4 But sought H1875 to the LORD God H430 of his father, H1 and walked H1980 in his commandments, H4687 and not after the doings H4639 of Israel. H3478
After H310 this thing H1697 Jeroboam H3379 returned H7725 not from his evil H7451 way, H1870 but made H6213 again H7725 of the lowest H7098 of the people H5971 priests H3548 of the high places: H1116 whosoever would, H2655 he consecrated H4390 H3027 him, and he became one of the priests H3548 of the high places. H1116 And this thing H1697 became sin H2403 unto the house H1004 of Jeroboam, H3379 even to cut it off, H3582 and to destroy H8045 it from off the face H6440 of the earth. H127
And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing H7043 for him to walk H3212 in the sins H2403 of Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 that he took H3947 to wife H802 Jezebel H348 the daughter H1323 of Ethbaal H856 king H4428 of the Zidonians, H6722 and went H3212 and served H5647 Baal, H1168 and worshipped H7812 him. And he reared up H6965 an altar H4196 for Baal H1168 in the house H1004 of Baal, H1168 which he had built H1129 in Samaria. H8111 And Ahab H256 made H6213 a grove; H842 and Ahab H256 did H6213 more H3254 to provoke the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 to anger H3707 than all the kings H4428 of Israel H3478 that were before H6440 him.
And I said H559 after H310 she had done H6213 all these things, Turn H7725 thou unto me. But she returned H7725 not. And her treacherous H901 sister H269 Judah H3063 saw H7200 it. And I saw, H7200 when for all the causes H182 whereby backsliding H4878 Israel H3478 committed adultery H5003 I had put her away, H7971 and given H5414 her a bill H5612 of divorce; H3748 yet her treacherous H898 sister H269 Judah H3063 feared H3372 not, but went H3212 and played the harlot H2181 also.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 17
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
2Ch 17:1-6. Jehoshaphat Reigns Well and Prospers.
1. Jehoshaphat … strengthened himself against Israel—The temper and proceedings of the kings of Israel rendered it necessary for him to prepare vigorous measures of defense on the northern frontier of his kingdom. These consisted in filling all the fortresses with their full complement of troops and establishing military stations in various parts of the country, as well as in the cities of Mount Ephraim, which belonged to Jehoshaphat (2Ch 15:8).
3-5. he walked in the first ways of his father David—He imitated the piety of his great ancestor in the early part of his reign before he made those unhappy lapses which dishonored his character.
and sought not unto Baalim—a term used for idols generally in contradistinction to the Lord God of his father.
4. and not after the doings of Israel—He observed with scrupulous fidelity, and employed his royal influence to support the divine institutions as enacted by Moses, abhorring that spurious and unlawful calf-worship that now formed the established religion in Israel. Being thus far removed, alike from gross idolatry and Israelitish apostasy, and adhering zealously to the requirements of the divine law, the blessing of God rested on his government. Ruling in the fear of God, and for the good of his subjects, "the Lord established the kingdom in his hand."
5. all Judah brought … presents—This was customary with the people generally at the beginning of a reign (1Sa 10:27), and with the nobles and high functionaries yearly afterwards. They were given in the form of voluntary offerings, to avoid the odious idea of a tax or tribute.
6. his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord—Full of faith and piety, he possessed zeal and courage to undertake the reformation of manners, to suppress all the works and objects of idolatry (see on 2Ch 20:33), and he held out public encouragement to the pure worship of God.
2Ch 17:7-11. He Sends Levites to Teach in Judah.
7-11. Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, … to teach in the cities of Judah—The ordinary work of teaching devolved on the priests. But extraordinary commissioners were appointed, probably to ascertain whether the work had been done or neglected. This deputation of five princes, assisted by two priests and nine Levites, was to make a circuit of the towns in Judah. It is the first practical measure we read of as being adopted by any of the kings for the religious instruction of the people. Time and unbroken opportunities were afforded for carrying out fully this excellent plan of home education, for the kingdom enjoyed internal tranquillity as well as freedom for foreign wars. It is conformable to the pious style of the sacred historian to trace this profound peace to the "fear of the Lord having fallen on all kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah."
9. the book of the law—that is, either the whole Pentateuch or only the book of Deuteronomy, which contains an abridgment of it.
11. Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver—either they had been his tributaries, or they were desirous of securing his valuable friendship, and now made a voluntary offer of tribute. Perhaps they were the Philistines who had submitted to the yoke of David (2Sa 8:1; Ps 60:8).
the Arabians—the nomad tribes on the south of the Dead Sea, who, seeking the protection of Jehoshaphat after his conquest of Edom, paid their tribute in the way most suitable to their pastoral habits—the present of so many head of cattle.
2Ch 17:12-19. His Greatness, Captains, and Armies.
14. these are the numbers—The warriors were arranged in the army according to their fathers houses. The army of Jehoshaphat, commanded by five great generals and consisting of five unequal divisions, comprised one million one hundred and sixty thousand men, without including those who garrisoned the fortresses. No monarch, since the time of Solomon, equalled Jehoshaphat in the extent of his revenue, in the strength of his fortifications, and in the number of his troops.