2 Chronicles 13:7 - Exposition

Are gathered … have strengthened themselves . The aorist tense is needed for the rendering in both these cases; e.g. "And vain men gathered to him, and strengthened themselves against him." Vain men ; Hebrew, רֵקִים . This word, and one very slightly different in form, and their adverb, occur in all forty-one times; rendered in the Authorized Version "empty" nineteen times, "vain" eighteen times, and "without cause," "to no purpose," and "void" the remaining four times. It is the word that is used of the "empty" pit of Joseph ( Genesis 37:24 ); of the "empty ears" of corn ( Genesis 41:27 ); of "empty" pitchers and other vessels ( 7:16 ; 2 Kings 4:3 ; Jeremiah 14:3 ; Jeremiah 51:34 ; Ezekiel 24:11 ). And in all the other cases expresses metaphorically the emptiness of head, of heart, or of reason, with the same simple force of language appropriate, it appears, then as now. Children of Belial ; Hebrew, בְלִיַּעַל . This word is found twenty-seven times, and, including seven marginal options, is rendered in the Authorized Version "Belial" twenty-three times; the four exceptions being "wicked" three times, and "naughty" once. The derivation of it marks the one expressive meaning of "without profit." Young and tender-hearted . Hard as it is to put these objections to the credit of a man forty-one years of age (see our note, 2 Chronicles 10:8 ; 2 Chronicles 12:13 ) at all, yet, if so, they can only be explained as some do explain them, of a blamable ignorance, inexperience, and instability.