2 Chronicles 20 commentary

In all dangers, public or personal, our first business should be to seek help from God. Hence the advantage of days for national fasting and prayer. From the first to the last of our seeking the Lord, we must approach him with humiliation for our sins, trusting only in his mercy and power. Jehoshaphat acknowledges the sovereign dominion of the Divine Providence. Lord, exert it on our behalf. Whom should we seek to, whom should we trust to for relief, but the God we have chosen and served. Those that use what they have for God, may comfortably hope he will secure it to them. Every true believer is a son of Abraham, a friend of God; with such the everlasting covenant is established, to such every promise belongs. We are assured of God's love, by his dwelling in human nature in the person of the Saviour. Jehoshaphat mentions the temple, as a token of God's favourable presence. He pleads the injustice of his enemies. We may well appeal to God against those that render us evil for good. Though he had a great army, he said, We have no might without thee; we rely upon thee.

The Spirit of prophecy came upon a Levite in the midst of the congregation. The Spirit, like the wind, blows where and on whom He listeth. He encouraged them to trust in God. Let the Christian soldier go out against his spiritual enemies, and the God of peace will make him more than a conqueror. Our trials will prove our gain. The advantage will be all our own, but the whole glory must be given to God.

Jehoshaphat exhorted his troops to firm faith in God. Faith inspires a man with true courage; nor will any thing help more to the establishing of the heart in shaking times, than a firm belief of the power, and mercy, and promise of God. In all our trust in the Lord, and our praises of him, let us especially look at his everlasting mercy to sinners through Jesus Christ. Never was an army so destroyed as that of the enemy. Thus God often makes wicked people destroy one another. And never was a victory celebrated with more solemn thanksgivings.

Jehoshaphat kept close to the worship of God, and did what he could to keep his people close to it. But after God had done such great things for him, given him not only victory, but wealth; after this, to go and join himself with a wicked king, was very ungrateful. What could he expect but that God would be angry with him? Yet it seems, he took the warning; for when Ahaziah afterward pressed him to join him, he would not, 1Ki 22:49. Thus the alliance was broken, and the Divine rebuke had its effect, at least for a season. Let us be thankful for any losses which may have prevented the loss of our immortal souls. Let us praise the Lord, who sought after us, and left us not to perish in our sins.

CHAPTER 20

2Ch 20:1-21. Jehoshaphat, Invaded by the Moabites, Proclaims a Fast.

1. the children of Moab ... Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites--supposed to be rather the name of a certain people called Mohammonim or Mehunim (2Ch 26:7), who dwelt in Mount Seir--either a branch of the old Edomite race or a separate tribe who were settled there.

2. from beyond the sea on this side Syria--Instead of "Syria," some versions read "Edom," and many able critics prefer this reading, both because the nomad tribes here mentioned were far from Syria, and because express mention is made of Mount Seir, that is, Edom. The meaning then is: this confederate horde was composed of the different tribes that inhabited the far distant regions bordering on the northern and eastern coasts of the Red Sea. Their progress was apparently by the southern point of the Dead Sea, as far as En-gedi, which, more anciently, was called Hazezon-tamar (Ge 14:7). This is the uniform route taken by the Arabs in their marauding expeditions at the present day; and in coming round the southern end of the Dead Sea, they can penetrate along the low-lying Ghor far north, without letting their movements be known to the tribes and villages west of the mountain chain [Robinson]. Thus, anciently, the invading horde in Jehoshaphat's time had marched as far north as En-gedi, before intelligence of their advance was conveyed to the court. En-gedi is recognized in the modern Ainjidy and is situated at a point of the western shore, nearly equidistant from both extremities of the lake [Robinson].

3-4. Jehoshaphat ... proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah--Alarmed by the intelligence and conscious of his total inability to repel this host of invaders, Jehoshaphat felt his only refuge was at the horns of the altar. He resolved to employ the aid of his God, and, in conformity with this resolution, he summoned all his subjects to observe a solemn fast at the sanctuary. It was customary with the Hebrew kings to proclaim fasts in perilous circumstances, either in a city, a district, or throughout the entire kingdom, according to the greatness of the emergency. On this occasion, it was a universal fast, which extended to infants (2Ch 20:13; see also Joe 2:15, 16; Jon 3:7).

5-13. Jehoshaphat stood ... in the house of the Lord, before the new court--that is, the great or outer court (2Ch 4:9) called the new court, probably from having been at that time enlarged or beautified.

14-18. Then upon Jahaziel ... came the Spirit of the Lord--This prophet is not elsewhere mentioned, but his claim to the inspiration of a prophetic spirit was verified by the calm and distinct announcement he gave, both of the manner and the completeness of the deliverance he predicted.

19. the Levites ... stood up to praise the Lord--doubtless by the king's command. Their anthem was sung with such a joyful acclaim as showed that they universally regarded the victory as already obtained.

20-21. as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood ... Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem--probably in the gate of Jerusalem, the place of general rendezvous; and as the people were on the eve of setting out, he exhorted them to repose implicit trust in the Lord and His prophet, not to be timid or desponding at sight of the enemy, but to remain firm in the confident assurance of a miraculous deliverance, without their striking a single stroke.

22. when they began to sing and to praise the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir--Some think that this was done by angels in human form, whose sudden appearance diffused an uncontrollable panic. Others entertain the more probable opinion that, in the camp of this vast horde, composed of different tribes, jealousies and animosities had sprung up, which led to widespread dissensions and fierce feuds, in which they drew the sword against each other. The consequence was, that as the mutual strife commenced when the Hebrew procession set out from Jerusalem, the work of destruction was completed before Jehoshaphat and his people arrived at the battlefield. Thus easy is it for God to make the wrath of man to praise Him, to confound the counsels of His enemies and employ their own passions in defeating the machinations they have devised for the overthrow of His Church and people.

24-26. when Judah came toward the watchtower in the wilderness--Most probably the conical hill, Jebel Fereidis, or Frank Mountain, from the summit of which they obtained the first view of the scene of slaughter. Jehoshaphat and his people found the field strewed with dead bodies, so that they had not to fight at all, but rather to take possession of an immense booty, the collection of which occupied three days. On the fourth they set out on their return to Jerusalem in the same order and joyful mood as they came. The place where they mustered previous to departure was, from their public thanksgiving service, called, "The Valley of Berachah" ("benediction"), now Wady Bereikut.

2Ch 20:31-37. His Reign.

31. Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah--(See 2Ch 24:1).

32. walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it--He was more steadfast and consistently religious (compare 2Ch 15:18).

33. the high places were not taken away--Those on which idolatry was practised were entirely destroyed (2Ch 17:6); but those where the people, notwithstanding the erection of the temple, continued to worship the true God, prudence required to be slowly and gradually abolished, in deference to popular prejudice.

35-37. after this did Jehoshaphat ... join himself with Ahaziah ... to make ships--A combined fleet was built at Ezion-geber, the destination of which was to voyage to Tartessus, but it was wrecked. Jehoshaphat's motive for entering into this partnership was to secure a free passage through Israel, for the vessels were to be conveyed across the Isthmus of Suez, and to sail to the west of Europe from one of the ports of Palestine on the Mediterranean. Eliezer, a prophet, denounced this unholy alliance, and foretold, as divine judgment, the total wreck of the whole fleet. The consequence was, that although Jehoshaphat broke off--in obedience to the divine will--his league with Ahaziah, he formed a new scheme of a merchant fleet, and Ahaziah wished to be admitted a partner [1Ki 22:48]. The proposal of the Israelitish king was respectfully declined [1Ki 22:49]. The destination of this new fleet was to Ophir, because the Israelitish seaports were not accessible to him for the Tartessus trade; but the ships, when just off the docks, were wrecked in the rocky creek of Ezion-geber.

Children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites - Here there must be a mistake; surely the Ammonites are the same as the children of Ammon. Our translators have falsified the text by inserting the words "other beside," which have nothing properly to represent them in the Hebrew. Literally translated, the words are: "And it happened after this, the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them of the Ammonites:" and thus the Vulgate. The Syriac, which the Arabic follows, has felt the difficulty, and translated, Came together with warlike men to fight, etc. The Septuagint have given it another turn: Και μετ' αυτων εκ των Μιναιων, And with them people of the Minaites; which were a people of Arabia Felix near the Red Sea. The Targum has ועמהון מן אדומאי Ve-immehon min Edomaey, "And with them some of the Edomites." This is very likely to be the true reading, as we find from 2Chr 20:10, 2Chr 20:22, 2Chr 20:23, that they procured men from Mount Seir; and these were the Idumeans or Edomites. We should, in my opinion, read the text thus: The children of Moab, and the children of common, and with them some of the Edomites.

On this side Syria - Instead of מארם mearam, from Syria, I would read with one of Kennicott's MSS. (89) מאדם meedom, from Edom, which alteration brings it to truth and does not require the change of half a letter, as it consists in the almost imperceptible difference between ר resh and ד daleth. We do not read of any Syrians in this invasion, but we know there were Edomites, or inhabitants of Mount Seir.

Hazazon-tamar - "In the wood of palm trees, that is, in Engedi." - Targum. This is the meaning of the word, and it is probable that they lay hid here.

Jehoshaphat feared - He found that he could not possibly stand against such a numerous army, and therefore could not expect to be delivered except by the strong arm of God. To get this assistance, it was necessary to seek it; and to get such extraordinary help, they should seek it in an extraordinary way; hence he proclaimed a universal fast, and all the people came up to Jerusalem to seek the Lord.

Jehoshaphat stood - What an instructive sight was this! The king who proclaimed the fast was foremost to observe it, and was on this occasion the priest of the people; offering in the congregation, without form or any premeditation, one of the most sensible, pious, correct, and as to its composition one of the most elegant prayers ever offered under the Old Testament dispensation.

Art not thou our God - "Hast not thou, by thy Word, driven out." - Targum.

Therein for thy name - "For the name of thy Word." - Targum.

For thy name is in this house - "Thy Majesty is in this house." Several of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., with the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic, add נקרא nikra, "is invoked;" Thy name is invoked in this house - here thou dwellest, and here thou art worshipped.

They reward us - Six of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. add רעה evil: "Behold, they reward us Evil." This is also the reading of the Targum.

Wilt thou not judge them - That is, Thou wilt inflict deserved punishment upon them.

For the battle is not yours, but God's - God will not employ you in the discomfiture of this great host; he himself will take the matter in hand, deliver you, and destroy them.

For the Lord will be with you - "The Word of the Lord shall be your Helper." - Targum.

Believe in the Lord your God - "Believe in the Word of the Lord your God, and believe in his law, and believe in his prophets; and ye shall prosper." Here the Word and the revelation are most pointedly distinguished; the Word being used personally.

The Lord set ambushments - "The Word of the Lord placed snares among the children of Ammon and Moab; and the inhabitants of the mountain of Gibla, who came to fight with Judah; and they were broken to pieces:" so the Targum.

Houbigant translates the place thus: "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." This is probably the meaning of these verses. Calmet's version is not very different.

Both riches with the dead bodies - For פגרים peparim, dead bodies, בגדים begadim, garments, is the reading of eight MSS. in the collections of Kennicott and De Rossi, and in several ancient editions. None of the versions have dead bodies except the Chaldee. The words might be easily mistaken for each other, as the פ pe, if a little faint in the under dot might easily pass for a ב beth; and we know that the ר resh and ד daleth, are frequently interchanged and mistaken for each other, both in Hebrew and Syriac. I believe garments to be the true reading; and as to the clause which they stripped off for themselves, it should be understood thus: Which they seized for themselves, etc.

Assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah - "The valley of Benediction;" and so in the latter clause. - Targum.

Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them - He was their leader in all these spiritual, holy, fatiguing, and self-denying exercises. What a noble and persuasive pattern!

The Lord fought - "The Word of the Lord made war against the enemies of Israel." - Targum.

The high places were not taken away - The idolatry, as we have seen, was universally suppressed; but some of the places where that worship had been performed were not destroyed. Some of them still remained; and these, to such a fickle people, became the means of idolatry in reigns less propitious to truth and religion.

In the book of Jehu - This is totally lost, though it is evident that it was in being when the books of Chronicles were written.

To go to Tarshish - "In the great sea." - Targum. By which expression they always meant the Mediterranean Sea.

The Lord hath broken, etc. - "The Word of the Lord hath broken." - Targum. Concerning Tarshish, Ezion-geber, and Ophir, and the voyage thither, see the notes on 1Kgs 10:22, and at 1Kgs 10:29 (note), and on 2Chr 9:26-28 (note). The Tarshish here is called by the Chaldee Torsos in the great sea, some place in the Mediterranean. On this subject the reader has, no doubt, already seen a great variety of opinions.

The sea - The dead sea, beyond which mount Seir lay. Syria - Largely so called, and so it includes the Moabites and Ammonites. And it may be thus expressed, to intimate that they came by the instigation of the Syrians, to revenge themselves of Jehoshaphat for joining with Ahab against them.

The house - Largely so called, in the court of the people, upon that brazen scaffold which Solomon had erected. New court - Before the priests court: which is called the new court, because it had lately been renewed when the altar was renewed.

Abraham - To whom thou hast engaged thyself by covenant to be his friend, and the friend of his seed for ever.

The sword - Or rather, the sword of judgement or of vengeance, that is, war, whereby thou punisheth thy people for their sins.

Wilt thou not judge - Wilt thou not give sentence against them, and execute it upon them? The justice of God is the refuge of those that are wronged. No might - Though he had great armies, yet he seems to have been surprized by these men, before his forces were in readiness to oppose them.

Little ones - Whom they used to present before the Lord in times of great distress, to stir up themselves to more fervent prayers, their eyes being upon their harmless and tender children, and to move God to compassion, because God hath declared, that he will be prevailed with, by such methods as these.

But God's - God will fight for you, and he alone will do the work, you need not strike a stroke.

Go down - From Jerusalem, where he and his army now were; which stood upon high ground.

Stood up - By Jehoshaphat's appointment. On high - With heart and voice lifted up: whereby they shewed their full assurance of the victory.

Believe - God's promise delivered to us by this prophet, and consequently all other predictions of the prophet.

Consulted - Jehoshaphat called a counsel of war, and it was resolved, to appoint singers to go out before the army, who had nothing to do, but to praise God, to praise his holiness, which is his beauty, to praise him as they did in the temple, that beauty of holiness. By this strange advance to the field of battle, Jehoshaphat shewed his firm reliance on the word of God, which enabled him to triumph before the battle, to animate his own men and confound the enemy.

To sing - So acceptable are the fervent prayers of God's people to God, and so terrible to their enemies. Ambushments - Or, liers in wait, either the holy angels, who appeared in the shape of men, and possibly put on the appearances and visages of the Moabites or Ammonites, and in that shape slew the rest, who supposing this slaughter to be done by a part of their own army, fell upon them, and so broke forth into mutual slaughters. Or, God raised jealousies and animosities among themselves, which broke forth, first into secret ambushments, which one party laid for another, and then into open hostilities to their utter destruction. So vain are all mens attempts against God, who needs none to destroy his enemies but themselves, and their own mistakes, and passions, which he can, when he pleaseth, arm against them.

The watch tower - Which stood upon the cliff of Ziz, mentioned ver.16, and looked toward the wilderness, where their enemies lay encamped, whose numbers, and order, and condition, they could descry from thence.

Jewels - Which they brought with them to corrupt any of Jehoshaphat's officers as they saw occasion: to procure necessaries for their vast army from time to time: and because they came as to triumph rather than to fight, being confident of the victory because of their numbers, and especially because they thought to surprize Jehoshaphat ere he could make any considerable preparations against them; God also permitting them to be puffed up to their own destruction.

Berachah - Heb. of blessing; so called from their solemn blessings and praises given to God in it upon this occasion.

To the house - To renew their praises in the court of the temple, the proper and usual place for it. Praising God must not be the work of a day only, but our praises when we have received mercy, must be often repeated, as our prayers were, when we where in pursuit of it. Every day we must bless God: as long as we live, and while we have any being, we must praise him, spending our time in that work, in which we hope to spend our eternity.

Not taken - Not universally; the fault was not in Jehoshaphat, but in the people, who, though they did worship the true God, yet would not be confined to the temple, but for their own conveniency, or from their affection to their ancient custom chose to worship him in the high - places.

After this - This is mentioned as an aggravation of his sin, after so great an obligation laid upon him by God; and after he had been so singularly reproved by a prophet yet he relapsed into the same sin which proceeded partly from that near relation which was contracted between the two families, and partly from the easiness of Jehoshaphat's temper, which could not resist the solicitations of others, in such things as might seem indifferent. For he did not join with him in war, as he did with Ahab, but in a peaceable way only, in a matter of trade and commerce. And yet God reproves and punisheth him for it, ver.37, to shew his great dislike of all familiar conversation of his servants and people with professed enemies of God and of religion, as Ahaziah was. Very wickedly - Or who did industriously, and maliciously, and constantly work wickedness, as the Hebrew phrase implies, giving himself up to idolatry and all wickedness.

1 I[illegible: 1+ letters] came to pass after this also, that the children of [illegible: 1 word], and the childr[illegible: 1+ letters]n of Ammon, and with them oth[illegible: 1+ letters]r beside the Ammonites , [illegible: 1+ letters]ame against Jehoshaphat to battel.

To wit, the people that dwelt in Mount Seir, who were now Confederate with them, as appears from v. 10, 22, 23. Or, This is the Name of a Peculiar People called either Mehumin, of whom you read 2 C[illegible: 1+ letters]ron. 26. 7. (and so there is onely a Transposition of two Letters in the Hebrew word, which is not unusual in that Language) or [illegible: 1 word], as the LXX Interpreters render this Word; or [illegible: 1 word], or [illegible: 1 word], as it is in the Hebrew (the two first Letters being not Prefixes, as they are commonly made, but part of the Word or proper Name of that People) who, as it may seem, now dwelt in Mount Seir, being either of the Old Stock of the Edomites, or another Nation since come in their stead or mixed with them. Others render the Place thus, for (as the Hebrew vau is oft taken) with them (i. e. with the Moabites) were the Ammo [illegible: 1+ letters] or children of Ammon. Which may be distinctly noted either to shew the largeness of the Confederacy, in which not onely the Moabites were ingaged, who dwelt nearer Jehoshaphats Kingdom, but the Ammonites also who lived at a greater distance from him: Or to intimate that the Ammonites, being possibly instigated by the Syrians, their next Neighbours, were the first Beginners and chief Promoters of the War, and engaged both the Moabites and the Inhabitants of Mount Seir in their Quarrel.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] Compare [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word]

2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against the[illegible: 1+ letters] from beyond the sea on this side Syria , and behold, they be in Haz[illegible: 1+ letters]zon-tamar, which is Engedi.

To wit, the Dead Sea, beyond which Mount Seir lay.

Or, and from Syria, largely so called, and so it includes the Moabites and Ammonites. And it may be thus expressed to intimate that they came by the Instigation of the Syrians, who thought by this means to revenge themselves of Jehoshaphat for joyning with Ahab against them.

3 And Jehoshaphat [illegible: 1+ letters]eared , and set himself to seek the LORD , and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

Partly from Humane Frailty, and partly from the Remembrance of his own Guilt and the Wrath of God denounced▪against him for it, ch. 19. 2.

The Phrase notes his settled Resolution, Seriousness, and Earnestness in it, and the preparing and fixing his Heart for it.

Partly in token of his Humiliation and Penitence for his Sins, and partly to make himself and his People more Fervent in their Prayers.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span].

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD before the new court ,

Largely so called, i. e. in one of the Courts of the Temple, even in the Court of the People, and upon that Bra[illegible: 1+ letters]en Scaffold which Solomon had erected for such a Purpose, 2 Chron. 6. 13.

i. e. Besides and before the Priests Court: for there were but two Courts belonging to the Temple, as is noted 2 King. 21. 5. & 23. 12. And Jehoshaphat stood in the one, which must be that of the People; and before the other, which therefore can be no other than that of the Priests, which is called the New Court, because it [illegible: 1+ letters]ad been lately renewed when the Altar was renewed, ch. 15. 8. as the Command of Love is called a new Command, Joh. 13. 34. [illegible: 1 word] Ioh. 2. 8. because it was so solemnly renewed and revived and reinforced by Christ.

7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the [illegible: 1+ letters]eed of Abraham thy friend for ever ?

i. e. To whom thou hast engaged thy self by Covenant to be his Friend, and the Friend of his Seed for ever, and therefore we trust thou wilst not forsake us his Posterity.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span].; [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1+ letters]. 23.

9 If when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment , or pestilence, or famine, we stand be [illegible: 1+ letters]ore this house, and in thy presence, ([illegible: 1+ letters]or thy name is in this house) and [illegible: 1+ letters]ry unto thee in our [illegible: 1 word] o[illegible: 1+ letters], then thou wilt hear and help.

Or rather, [illegible: 1 word] Sw[illegible: 1+ letters]rd of Judgment or [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1+ letters]. e. [illegible: 1 word] whereby thou judgest and [illegible: 1 word] thy People [illegible: 1 word] their [illegible: 1 word]. Compare Levit 26. 25.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1+ letters]8. 33,; [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

12 O our God, wilt thou not judg them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us : neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee .

Thus he speaks partly though he had great Armies to be drawn together in due time upon g[illegible: 1+ letters]eat [illegible: 1 word] ▪ ch. 17. 1[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ &c. Yet he seems t[illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] by [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] his [illegible: 1 word] were in [illegible: 1 word] to oppose them [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]ecause [illegible: 1 word] well knew and [illegible: 1 word] and wisely [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] Humane [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word] numerous [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word], were a[illegible: 1+ letters]le [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] witho[illegible: 1+ letters]t Gods Assistance, [illegible: 1 word] he feared by his Sins he [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] and then he had really been as weak as Water.

Looking to thee onely for Relief and Succour.

13 And all Judah stood before the LORD with their little ones , their wives and their children.

Whom they used to present before the Lord in times of great Distress, partly to stir up themselves to more [illegible: 1 word] and faithful Prayers, that their Eye being upon their harmless and tender Children, might affect their Heart with a gre[illegible: 1+ letters]ter Sence of their Mise[illegible: 1+ letters]y: and partly to move God to Compass[illegible: 1+ letters]on, not as if he were capable of Passions or Changes upon such a Sight, but because God hath declared himself that he will be prevailed with by such Methods as these.

14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benajah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation .

He was suddenly inspired by God with the following Message.

15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismaid by reason of this great multitude, for the battel is not yours, but Gods .

God will fight for you, and he alone will do the Work, you need not strike a Stroke.

Marginal references: Exod. 14. 13, 14.

16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz, and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

From Jerusalem, where he and his Army now were; which stood upon high ground.

Marginal references: Heb. ascent▪; Or, v[illegible: 1+ letters]lley▪

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head, with his face to the ground : and all Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

In token of his Reverence to God and his Message, his Belief of the Promise, and his Thankfulness for so great a Favour.

19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high .

[illegible: 1+ letters]y Jehoshaphats Appointment,

i. e. With most loud voice, with Heart and Voice lifted up: whereby they shewed their [illegible: 1 word] assurance of the Victory, as if it were already accomplished.

20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa[illegible: 1+ letters] and as they went forth Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hea[illegible: 1+ letters] me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his p[illegible: 1+ letters]ophets , so shall ye prosper .

i. e. Gods Promise delivered to us by this Prophet▪ and consequently all other Predictions of the Prophets that either have been or shall be.

Take heed, le[illegible: 1+ letters]t by your Unbelief you frustrate Go[illegible: 1+ letters]s Prom[illegible: 1+ letters]se.

Marginal references: Is[illegible: 1+ letters]. 7. 9.; Heb▪ in his [illegible: 1 word].

21 And when he had consulted with the people , he appointed singers unto the LORD , and that should praise the beauty of holiness , as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD, for his mercy endureth for ever.

i. e. With the Elders or Chief of the People; partly to take their Advice about the Expediency of the Thing; and partly that they might excite and prepare themselves and the People under them to this great Work of Praysing God.

To the Honour and Service of God.

Or, the Glory or Magnificence or Majesty of Holiness, i. e. (by a vulgar Hebraism) the Holy Majesty; a Periphrasis of God. Or, according to the beauty or magnificence of the Sanctuary, i. e. in the same comely Order and Magnificent Manner, as they used to do it i[illegible: 1+ letters] the Temple; where the following Song was usually, s[illegible: 1+ letters]ng, as [illegible: 1+ letters] Chron. 5. 13. & 7. 3, 6.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1 word].; [illegible: 1 word]. 13[illegible: 1+ letters]. 1.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise , the LORD set ambus[illegible: 1+ letters]ments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah, and they were smitten.

So acceptable are the Fervent Prayers of Gods People to God, and so terrible to their Enemies.

Or, lyers in wait, either 1. the Holy Angels, who appeared in the Shape of Men, and possibly put on the Appearances and Visages of Moabites or Ammonites, and in that shape slew the rest, who supposing this Slaughter to be done by a part of their own Army, fell upon them, and so broke forth into Mutual Slaughters. Or, 2. God raised Jealousies and Animosities amongst themselves, which by degrees broke forth, first, into secret Ambushments, which one party laid for another, and then into open Hostilities and Outrages to their utter Destruction. So Vain are all Mens Attempts against God, who needs none to destroy his Enemies but themselves and their own Mistakes and Passions, which he can, when he pleaseth, arm against them.

Marginal references: Heb. and in [illegible: 1 word] time t[illegible: 1+ letters]at [illegible: 1 word] ▪ &c.; Heb. in singing and pra[illegible: 1+ letters]se.; Or, they [illegible: 1 word] on[illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word].

24 And when Judah came toward the watchtower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen upon the earth, and none escaped.

Which stood upon the Cliff of Ziz mentioned above, v. 6. or some other Hill which looked toward the Wilderness, where their Enemies lay encamped, whose Numbers, and Order, and Condition they could descry from thence.

Marginal references: Heb. there was not an escaping.

25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels (which they stript off for themselves) more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

Which they brought with them partly to corrupt any of Jehoshaphats Officers as they saw Occasion: partly to procure necessaries for their vast Army from time to time: and partly because they came as to a Triumph rather than to a Fight, being secure and confident of the Victory because of their great Numbers, and especially because they thought to surprize Jehoshaphat ere he could make any considerable preparations against them; God also permitting them to be puffed up to their own Destruction.

26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah ; [illegible: 1+ letters]or there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called the valley of Berachah unto this day.

Heb. of Blessing; so called from their solemn Blessings and Praises given to God in it upon this Occasion.

Marginal references: that is, blessing.

28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalte[illegible: 1+ letters]ies, and harps, and trumpets, unto the house of the LORD .

To renew their Praises in the Court of the Temple, the proper and usual Place for it.

29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries , when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

Which were near, or which heard these things.

Marginal references: C[illegible: 1+ letters]. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word] ▪

33 Howbeit, the high places were not taken away ; for as yet the people had not prepared their heart unto the God of their fathers .

Not fully nor universally; of which see on ch. 17. 6.

The Fault was not in Jehoshaphat, but in the People, who, though they did Worship the True God, yet would not be confined to the Temple, but for their own Conveniency, or from their Affection to their Ancient Custom chose to Worship him in the High Places: which Jehoshaphat was forced to connive at, lest those people being debarred from that dearly-beloved Practice, should fall into a Neglect of God and his Worship.

35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah joyn himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly :

This is mentioned as an Aggravation of his Sin, after so great a Favour and Obligation laid upon him by God; and after he had been so sharply reproved and threatned by a Prophet for the same thing, ch. 19. 2. yet he relapsed into the same Sin; which proceeded partly from that near Relation which was contracted between the two Families, and partly from the sweetness and easiness of Jehoshaphats Temper, which could not resist the Solicitations of others, in such things as might seem indifferent. For he did not joyn with him in a War, as he did with Ahab, but in a peaceable way onely in a Matter of Trade and Commerce. And yet God sharply reproves and punisheth him for it, v. 37. to shew his great dislike and detestation of all friendly and familiar Conversation of his Servants and People with Idolaters and professed [illegible: 1+ letters]nemies of God and of Religion, as Ahaziah was, who is therefore thus stigmatized in the next words, who did very wickedly.

Or, who did industriously, and malitiously, and constantly work wickedness, as the Hebrew Phrase implyes, giving himself up to Idolatry and all Wickedness.

36 And he joyned himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish : and they made the ships in Ezion-geber .

Of which see on 1 King. 10. 22. & 22. 48.

Of which see on 1 King. 9. 26.

2Ch 20:1

By אהרי־כן, postea, the war which follows is made to fall in the latter part of Jehoshaphat’s reign, but certainly not in the last year in which he reigned alone, two years before his death, but only somewhat later than the events in 2 Chron 18 and 2Ch 19:1-11, which occurred six or seven years before his death. Along with the Moabites and Ammonites there marched against Jehoshaphat also מהעמּונים. This statement is obscure. Since מן has unquestionably a partitive or local signification, we might take the word to signify, enemies who dwelt aside from the Ammonites (מן as in 1Sa 20:22, 1Sa 20:37), which might possibly be the designation of tribes in the Syro-Arabic desert bordering upon the country of the Ammonites on the north and east; and מארם in 2Ch 20:2 would seem to favour this idea. But 2Ch 20:10 and 2Ch 20:22. are scarcely reconcilable with this interpretation, since there, besides or along with the sons of Ammon and Moab, inhabitants of Mount Seir are named as enemies who had invaded Judah. Now the Edomites dwelt on Mount Seir; but had the Edomites only been allies of the Ammonites and Moabites, we should expect simply אדם בּני or אדומים, or שׂעיר בּני (cf. 2Ch 25:11, 2Ch 25:14). Nor can it be denied that the interpretation which makes מהעמּונים to denote peoples dwelling beyond the Ammonites is somewhat artificial and far-fetched. Under these circumstances, the alteration proposed by Hiller in Onomast. p. 285 commends itself, viz., the change of מהעמונים into מהמּעוּנים, Maunites or Maonites, - a tribe whose headquarters were the city Maan in the neighbourhood of Petra, to the east of the Wady Musa; see on 1Ch 4:41. Maan lay upon Mount Seir, i.e., in the mountainous district to the west of the Arabah, which stretches upwards from the head of the Dead Sea to the Elanitic Gulf, now called Jebâl (Gebalene) in its northern part, and es-Sherah in the south. The Maunites were consequently inhabitants of Mount Seir, and are here mentioned instead of the Edomites, as being a people dwelling on the southern side of the mountain, and probably of non-Edomitic origin, in order to express the idea that not merely the Edomites took part in the campaign of the Ammonites and Moabites, but also tribes from all parts of Mount Seir. In 2Ch 26:7 the מעוּנים are mentioned along with Arabs and Philistines as enemies of Israel, who had been conquered by Uzziah. These circumstances favour the proposed alteration; while, on the contrary, the fact that the lxx have here ἐκ τῶν Μιναίων for מהעמּונים proves little, since these translators have rendered העמּונים in 2Ch 26:8 also by οἱ Μιναῖοι, there erroneously making the Ammonites Minaiites.

2Ch 20:2

Then they came and announced to Jehoshaphat, sc. messengers or fugitives; the subject is indefinite, and is to be supplied from the context. “Against thee there cometh a great multitude from beyond the (Dead) sea.” מארם also has no suitable sense here, since in the whole narrative nothing is said of enemies coming out of Syria; we should read מאדם with Calmet and others. As the enemy made their attack from the south end of the Dead Sea, the messengers announce that they were come from Edom. “Behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar,” i.e., Engedi, the present Ain Jidy, midway along the west coast of the Dead Sea (see on Jos 15:62 and Gen 14:7), about fifteen hours from Jerusalem.

2Ch 20:3-4

This report filled Jehoshaphat with fear, and he resolved to seek help of the Lord. ??????? נתן = שׂוּם , cf. 2Ki 12:18; Jer 42:15, to direct the face to anything, i.e., to purpose something, come to a determination. He proclaimed a fast in all Judah, that the people might bow themselves before God, and supplicate His help, as was wont to be done in great misfortunes; cf. Jdg 20:26; 1Sa 7:6; Isa 2:15. In consequence of the royal appeal, Judah came together to seek of the Lord, i.e., to pray for help, by fasting and prayer in the temple; and it was not only the inhabitants of Jerusalem who thus assembled, for they came out of all the cities of the kingdom. מיהוה בּקּשׁ, to seek of the Lord, sc. help, is expressed in the last clause by את־יהוה בּקּשׁ to seek the Lord.

2Ch 20:5

When the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem had assembled themselves in the house of God, Jehoshaphat came forth before the new court and made supplication in fervent prayer to the Lord. The new court is the outer or great court of the temple, which Solomon had built (2Ch 4:9). It is here called the new court, probably because it had been restored or extended under Jehoshaphat or Asa. This court was the place where the congregation assembled before God in the sanctuary. Jehoshaphat placed himself before it, i.e., at the entrance into the court of the priests, so that the congregation stood opposite to him.

2Ch 20:6-7

The prayer which Jehoshaphat directed to Jahve the God of the fathers, as the almighty Ruler over all kingdoms, consists of a short representation of the circumstances of the case. Jahve had given the land to His people Israel for an everlasting possession, and Israel had built a sanctuary to His name therein (2Ch 20:7 and 2Ch 20:8); but they had in no way provoked the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites to fall upon them, and to drive them out of their land (2Ch 20:10 and 2Ch 20:11). On these two facts Jehoshaphat founds his prayer for help, in a twofold manner: in respect to the first, calling to mind the divine promise to hear the prayers offered up to God in the temple (2Ch 20:9); and in reference to the second, laying emphasis upon the inability of Israel to fight against so numerous an enemy (2Ch 20:12). In his manner of addressing Jahve, “God of our fathers,” there is contained a reason why God should protect His people in their present distress. Upon Him, who had given the land to the fathers for a possession, it was incumbent to maintain the children in the enjoyment of it, if they had not forfeited it by their sins. Now Jahve as a covenant God was bound to do this, and also as God and ruler of heaven and earth He had the requisite power and might; cf. Psa 115:3. להתיצּב עמּך אין, there is none with Thee who could set himself, i.e., could withstand Thee: cf. the similar phrase, 2Ch 14:10; and for the thought, see 1Ch 29:12. - On 2Ch 20:7, cf. Jos 23:9; Jos 24:12; Exo 23:20., etc.; on 2Ch 20:7, cf. Gen 13:15., 2Ch 15:18, etc.; on אהבך, Isa 41:8.

2Ch 20:8-9

In this land they dwelt, and built Thee therein a sanctuary for Thy name; cf. 2Ch 6:5, 2Ch 6:8. לאמר, saying, i.e., at the consecration of this house, having expressed the confident hope contained in the following words (2Ch 20:9). In this verse, the cases enumerated in Solomon’s dedicatory prayer, in which supplication is made that God would hear in the temple, are briefly summed up. By referring to that prayer, Jehoshaphat presupposes that Jahve had promised that He would answer prayer offered there, since He had filled the temple with His glory; see 2Ch 7:1-3. The name שׁפות, which occurs only here, between דּבר and חרב, denotes in this connection a punitive judgment.

2Ch 20:10-12 ועתּה, and now, the contrary of this has occurred. Peoples into whose midst (בהם לבוא...אשׁר) Thou didst not allow Israel to come, i.e., into whose land Thou didst not allow Israel to enter when they came out of the land of Egypt, for they (the Israelites under Moses) turned from them and destroyed them not (cf. as to the fact, Num 20:14.; Deu 2:4; Deu 9:19); behold, these peoples recompense us by coming to cast us out of our possession which Thou hast given us (הורישׁ, to give as a possession, as in Jdg 11:24). There follows hereupon in 2Ch 20:12 the prayer: “Our God, wilt Thou not judge,” i.e., do right upon them, for we have not strength before (to withstand) this multitude? We know not what to do, sc. against so many enemies; but our eyes are turned to Thee, i.e., to Thee we look for help; cf. Psa 123:2; Psa 141:8.

2Ch 20:13

Thus all Judah, with their king, stood praying before the Lord. They had, moreover, brought with them their little ones, their wives, and their sons, to pray for deliverance for them from the enemy; cf. Judith 4:9.

2Ch 20:14

The Lord’s answer by the prophet Jahaziel. - 2Ch 20:14. In the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, and promised miraculous assistance to king and people. Jahaziel’s descent is traced back for five generations to the Levite Mattaniah of the sons of Asaph. This Mattaniah is not the same person as the Mattaniah in 1Ch 25:4, 1Ch 25:16, who lived in David’s time, for he belonged to the sons of Heman; but perhaps (as Movers conjectures, S. 112) he is identical with the Asaphite Nethaniah, 1Ch 25:2, 1Ch 25:12, since מ and נ might easily be confounded.

2Ch 20:15

Jehaziel announced to the king and people that they need not fear before the great multitude of their foes; “for the war is not yours, but Jahve's,” i.e., you have not to make war upon them, for the Lord will do it; cf. 1Sa 17:47.

2Ch 20:16 “To-morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the height Hazziz; and ye will find them at the end of the valley, before the desert Jeruel.” The wilderness Jeruel was, without doubt, the name of a part of the great stretch of flat country, bounded on the south by the Wady el Ghâr, and extending from the Dead Sea to the neighbourhood of Tekoa, which is now called el Hasasah, after a wady on its northern side. The whole country along the west side of the Dead Sea, “where it does not consist of mountain ridges or deep valley, is a high table-land, sloping gradually towards the east, wholly waste, merely covered here and there with a few bushes, and without the slightest trace of having ever been cultivated” (Robinson’s Pal. sub voce). The name הצּיץ מעלה, ascent or height of Hazziz, has perhaps remained attached to the Wady el Hasasah. lxx have rendered הצּיץ by Ἀσσεῖς; Josephus (Antt. ix. 1. 2) has ἀναβάσεως λεγομένης ἐξοχῆς, in accordance with which Robinson (loc. cit.) takes the way “upwards from Ziz” to be the pass which at present leads from Ain Jidy to the table-land. Yet it is described by him as a “fearful pass,”He remarks: “The path winds up in zig-zags, often at the steepest gradient which horses could ascend, and runs partly along projecting walls of rock on the perpendicular face of the cliff, and then down the heaps of débris, which are almost as steep. When one looks back at this part from below, it seems quite impossible that there could be any pathway; but by skilful windings the path has been carried down without any unconquerable difficulties, so that even loaded camels often go up and down.” and it can hardly be thought of here, even if the enemy, like the Bedouins now when on their forays, may be supposed to have marched along the shore of the sea, and ascended to the table-land only at Engedi; for the Israelites did not meet the enemy in this ascent, but above upon the table-land. Josephus’ translation of הצּיץ by ἐξοχή is also very questionable, for it is not necessary that the ה should be the article (Ew. Gesch. iii. S. 475, der 2 Aufl.).

2Ch 20:17

Ye have not to fight therein (בּזאת); only come hither, stand and see the help of the Lord (who is) with you. You need do nothing more, and therefore need not fear.

2Ch 20:18-19

For this comforting assurance the king and people thanked the Lord, falling down in worship before Him, whereupon the Levites stood up to praise God with a loud voice. Levites “of the sons of Kohath, yea, of the Korahites,” for they were descended from Kohath (1Ch 6:22).

2Ch 20:20-21

The fulfilment of the divine promise. - 2Ch 20:20. On the next morning the assembled men of Judah marched, in accordance with the words of the prophet, to the wilderness of Tekoa. As they marched forth, Jehoshaphat stood, probably in the gate of Jerusalem, where those about to march forth were assembled, and called upon them to trust firmly in the Lord and His prophets (האמינוּ and תּאמנוּ, as in Isa 7:9). After he had thus counselled the people (אל יוּעץ, shown himself a counsellor; cf. 2Ki 6:8), he ordered them to march, not for battle, but to assure themselves of the wonderful help of the Lord. He placed singers of the Lord (ל before יהוה as a periphrasis for the genitive), singing praise in holy ornaments, in the marching forth before the army, and saying; i.e., he commanded the Levitic singers to march out before the army, singing and playing in holy ornaments (להדרת־ק, clad in holy ornaments, = בּהדרת in 1Ch 16:29; cf. Ew. §217, a), to praise the Lord for the help He had vouchsafed.

2Ch 20:22-23

And at the time when they (having come into the neighbourhood of the hostile camp) began with singing and praising, Jahve directed liers in wait against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who were come against Judah, and they were smitten. מארבים denotes liers in wait, men hidden in ambush and lying in wait (Jdg 9:25). Who are here meant cannot be ascertained with certainty. Some of the older commentators, Ew. and Berth., think it refers to powers, angels sent by God, who are called insidiatores, because of the work they had to do in the army of the hostile peoples. But the passages where the interposition of heavenly powers is spoken of are different (cf. 2Ki 6:17; 2Ki 19:35), and it is not probable that heavenly powers would be called מארבים. Most probably earthly liers in wait are meant, who unexpectedly rushed forth from their ambush upon the hostile army, and raised a panic terror among them; so that, as is narrated in 2Ch 20:23., the Ammonites and Moabites first turned their weapons against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, and after they had exterminated them, began to exterminate each other. But the ambush cannot have been composed of men of Judah, because they were, according to 2Ch 20:15 and 2Ch 20:17, not to fight, but only to behold the deliverance wrought by the Lord. Probably it was liers in wait of the Seirites, greedy of spoil, who from an ambush made an attack upon the Ammonites and Moabites, and by the divine leading put the attacked in such fear and confusion, that they turned furiously upon the inhabitants of Mount Seir, who marched with them, and then fell to fighting with each other; just as, in Jdg 7:22., the Midianites were, under divine influence, so terrified by the unexpected attack of the small band led by Gideon, that they turned their swords against and mutually destroyed each other. שׂ בּיושׁבי וּככלּותם, and when they had come to an end (were finished) among the inhabitants of Seir, when they had massacred these, they helped the one against the other to destruction (משׁחית is a substantive, as 2Ch 22:4; Eze 5:16, etc.).

2Ch 20:24

Now, when Judah came to the height in the wilderness (מצפּה, specula, watch-tower, here a height in the wilderness of Tekoa, whence one might look out over the wilderness Jeruel, 2Ch 20:16), and turned, or was about to turn, against the multitude of the enemy (ההמון referring back to 2Ch 20:12), behold, they saw “corpses lying upon the earth, and none had escaped,” i.e., they saw corpses in such multitude lying there, that to all appearance none had escaped.

2Ch 20:25

So Jehoshaphat, with his people, came (as Jahaziel had announced, not to fight, but only to make booty) and found among them (בּהם, among or by the fallen) in abundance both wealth and corpses and precious vessels. The mention of פּגרים as part of the booty, between רכוּשׁ and the precious vessels, is somewhat surprising. Some Codd. (4 Kennic. and 3 de Rossi) and various ancient editions (Complut., the Brixenian used by Luther, the Bomberg. of date 1518 and 21, and the Münster) have, instead of it, בּנדים; but it is very questionable if the lxx and Vulg. have it (cf. de Rossi Variae Lectt. ad h. l.). בּגדים, garments, along with רכוּשׁ, moveable property (cattle, tents, etc.), seems to suit better, and is therefore held by Dathe and Berth. to be the correct and original reading. Yet the proofs of this are not decisive, for פגרים is much better attested, and we need not necessarily take רכוּשׁ to mean living and dead cattle; but just as רכוּשׁ denotes property of any kind, which, among nomadic tribes, consists principally in cattle, we may also take פּגרים in the signification of slain men and beasts - the clothes of the men and the accoutrements and ornaments of the beasts (cf. Jdg 8:26) being a by no means worthless booty. Garments as such are not elsewhere met with in enumerations of things taken as booty, in Jdg 8:26 only the purple robes of the Midianite princes being spoken of; and to the remark that the before-mentioned פּגרים has given rise to the changing of בּגדים into פּגרים, we may oppose the equally well-supported conjecture, that the apparently unsuitable meaning of the word פגרים may have given rise to the alteration of it into בּגדים. חמדות כּלי are probably in the main gold and silver ornaments, such as are enumerated in Jdg 8:25. And they spoiled for themselves משּׂא לאין, “there was not carrying,” i.e., in such abundance that it could not be carried away, removed, and plundered in three days, because the booty was so great. The unusually large quantity of booty is accounted for by the fact that these peoples had gone forth with all their property to drive the Israelites out of their inheritance, and to take possession of their land for themselves; so that this invasion of Judah was a kind of migration of the peoples, such as those which, at a later time, have been repeated on a gigantic scale, and have poured forth from Central Asia over the whole of Europe. In this, the purpose of the hostile hordes, we must seek the reason for their destruction by a miracle wrought of God. Because they intended to drive the people of Israel out of the land given them by God, and to destroy them, the Lord was compelled to come to the help of His people, and to destroy their enemies.

2Ch 20:26-28

On the fourth day the men of Judah gathered themselves together, to give thanks to God the Lord for this blessing, in a valley which thence received the name בּרכה עמק (valley of blessing), and which cannot have been far from the battle-field. Thence they joyfully returned, with Jehoshaphat at their head, to Jerusalem, and went up, the Levites and priests performing solemn music, to the house of God, to render further thanks to the Lord for His wondrous help (2Ch 20:27.). The ancient name בּרכה still exists in the Wady Bereikut, to the west of Tekoa, near the road which leads from Hebron to Jerusalem. “A wide, open valley, and upon its west side, on a small rising ground, are the ruins of Bereikut, which cover from three to four acres” (Robinson’s New Biblical Researches, and Phys. Geogr. S. 106; cf. v. de Velde, Memoir, p. 292). Jerome makes mention of the place in Vita Paulae, where he narrates that Paula, standing in supercilio Caphar baruca, looked out thence upon the wide desert, and the former land of Sodom and Gomorrah (cf. Reland, Pal. illustr. pp. 356 and 685). There is no ground, on the other hand, for the identification of the valley of blessing with the upper part of the valley of Kidron, which, according to Joe 3:2, Joe 3:12, received the name of Valley of Jehoshaphat (see on Joe 3:2). - On 2Ch 20:27, cf. Ezr 6:22; Neh 12:43.

2Ch 20:29-30

The fame of this victory of the Lord over the enemies of Israel caused the terror of God to be spread abroad over all the kingdoms of the surrounding lands, in consequence of which the kingdom of Judah had rest (cf. 2Ch 17:10). On the last clause of 2Ch 20:30, cf. 2Ch 15:15. This wonderful acts of the Lord is made the subject of praise to God in the Korahite Psalms, Psa 46:1, Psa 47:1, and Psa 48:1, and perhaps also in Ps 83, composed by an Asaphite, perhaps Jahaziel (see Del. Introduction to these Psalms).

2Ch 20:31-37

Concluding notes on Jehoshaphat’s reign, which are found also in 1Ki 22:41-51, where they, supplemented by some notes (1Ki 22:45, 1Ki 22:48, and 1Ki 22:49) which are wanting in the Chronicle, form the whole account of his reign. In the statements as to Jehoshaphat’s age at his accession, and the length and character of his reign, both accounts agree, except that the author of the Chronicle has, instead of the stereotyped formula, “and the people still sacrificed and offered incense upon the high places,” a remark more significant of the state of affairs: “and the people had not yet determinedly turned their heart to the God of their fathers” (2Ch 20:33). The notice that Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel (1Ki 22:45) is not found in the Chronicle, because that would, as a matter of course, follow from Jehoshaphat’s having joined affinity with the royal house of Ahab, and had been already sufficiently attested by the narrative in 2 Chron 18, and is so still further by the undertaking spoken of in 2Ch 20:35. For the same reason, the clause introduced in 1Ki 22:46 about the valiant acts and the wars of Jehoshaphat is omitted in the Chronicle, as these acts have been specially narrated here. As to Jehu’s speeches, which were put into the book of Kings, see the Introduction. Further, the remark on the driving out of the remaining Sodomites (קדשׁ) from the land, 1Ki 22:47, which refers back to 1Ki 15:12, is wanting here, because this speciality is not mentioned in the case of Asa. Finally, the remark that Edom had no king, but only a viceroy or deputy, serves in 1Ki 22:48 only as an introduction to the succeeding account of Jehoshaphat’s attempt to open up anew the sea traffic with Ophir. But on that subject the author of the Chronicle only recounts in 2Ch 20:35-37 that Jehoshaphat allied himself with the godless Ahaziah the king of Israel to build in Ezion-gaber ships to go to Tarshish, was censured for it by the prophet Eliezer, who announced to him that Jahve would destroy his work, and that thereupon the ships were broken, doubtless by a storm, and so could not go upon the voyage. אהרי־כן does not definitely fix the time (cf. 2Ch 20:1), but only states that the alliance with Ahaziah took place after the victory over the Ammonites and Moabites. Ahaziah ascended the throne in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat, and reigned scarcely two years, and the enterprise under discussion falls in that period. אתחבּר is an Aramaic form for התחבּר.

The last clause of v. 38, “he did wickedly,” Bertheau refers to Jehoshaphat: he did wrong; because the context shows that these words are intended to contain a censure on Jehoshaphat for his connection with the king of the northern kingdom. But this remark, though substantially correct, by no means proves that הוּא refers to Jehoshaphat. The words contain a censure on Jehoshaphat on account of his alliance with Ahaziah, even if they describe Ahaziah’s conduct. We must, with the older commentators, take the words to refer to Ahaziah, for הרשׁיע is much too strong a word for Jehoshaphat’s fault in the matter. The author of the Chronicle does indeed use the word הרשׁיע of Jehoshaphat’s grandson Ahaziah, 2Ch 22:3, in the clause, “his mother, a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, was for הרשׁיע his counsellor,” but only that he may characterize the acts of the Ahabic house. Jehoshaphat allied himself with the wicked Ahaziah to build ships תּרשׁישׁ ללכת, to go to Tarshish; and they built ships at Ezion-gaber, i.e., on the Red Sea. Instead of this, we have in 1Ki 22:49 : Jehoshaphat built Tarshish ships to go to Ophir for gold. Hence it is manifest that in both passages the same undertaking is spoken of, and the expression “Tarshish ships” is paraphrased in the Chronicle by “ships to go to Tarshish.” This periphrasis is, however, a mistake; for Tarshish ships are merely ships which, like those going to Tarshish, were built for long sea voyages, for Jehoshaphat merely desired to renew the voyages to Ophir. With the exception of this erroneous interpretation of the words, Tarshish ships, the two narratives agree, if we only keep in mind the fact that both are incomplete extracts from a more detailed account of this enterprise. The Chronicle supplies us with an explanatory commentary on the short account in 1Ki 22:49, both in the statement that Jehoshaphat allied himself with Ahaziah of Israel for the preparation of the ships, and also in communicating the word of the prophet Eliezer as to the enterprise, which makes clear to us the reason for the destruction of the ships; while in 1Ki 22:49 merely the fact of their destruction is recorded. Of the prophet Eliezer nothing further is known than the saying here communicated. His father’s name, Dodavahu, is analogous in form to Hodavya, Joshavya (see on 1Ch 3:24), so that there is no good ground to alter it into דּודיּהוּ, friend of Jahve, after the Doodi'a of the lxx. As to Mareshah, see on 2Ch 11:8. The perfect פּרץ is prophetic: Jahve will rend thy work asunder. The words which follow record the fulfilment. עצר as in 2Ch 13:20; 2Ch 14:10. With this the chronicler’s account of this enterprise concludes; while in 1Ki 22:50 it is further stated that, after the destruction of the ships first built, Ahaziah called upon Jehoshaphat still to undertake the Ophir voyage in common with him, and to build new ships for the purpose, but Jehoshaphat would not. The ground of his refusal may easily be gathered from 2Ch 20:37 of the Chronicle.

Jehoshaphat's Prayer to God. (b. c. 892.)

1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. 2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi. 3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord , and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord : even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord . 5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord , before the new court, 6 And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? 7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? 8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, 9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. 10 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, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; 11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. 12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. 13 And all Judah stood before the Lord , with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

We left Jehoshaphat, in the foregoing chapter, well employed in reforming his kingdom and providing for the due administration of justice and support of religion in it, and expected nothing but to hear of the peace and prosperity of his reign; but here we have him in distress, which distress, however, was followed by such a glorious deliverance as was an abundant recompence for his piety. If we meet with trouble in the way of duty, we may believe it is that God may have an opportunity of showing us so much the more of his marvellous loving-kindness. We have here,

I. A formidable invasion of Jehoshaphat's kingdom by the Moabites, and Ammonites, and their auxiliaries, v. 1. Jehoshaphat was surprised with the intelligence of it when the enemy had already entered his country, v. 2. What pretence they had to quarrel with Jehoshaphat does not appear; they are said to come from beyond the sea, meaning the Dead Sea, where Sodom had stood. It should seem, they marched through those of the ten tribes that lay beyond Jordan, and they gave them passage through their borders; so ungrateful were they to Jehoshaphat, who had lately put his hand to help them in recovering Ramoth-Gilead. Several nations joined in this confederacy, but especially the children of Lot, whom the rest helped, Ps. lxxxiii. 6-8. The neighbouring nations had feared Jehoshaphat (ch. xvii. 10), but perhaps his affinity with Ahab had lessened him in their esteem, and they had some intimation that his God was displeased with him for it, which they fancied would give them an opportunity to make a prey of his kingdom.

II. The preparation Jehoshaphat made against the invaders. No mention is made of his mustering his forces, which yet it is most probable he did, for God must be trusted in the use of means. But his great care was to obtain the favour of God, and secure him on his side, which perhaps he was the more solicitous about because he had been lately told that there was wrath upon him from before the Lord, ch. xix. 2. But he is of the mind of his father David. If we must be corrected, yet let us not fall into the hands of man. 1. He feared. Consciousness of guilt made him fear. Those that have least sin are the most sensible of it. The surprise added to the fright. Holy fear is a spur to prayer and preparation, Heb. xi. 7. 2. He set himself to seek the Lord, and, in the first place, to make him his friend. Those that would seek the Lord so as to find him, and to find favour with him, must set themselves to seek him, must do it with fixedness of thought, with sincerity of intention, and with the utmost vigour and resolution to continue seeking him. 3. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah, appointed a day of humiliation and prayer, that they might join together in confessing their sins and asking help of the Lord. Fasting from bodily refreshments, upon such extraordinary occasions, is a token of self-judging for the sins we have committed (we own ourselves unworthy of the bread we eat, and that God might justly withhold it from us), and of self-denial for the future; fasting for sin implies a resolution to fast from it, though it has been to us as a sweet morsel. Magistrates are to call their people to the duty of fasting and prayer upon such occasions, that it may be a national act, and so may obtain national mercies. 4. The people readily assembled out of all the cities of Judah in the court of the temple to join in prayer (v. 4), and they stood before the Lord, as beggars at his door, with their wives and children; they and their families were in danger, and therefore they bring their families with them to seek the Lord. "Lord, we are indeed a provoking people, that deserve to be abandoned to ruin; but here are little ones that are innocent, let not them perish in the storm." Nineveh was spared for the sake of the little ones, Jonah iv. 11. The place they met in was the house of the Lord, before the new court, which was perhaps lately added to the former courts (that, as some think, which was called the court of the women); thus they came within reach of that gracious promise which God had made, in answer to Solomon's prayer, ch. vii. 15. My ears shall be attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 5. Jehoshaphat himself was the mouth of the congregation to God, and did not devolve the work upon his chaplains. Though the kings were forbidden to burn incense, they were allowed to pray and preach; as Solomon and Jehoshaphat here. The prayer Jehoshaphat prayed, upon this occasion, is here recorded, or part of it; and an excellent prayer it is. (1.) He acknowledges the sovereign dominion of the divine Providence, gives to God the glory of it and takes to himself the comfort of it (v. 6): "Art not thou God in heaven? No doubt thou art, which none of the gods of the heathen are; make it to appear then. Is not thy dominion, supreme over kingdoms themselves, and universal, over all kingdoms, even those of the heathen that know thee not? Control these heathen then; set bounds to their daring threatening insults. Is there not in thy hand the power and might which none is able to withstand? Lord, exert it on our behalf. Glorify thy own omnipotence." (2.) He lays hold on their covenant-relation to God and interest in him. "Thou that art God in heaven art the God of our fathers (v. 6) and our God, v. 7. Whom should we seek to, whom should we trust to, for relief, but to the God we have chosen and served?" (3.) He shows the title they had to this good land they were now in possession of; an indisputable title it was: "Thou gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend. He was thy friend (this is referred to, James ii. 23, to show the honour of Abraham, that he was called the friend of God); we are his seed, and hope to be beloved for the father's sake," Rom. xi. 28; Deut. vii. 8, 9. "We hold this land by grant from thee. Lord, maintain thy own grant, and warrant it against all unjust claims. Suffer us not to be cast out of they possession. We are tenants; thou art our landlord; wilt thou not hold thy own?" v. 11. Those that use what they have for God may comfortably hope that he will secure it to them. (4.) He makes mention of the sanctuary, the temple they had built for God's name (v. 8), not as if that merited any thing at God's hand, for of his own they gave him, but it was such a token of God's favourable presence with them that they had promised themselves he would hear and help them when, in their distress, they cried to him before that house, v. 8, 9. "Lord, when it was built it was intended for the encouragement of our faith at such a time as this. Here thy name is; here we are. Lord, help us, for the glory of thy name." (5.) He pleads the ingratitude and injustice of his enemies: "We are such as it will be thy glory to appear for; they are such as it will be thy glory to appear against; for, [1.] They ill requite our ancient kindnesses. Thou wouldst not let Israel invade them, nor give them any disturbance." Deut. ii. 5, 9, 19, Meddle not with the Edomites, distress not the Moabites, come not nigh the children of Ammon, no not though they provoke you. "Yet now see how they invade us." We may comfortably appear to God against those that render us evil for good. [2.] "They break in upon our ancient rights. They come to cast us out of our possessions, and seize our land for themselves. O! our God, wilt thou not judge them? v. 12. Wilt thou not give sentence against them, and execute it upon them?" The justice of God is the refuge of those that are wronged. (6.) He professes his entire dependence upon God for deliverance. Though he had a great army on foot, and well disciplined; yet he said, "We have no might against this great company, none without thee, none that we can expect any thing from without thy special presence and blessing, none to boast of, none to trust to; but our eyes are upon thee. We rely upon thee, and from thee is all our expectation. The disease seems desperate: we know not what to do, are quite at a loss, in a great strait. But this is a sovereign remedy, our eyes are upon thee, an eye of acknowledgment and humble submission, an eye of faith and entire dependence, an eye of desire and hearty prayer, an eye of hope and patient expectation. In thee, O God! do we put our trust; our souls wait on thee."

God's Promise of Victory. (b. c. 892.)

14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation; 15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. 16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you. 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord , worshipping the Lord . 19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

We have here God's gracious answer to Jehoshaphat's prayer; and it was a speedy answer. While he was yet speaking God heard: before the congregation was dismissed they had assurance given them that they should be victorious; for it is never in vain to seek God. 1. The spirit of prophecy came upon a Levite that was present, not in any place of eminency, but in the midst of the congregation, v. 14. The Spirit, like the wind, blows where and on whom he listeth. He was of the sons of Asaph, and therefore one of the singers; on that office God would put an honour. Whether he was a prophet before this or no is uncertain, most probably he was, which would make him the more regarded. There needed no sign, the thing itself was to be performed the very next day, and that would be confirmation enough to his prophecy. 2. He encouraged them to trust in God, though the danger was very threatening (v. 15): "Be not afraid; you have admitted fear enough to bring you to God, do not now admit that which will drive you to God, do not now admit that which will drive you from him again. The battle is not yours; it is not in your own strength, not for your own cause, that you engage; the battle is God's: he does and will, as you have desired, interest himself in the cause." 3. He gives them intelligence of the motions of the enemy, and orders them to march towards them, with particular directions where they should find them. To-morrow (the day after the fast) go you down against them, v. 16, 17. It is fit that he who commands the deliverance should command those for whom the deliverance is to be wrought, and give the necessary orders, both for time and place. 4. He assures them that they should be, not the glorious instruments, but the joyful spectators, of the total defeat of the enemy: "You shall not need to strike a stroke; the work shall be done to your hands; only stand still and see it," v. 17. As Moses said to Israel at the Red Sea (Exod. xiv. 13), "God is with you, who is able to do his work himself, and will do it. If the battle be his, the victory shall be his too." Let but the Christian soldier go out against his spiritual enemies, and the God of peace will tread them under his feet and make him more than a conqueror. 5. Jehoshaphat and his people received these assurances with faith, reverence, and thankfulness. (1.) They bowed their heads, Jehoshaphat first, and then all the people, fell before the Lord, and worshipped, receiving with a holy awe and fear of God this token of his favour, and saying with faith, Be it unto us according to thy word. (2.) They lifted up their voices in praise to God, v. 19. An active faith can give thanks for a promise though it be not yet performed, knowing that God's bonds are as good as ready money. God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, Ps. lx. 5.

Ammon or Moab Destroyed. (b. c. 892.)

20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord , and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord ; for his mercy endureth for ever. 22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. 25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. 26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the Lord : therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day. 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, 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 psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the Lord . 29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.

We have here the foregoing prayer answered and the foregoing promise performed, in the total overthrow of the enemies' forces and the triumph (for so it was rather than a victory) of Jehoshaphat's forces over them.

I. Never was army drawn out to the field of battle as Jehoshaphat's was. He had soldiers ready prepared for war (ch. xvii. 18), but here is no notice taken of their military equipment, their swords or spears, their shields or bows. But Jehoshaphat took care, 1. That faith should be their armour. As they went forth, instead of calling them to handle their arms, and stand to them, to keep ranks, observe orders, and fight valiantly, he bade them believe in the Lord God and give credit to his word in the mouth of his prophets, and assured them that they should prosper and be established, v. 20. That is true courage which faith inspires a man with; nor will any thing contribute more to the establishing of the heart in shaking times than a firm belief of the power, and mercy, and promise of God. The heart is fixed that thus trusteth in the Lord, and is kept in perfect peace. In our spiritual conflicts, this is the victory, this is the prosperity, even our faith. 2. That praise and thanksgiving should be their vanguard, v. 21. Jehoshaphat called a council of war, and it was resolved to appoint singers to go out before the army, to charge in the front, who had nothing else to do but to praise God, to praise his holiness, which is his beauty, to praise him as they did in the temple (that beauty of holiness) with that ancient and good doxology which eternity itself will not wear thread-bare, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever. By this strange advance towards the field of battle, Jehoshaphat intended to express his firm reliance upon the word of God (which enabled him to triumph before the battle), to animate his own soldiers, to confound the enemy, and to engage God on their side; for praise pleases God better than all burnt offering and sacrifice.

II. Never was army so unaccountably destroyed as that of the enemy; not by thunder, or hail, or the sword of an angel, not by dint of sword, or strength of arm, or any surprising alarm, like that which Gideon gave the Midianites; but the Lord set ambushments against them, either hosts of angels, or, as bishop Patrick thinks, their own ambushments, whom God struck with such confusion that they fell upon their own friends as if they had been enemies, and every one helped to destroy another, so that none escaped. This God did when his people began to sing and to praise (v. 22), for he delights to furnish those with matter for praise that have hearts for it. We read of his being angry at the prayers of his people (Ps. lxxx. 4), but never at their praises. When they did but begin the work of praise God perfected the work of their deliverance. What ground there was for their jealousies one of another does not appear, perhaps there was none; but so it was that the Ammonites and the Moabites fell foul upon the Edomites and cut them off, and then they fell out with one another and cut one another off, v. 23. Thus God often makes wicked people instruments of destruction to one another; and what alliances can be so firm as to keep those together whom God designs to dash in pieces one against another? See the mischievous consequences of divisions which neither of the contending parties can give any good account of the reason of. Those are wretchedly infatuated, to their ruin, that fall foul upon their friends as if they were enemies.

III. Never was spoil so cheerfully divided, for Jehoshaphat's army had nothing to do besides; the rest was done for them. When they came to the view of this vast army, instead of finding living men to fight with, they found them all dead men, and their carcases spread as dung upon the face of the earth, v. 24. See how rich God is in mercy to those that call upon him in truth, and how often he out-does him in truth, and how often he out-does the prayers and expectations of his people. Jehoshaphat and his people prayed to be delivered from being spoiled by the enemy; and God not only delivered them, but enriched them with the spoil of the enemy. The plunder of the field was very great and very rich. They found precious jewels with the dead bodies, which yet could not save them from being loathsome carcases. The spoil was more than they could carry away at once, and they were three days in gathering it, v. 25. Now it appeared what was God's end in bringing this great army against Judah; it was to humble them and prove them, that he might do them good in their latter end. It seemed at first a disturbance to their reformation, but it proved a recompence of it.

IV. Never was victory celebrated with more solemn and enlarged thanksgivings. 1. They kept a day of praise in the camp, before they drew their forces out of the field. Many thanksgivings, no doubt, were offered up to God immediately; but on the fourth day they assembled in a valley, where they blessed God with so much zeal and fervency that that day's work gave a name to the place, the valley of Berachah, that is, of blessing, v. 26. The remembrance of this work of wonder was hereby perpetuated, for the encouragement of succeeding generations to trust in God. 2. Yet they did not think this enough, but came in solemn procession, all in a body, and Jehoshaphat at the head of them, to Jerusalem, that the country, as they passed along, might join with them in their praises, and that they might give thanks for the mercy where they had by prayer obtained it, in the house of the Lord, v. 27, 28. Praising God must not be the work of a day only; but our praises, when we have received mercy, must be often repeated, as our prayers were when we were in the pursuit of it. Every day we must bless God; as long as we live, and while we have any being, we must praise him, spending our time in that work in which we hope to spend our eternity. Public mercies call for public acknowledgments in the courts of the Lord's house, Ps. cxvi. 19.

V. Never did victory turn to a better account than this; for, 1. Jehoshaphat's kingdom was hereby made to look very great and considerable abroad, v. 29. When they heard that God fought thus for Israel, they could not but say, There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, and Happy art thou, O Israel! It begat in the neighbours a reverence of God and a cautious fear of doing any injury to his people. It is dangerous fighting against those who have God with them. 2. It was made very easy and quiet at home, v. 30. (1.) They were quiet among themselves. Those that were displeased at the destroying of the images and groves were now satisfied, and obliged to own that since the God of Israel could deliver after this sort he only is to be worshipped, in that way only which he himself has appointed. (2.) They were quiet from the fear of insults from their neighbours, God having given them rest round about. And, if he give rest, who can give disturbance?

Jehoshaphat's Navy Wrecked. (b. c. 892.)

31 And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord . 33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers. 34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel. 35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly: 36 And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. 37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

We are now drawing towards the close of the history of Jehoshaphat's reign, for a further account of which those who lived when this book was published were referred to an authentic history of it, written by Jehu the prophet (ch. xix. 2), which was then extant, v. 34. This was the general character of his reign, that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, kept close to the worship of God himself and did what he could to keep his people close to it. But two things are here to be lamented:—1. The people still retained a partiality for the high places, v. 33. Those that were erected to the honour of strange gods were taken away (ch. xvii. 6); but those where the true God was worshipped, being less culpable, were thought allowable, and Jehoshaphat was loth to disoblige the people so far as to take them away, for as yet they had not prepared their hearts to serve the God of their fathers. They complied with Jehoshaphat's reformation because they could not for shame do otherwise, but they were not hearty in it, did not direct their hearts to God in it, did not act in it from any good principle nor with any zeal or resolution: and the best magistrates cannot bring to pass what they would, in reformation, when the people are cool in it. 2. Jehoshaphat himself still retained a partiality for the house of Ahab, because he had married his son to a daughter of that family, though he had been plainly reproved for it and had like to have smarted for it. He saw and knew that Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, did very wickedly, and therefore could not expect to prosper; yet he joined himself with him, not in war, as with his father, but in trade, became his partner in an East India fleet bound for Ophir, v. 35, 36. There is an emphasis laid upon the time—after this, after God had done such great things for him, without any such scandalous and pernicious confederacies, given him not only victory, but wealth, yet after this to go and join himself with a wicked king was very ungrateful. After God had given him such a deliverance as this should he again break God's commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? What could he expect but that God should be angry with him? Ezra ix. 13, 14. Yet he sends to him, to show him his error and bring him to repentance, (1.) By a prophet, who foretold the blasting of his project, v. 37. And, (2.) By a storm, which broke the ships in the port before they set sail, by which he was warned to break off his alliance with Ahaziah; and it seems he took the warning, for, when Ahaziah afterwards pressed him to join with him, he would not, 1 Kings xxii. 49. See how pernicious a thing it is to join in friendship and society with evil-doers. It is a hard matter to break off from it. A man may much better keep himself from being taken in the snare than recover himself out of it.