20:21 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, {n} Praise the LORD; for his mercy [endureth] for ever.(n) This was a psalm of thanksgiving which they used commonly to sing when they praised the Lord for his benefits, and was made by David, Psalms 136:1-26. read more
20:22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and {o} mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.(o) Meaning, the Idumeans who dwelt in mount Seir. read more
20:23 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 {p} destroy another.(p) Thus the Lord according to Jehoshaphat’s prayer declared his power, when he delivered his by causing their enemies to kill one another. read more
THREE ENEMIES AITACKING (vv.1-2) The Lord now allowed a further test of the faith of King Jehoshaphat. Armies of Moab and Ammon came against Judah, and others were added in this attack. Moab speaks of self-satisfied religion (Jeremiah 48:11), and reminds us that a smug, self-complacent attitude is a bad enemy for any of us. Let us not dare to submit to it! Ammon (meaning "peoplish") pictures the falsehood of evil doctrine, its king in David's time being named "Nahash," which means "a... read more
REHOBOAM AND JEHOSHAPHAT REHOBOAM (2 Chronicles 10-12) The story of the rejected counsel of the older men and what came of it (chap. 10) is practically as in 1 Kings 12:0 , and furnishes an illustration of the relation of divine sovereignty to human free agency. The fortification of Judah’s cities against Israel (chap. 11) was dwelt upon in the earlier books, as well as the return of the priests and Levites to Jerusalem. Rehoboam’s “wise” action (2 Chronicles 11:23 ) is to be taken in the... read more
Evil Compacts 2Ch 20:37 THESE words were spoken concerning Jehoshaphat, who "walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord." He was a man of mature life, being thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. Notwithstanding the ripeness of his experience, and his really substantial character, he entered into a ship-building speculation with "Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very... read more
Observe, the weapons of Jehoshaphat were faith, and dependence on the Lord. Whether the company with the king had other weapons with them is not said: but he went forth depending upon the Lord; and he begun the preparation for battle with a song of victory. So should all the soldiers of Jesus go forth. For it is in his strength they fight: and the issue is not doubtful. The fight is in fact already over; Christ hath conquered: and his people overcome by his blood. read more
How decidedly did the event testify that Judah should have no hand in the victory. How fully hath Jesus shown in his gospel, that salvation is wholly his own, and his right arm hath gotten himself the victory! read more
Thecua, two mile east of Bethlehem, on the road to Jeruel. Adrichomius) M. --- Believe. Faith is the foundation of all good works; (Hebrews xi.) but not alone sufficient, as here the people fasted and prayed, and would have fought, if God had not dispensed with them. See Josue xxiii. W. --- We may also translate Hebrew "trust." read more
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Geneva Study Bible - 2 Chronicles 20:20
20:20 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 {m} prophets, so shall ye prosper.(m) Give credit to their words and doctrine. read more