they were three days taking away the spoil; for (there) was much of it.

26. And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Beracha, [That is, of blessing, or, of praise. This valley lay between the wilderness of Jeruel, and the wilderness of Tekoa, in the tribe of Juda] for there they praised the LORD: Therefore they called the name of that place the valley of Beracha unto this day. [that mis, the name continueth still to the very day, when this book was written.]

27. Then all the men of Juda and Jerusalem returned, and Josaphat in the fore front of them [Hebr. in their head: that is, the van or front of all the army] to go again to Jerusalem with Joy: For the LORD Had made them to rejoice over their Enemies.

28. And they came to Jerusalem with Lutes, and with Harps, and with Trumpets, unto the house of the LORD: [That is, into the great court; to praise God therewith for the victory obtained.]

29. And there was a terror of God [That is, which was sent by God, and was very great. See above chap.14.on v.14. and Gen.35.on v.5.] upon all the kingdoms of those lands, when they heard that the LORD had fought against the Enemies of Israel.

30. So the kingdom of Josaphat was quiet; and his God gave him rest round about.

31. So Josaphat reigned over Juda: He was five and thirty years old, [Heb. a son of five and thirty years] when he became king, and he reigned five and twenty years at Jerusalem: And his mothers names was Azuba, a daughter of Silhi.

32. And he walked in the way of Asa his father, [That is, he followed his Fathers footsteps, in maintaining the pure worship of God, and in governing the kingdom. See 1 Kings 15.on v.26.] and departed not from it, doing that which was right in eyes of the LORD.

33. Howbeit, the high places were not taken away: [To wit, not quite, nor every where: Yet they had taken away a great part of them, above ch.17 6.] For as yet the people had not framed their heart unto the God of their Fathers. [See above chap.12.on v.14. and 19.on vers.3.]

34. Now the rest of the acts of Josaphat; of the first, and of the last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu [Se of this Prophet, 1 Kings 16.on v.1.] the son of Hanani, [See likewise of this Prophet above ch.16.7.] which they caused him to record in the book of the Kings of Israel. [Which contained the histories, acts, and monuments of the kings of Israel. Hebr. was made to cause them to go up upon the brook, etc.]

35. But after this Josaphat king of Juda did associate himself with Ahazia the King of Israel, who dealt wickedly in (his) actions.

36. And he did associate himself with him, to make ships to go to Tarsis: [See 1 Kings 10.on v.22.] And they made the ships at Ezeon-Geber. [see of this city and haven, 1 Kings 9.on v.26.]

37. But Eliezer the son of Didava of Maresa, prophesied against Josaphat, saying; because thou hast associated thy self with Ahazia, the LORD hath rent thy works: So the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarsis.