2Ch 20:1
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 {a} Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to
     battle.

     (a) That is, who copied the Ammonites in language and
         apparel. The Hebrews thought that they were the
         Amalekites, but as it appeared by @2Ch 20:10 they
         were the Idumeans of mount Seir.

2Ch 20:2
20:2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There
     cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the {b}
     sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they [be] in
     Hazazontamar, which [is] Engedi.

     (b) Called the Dead sea, where God destroyed the five
         cities because of their sin.

2Ch 20:3
20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself {c} to seek the
     LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

     (c) This declares what the fear of the godly is, which is
         the prick to stir them to prayer and to depend on the
         Lord, while it moves the wicked either to seek after
         worldly means and policies or else to fall into
         despair.

2Ch 20:7
20:7 [Art] not thou our God, [who] didst drive out the
     inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and {d}
     gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

     (d) He grounds his prayer on God's power, by which he is
         able to help and also on his mercy, which he will
         continue toward his, as he has once chosen them and
         began to show his graces toward them.

2Ch 20:9
20:9 If, [when] evil cometh upon us, [as] the {e} sword,
     judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this
     house, and in thy presence, (for thy name {f} [is] in this
     house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt
     hear and help.

     (e) Meaning war which comes by God's just judgments for our
         sins.
     (f) That is, it is here called on and you declared your
         presence and favour.

2Ch 20:12
20:12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might
      against this great company that cometh against us; neither
      know we what to do: but our eyes {g} [are] upon thee.

      (g) We only put our trust in you, and wait for our
          deliverance from heaven.

2Ch 20:13
20:13 And all Judah stood {h} before the LORD, with their little
      ones, their wives, and their children.

      (h) That is, before the ark of the covenant.

2Ch 20:14
20:14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of
      Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite
      of the sons of Asaph, came {i} the Spirit of the LORD in
      the midst of the congregation;

      (i) Who was moved by the Spirit of God to prophecy.

2Ch 20:15
20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of
      Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD
      unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this
      great multitude; for the {k} battle [is] not yours, but
      God's.

      (k) They fight against God and not against you, therefore
          he will fight for you.

2Ch 20:18
20:18 And Jehoshaphat {l} bowed his head with [his] face to the
      ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
      fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

      (l) Declaring his faith and obedience to the word of the
          Lord, and giving thanks for the deliverance promised.

2Ch 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.

2Ch 20:21
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, @Ps 136:1-26.

2Ch 20:22
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.

2Ch 20:23
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.

2Ch 20:26
20:26 And on the fourth day they {q} assembled themselves in the
      valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD:
      therefore the name of the same place was called, The
      valley of Berachah, unto this day.

      (q) To give thanks to the Lord for the victory: and
          therefore the valley was called Berachah, that is,
          blessing or thanksgiving, which was also called the
          valley of Jehoshaphat, @Joel 3:2,12 because the
          Lord judged the enemies according to Jehoshaphat's
          prayer.

2Ch 20:29
20:29 And the {r} fear of God was on all the kingdoms of [those]
      countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought
      against the enemies of Israel.

      (r) He declares by this that the works of God always bring
          comfort or deliverance to his, and fear or destruction
          to his enemies.

2Ch 20:32
20:32 And he walked in the way of {s} Asa his father, and
      departed not from it, doing [that which was] right in the
      sight of the LORD.

      (s) Meaning, in his virtues, and those ways in which he
          followed God.

2Ch 20:33
20:33 Howbeit the high places were {t} not taken away: for as
      yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God
      of their fathers.

      (t) If the great care and diligence of this good king was
          not able to utterly abolish all the superstition of
          this people, but they still retained it, how much less
          are they able to reform evil, who either have little
          zeal, or not as he had: though here he was not to be
          excused?

2Ch 20:37
20:37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied
      against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast {u} joined
      thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And
      the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to
      Tarshish.

      (u) Thus God would not have his join in company with
          idolaters and wicked men.



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