2 Chronicles 19

1 Forsooth Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, turned again peaceably into his house into Jerusalem. (And Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, returned safely to his house, that is, his palace, in Jerusalem.)

2 Whom the prophet Jehu, the son of Hanani met, and said to him, Thou givest help to a wicked man, and thou art joined by friendship to them that hate the Lord; and therefore soothly thou deservedest the wrath of the Lord;

3 but good works be found in thee, for thou hast done away [the] maumet woods from the land of Judah, and thou hast made ready thine heart, for to seek the Lord God of thy fathers. (but good works be found done by thee, for thou hast done away the idol groves, or the sacred poles, from the land of Judah, and thou hast directed thy heart to seek the Lord God of thy fathers.)

4 Therefore Jehoshaphat dwelled in Jerusalem; and again he went out to the people from Beersheba to the hill of Ephraim, and he called them again to the Lord God of their fathers. (And so Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem; but he went out among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and he brought them back to the Lord God of their fathers.)

5 And he ordained judges of the land in all the strengthened cities of Judah, by each place. (And he ordained judges of the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, at each place.)

6 And he commanded to the judges, and said to them, See ye, that is, be ye ware, what ye do; for ye use not the doom of man, but doom of the Lord; and whatever thing ye deem unjustly, it shall turn against you; (And he commanded to the judges, and said to them, Be ye ware what ye do; for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord; and whatever thing ye judge unjustly, it shall return to you;)

7 the dread of the Lord be with you (let the fear of the Lord/let reverence for the Lord be with you), and do ye all things with diligence, that is, with discretion; forsooth with the Lord your God (there) is no wickedness, neither taking, or accepting, of persons, neither covetousness of gifts.

8 And also in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat ordained deacons, and priests, and the princes of the families of Israel, that they should deem the doom and the cause of the Lord, to the dwellers of Jerusalem. (And in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat ordained the Levites, and the priests, and the leaders of the families of Israel, to declare the judgement of the Lord, and to administer the civil laws, for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.)

9 And he commanded to them, and said, Thus ye shall do in the dread of the Lord, faithfully, and in perfect heart. (And he commanded to them, and said, Thus ye shall do in the fear of the Lord/in reverence for the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.)

10 Each cause that cometh to you of your brethren, that dwell in their cities, betwixt kindred and kindred, wherever is question of the law, (or) of the commandment, or of ceremonies, either sacrifices, or of justifyings, show ye to them, that they do not sin against the Lord, and that wrath of the Lord come not upon you, and upon your brethren. Therefore ye doing thus shall not do sin. (Each cause, or case, that cometh to you of your kinsmen, who live in their cities, between kindred and kindred, wherever there is a question of the law, or of the commandment, or of ceremonies, or sacrifices, or of statutes, show ye to them, so that they do not sin against the Lord, and that the Lord's anger come not upon you, and upon your kinsmen. And by doing so, ye shall do no sin.)

11 And Amariah, your priest and bishop, shall be sovereign in these things, that pertain to God. And Zebadiah, the son of Ishmael, that is duke in the house of Judah, shall be sovereign upon the works that pertain to the office of the king, and ye (shall also) have master deacons before you; be ye comforted, and do ye diligently, that is, studiously, or busily, and the Lord shall be with you in goods. (And your High Priest Amariah, shall be the ruler in these things that pertain to God. And Zebadiah, the son of Ishmael, who is the leader in the house of Judah, shall be the ruler, or the overseer, of the works that pertain to the office of the king, and ye shall also have the Levites before you; so be ye strengthened, and do ye diligently, that is, studiously, or busily, and the Lord shall be on the side of the good.)

2 Chronicles 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

Jehoshaphat visits his kingdom.

- Whenever we return in peace to our houses, we ought to acknowledge God's providence in preserving our going out and coming in. And if we have been kept through more than common dangers, we are, in a special manner, bound to be thankful. Distinguishing mercies lay us under strong obligations. The prophet tells Jehoshaphat he had done very ill in joining Ahab. He took the reproof well. See the effect the reproof had upon him. He strictly searched his own kingdom. By what the prophet said, Jehoshaphat perceived that his former attempts for reformation were well-pleasing to God; therefore he did what was then left undone. It is good when commendations quicken us to our duty. There are diversities of gifts and operations, but all from the same Spirit, and for the public good; and as every one has received the gift, so let him minister the same. Blessed be God for magistrates and ministers, scribes and statesmen, men of books, and men of business. Observe the charge the king gave. They must do all in the fear of the Lord, with a perfect, upright heart. And they must make it their constant care to prevent sin, as an offence to God, and what would bring wrath on the people.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 19

Jehoshaphat returning from the battle at Ramothgilead, was met by a prophet, who reproved him for helping the ungodly, 2Ch 19:1-3, which quickened him to a greater regard for the reformation of his kingdom, 2Ch 19:4, and he set judges in all the cities of Judah, and exhorted them to do justice, 2Ch 19:5-7, and in the city of Jerusalem he appointed priests and Levites for the same purpose, and gave them a strict charge, and animated and encouraged them to perform their office faithfully, 2Ch 19:8-11.