2 Chronicles 20:37

31-37 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, 1 Kings 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....

Verse 2 Chronicles 20:37. _THE LORD HATH BROKEN, C._] "The WORD of the Lord hath broken." - _Targum_. Concerning _Tarshish, Ezion-geber_, and _Ophir_, and the voyage thither, 1 Kings 10:22, and at the end of that chapter, 1 Kings 10:29, and on 2 Chronicles 9:26-14. 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....

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 ...

THEN ELIEZER THE SON OF DODAVAH OF MARESHAH,.... A city in the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:44 PROPHESIED AGAINST JEHOSHAPHAT, SAYING, BECAUSE THOU HAST JOINED THYSELF WITH AHAZIAH; an idolatrous prince, with whom he ought to have had no fellowship, even in civil things, it being both a countenancing him, and exposing himself and people to danger: THE LORD HATH BROKEN THY WORKS; the ships built at the joint expense of the two kings, that is, the Lord had determined to break them, and now foretold that he would; the Targum is, "the Word of the Lord hath destroyed thy works:'' AND THE SHIPS WERE BROKEN, THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GO TO TARSHISH; 1 Kings 22:48....

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;...

ELIEZER. Sent by Jehovah, just as Jehu had been sent (2 Chronicles 19:2). BROKEN.. _Homonym._ Hebrew. _paraz,_ to break. Rightly so rendered here. Its other meaning, _to increase,_ as rightly given in Genesis 30:43.Exodus 1:12....

_Mareshah_ Cp. 2 Chronicles 11:8 (note); 2 Chronicles 14:10. _hath broken_ R.V. HATH DESTROYED. The same Heb. word is used 1 Chronicles 13:11 ("had broken forth," R.V.); 2 Chronicles 14:11 ("hath broken forth," R.V. mg.)....

5. THE REIGN OF JEHOSHAPHAT (17-21:3) TEXT 2 Chronicles 17:1. And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. 2. And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. 3. And Jehovah was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the Baalim, 4. but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. 5. Therefore Jehovah established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honor in abundance. 6. And his heart was lifted up in the ways of Jehovah: and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. 7. Also in the third year of his reign he sent his pri

REIGN OF JEHOSHAPHAT (CONCLUDED) An account of how a host of Moabites and others invaded Judah; how Jehoshaphat prayed to the Lord, and was directed by Jahaziel not to fear; and how the enemy was overthrown by God. The early part of this chapter is additional to the narrative in 1 K: the latter part reproduces 1 Kings 22:41....