2 Chronicles 20:25

_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._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

20-30 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....

Verse 2 Chronicles 20:25. _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_, c....

RICHES WITH THE DEAD BODIES - Several manuscripts give another reading: “riches, and garments.”...

EXPOSITION Of this chapter, with its thirty-seven verses, only the six verses (31-36) find any duplicate or parallel in Kings (1 Kings 22:41-11). The chapter is occupied with a statement of the invasion of Judah by Moabites and Ammonites and certain problematical others (2 Chronicles 20:1, 2 Chronicles 20:2); with an account of the way in which the king and people prepared to meet the crisis (2 Chronicles 20:3); with the prophecy of Jahaziel the Levite as to how, under certain conditions, things would go ...

AND WHEN JEHOSHAPHAT AND HIS PEOPLE CAME TO TAKE THE SPOIL OF THEM,.... Which was all they had to do; they had no need to fight, as they were told, the Lord had fought for them: THEY FOUND AMONG THEM IN ABUNDANCE BOTH RICHES WITH THE DEAD BODIES; rich garments on them, and gold and silver on them: AND PRECIOUS JEWELS, WHICH THEY STRIPPED OF FOR THEMSELVES; with which their clothes, or some part of their bodies, were ornamented: MORE THAN THEY COULD CARRY AWAY; they were so many, that they made too great a burden for them: AND THEY WERE THREE DAYS IN GATHERING OF THE SPOIL, IT WAS SO MUCH; it took up so much time to strip the bodies, to search for their money and jewels, rings, chains, and such like things of value, worn by them....

2 Chronicles 20:1. _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. 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 Hazazontamar, which is Engedi. And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah._ An angry God is to be sought. Even though he smite us, we must turn to him. It is from the hand that wields the rod that we are to expect deliverance, if it ever come at all. 2 Chronicles 20:4. And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Jud

CHAPTER 20 JUDAH INVADED, JEHOSHAPHAT'S PRAYER AND DELIVERANCE _ 1. The invasion (2 Chronicles 20:1)_ 2. Jehoshaphat's great prayer (2 Chronicles 20:3) 3. Jehovah's answer through Jahaziel (2 Chronicles 20:14) 4. Prostrated before the LORD (2 Chronicles 20:18) 5. The great deliverance (2 Chronicles 20:20) 6. In the valley of Berachah (2 Chronicles

Jehoshaphat's victory over the Ammonites and Moabites. This story of a miraculous battle is perhaps a _midrash_ on the war described in 1 Kings 3:4 ff., and has, in so far, some historical basis; but the details are purely imaginary. 2 Chronicles 20:5. before the new court: perhaps the same as the great court in 2 Chronicles 4:9; the Chronicler has in his mind's eye the Temple as he knew it. 2 Chronicles 20:7. Abraham thy friend: _cf._ Isaiah 41:8;...

THE DEAD BODIES. Some codices, with five early printed editions and Vulgate, read "apparel". STRIPPED OFF. raked together....