2 Chronicles 25:7

7 Forsooth a man of God came to him, and said, A! king, the host of Israel go not out with thee, for the Lord is not with Israel, and with all the sons of Ephraim; (But a man of God came to him, and said, O! king, do not let Israel's army go out with thee, for the Lord is not with Israel, and with all these Ephraimites;)

2 Chronicles 25:7 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 25:7

But there came a man of God to him
Who the Jews say F6 was the brother of the king, Amos, the father of Isaiah, but without foundation:

saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee;
to war against Edom; meaning the 100,000 men he had hired, and suggesting that to have them with him would not be to his advantage, but his detriment, for the following reason:

for the Lord is not with Israel,
to wit,

with all the children of Ephraim;
they being idolaters, worshippers of the calves; and as they had forsaken the Lord, he had forsaken them; therefore no help could be expected from them; the Targum is,

``the Word of the Lord is not their help.''


FOOTNOTES:

F6 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 20. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 11. 2.

2 Chronicles 25:7 In-Context

5 Therefore Amaziah gathered together Judah, and ordained them by families, and tribunes, and centurions, in all Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years and above, and he found thirty thousand of able young men, that went out to battle, and held spear and shield. (And so Amaziah gathered the men of Judah together, and ordained them by families, under tribunes, and centurions, in all Judah and Benjamin; and he counted them from twenty years of age and older, and he found thirty thousand able young men, who went out to battle, and held a spear and shield.)
6 Also for meed, he hired of Israel an hundred thousand of strong men, for an hundred talents of silver, that they should fight against the sons of Edom. (And for reward, or for money, he hired out of Israel a hundred thousand strong men, for a hundred talents of silver, to fight against the Edomites.)
7 Forsooth a man of God came to him, and said, A! king, the host of Israel go not out with thee, for the Lord is not with Israel, and with all the sons of Ephraim; (But a man of God came to him, and said, O! king, do not let Israel's army go out with thee, for the Lord is not with Israel, and with all these Ephraimites;)
8 for if thou guessest that battles stand in the might of an host, the Lord shall make thee to be overcome of thine enemies, forsooth it is of God for to help, and to turn men into flight. (for if thou thinkest that battles stand, or fall, by the strength of an army, then the Lord shall make thee to be overcome by thy enemies; for it is of God to help thee, or to turn men to flight.)
9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, What then shall be done of the hundred talents, which I gave to the knights of Israel? And the man of God answered to him, The Lord hath, whereof he may yield to thee much more things than these.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.