Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Chronicles 20:26 - 20:37
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Summary of Jehoshaphat's Reign
v. 26. And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the Valley of Berachah (blessing, praise); for there they blessed the Lord, in this beautiful little valley west of Tekoa they expressed their gratitude to Jehovah in prayers of praise and thanksgiving; therefore the name of the same place was called the Valley of Berachah unto this day.
v. 27. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, the entire procession which had left Jerusalem four days before, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, taking the lead in praising, as he had taken the lead in trusting the Lord's promise, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies, and their gladness was expressed in the proper manner, in thanksgiving to Jehovah, who gave the victory.
v. 28. And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets, the usual instruments used for the Temple music, unto the house of the Lord.
v. 29. . And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, they were deterred from undertaking hostilities by their dread of the God of Israel, when they had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel.
v. 30. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest round about. Peace in the land is ever a gift of God's bountiful goodness.
v. 31. And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah, over the southern kingdom only; he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
v. 32. And he walked in the way of Asa, his father, in the fear of Jehovah, and departed not from it, being even more consistently faithful to Jehovah than his father, doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord.
v. 33. Howbeit, the high places were not taken away, the altars erected on the hills contrary to the will of God, whether expressly dedicated to idolatry or not; for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
v. 34. Now, the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the Book of Jehu, the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the Book of the Kings of Israel, 1Ki_16:1-7.
v. 35. And after this did Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, join himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, as he had made a league with his father before him, who did very wickedly.
v. 36. And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, most likely Tartessus in Spain, after Ahazah had overcome the reluctance of Jehoshaphat, 1Ki_22:49; and they made the ships in Ezion-gaber, the harbor at the head of the Elanitic Gulf.
v. 37. Then Eliezer, the son of Dodavah of Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, wrecked before they left the harbor, that they were not able to go to Tarshish. God has ways and means to keep men from yielding too much to pride and arrogance and thus losing their trust in Him.