2 Chronicles 20:1

1 Some time later the armies of Moab and Ammon, together with their allies, the Meunites, invaded Judah.

2 Chronicles 20:1 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 20:1

It came to pass after this also
After Jehoshaphat's return from Ramothgilead, and putting the civil and religious affairs of his people on a better footing, when he might have expected much peace and prosperity:

that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon;
both the descendants of Lot, see ( Psalms 83:8 ) ,

and with them other besides the Ammonites;
a great company of Arabians, according to Josephus ^F18; or "with the Meamonites", which the Targum understands of the Idumaeans or Edomites; and so do other interpreters, and which they conclude from ( 2 Chronicles 20:10 2 Chronicles 20:22 2 Chronicles 20:23 ) . Jarchi thinks the Amalekites are meant, who were of the race of Edom; but the notion of Kimchi seems best, that these are the people that are so called from the name of a place, Meon, and, by an inversion of letters, the same with the Meunim or Maonites, mentioned along with the Zidonians and Amalekites, ( Judges 10:12 ) and whom the Septuagint version here calls Minaeans; some ^F19 take them to be such who counterfeited the Ammonites in their apparel and gestures:

these came against Jehoshaphat in battle;
being instigated perhaps by the Syrians, who owed him ill will for assisting Ahab against them at Ramothgilead; for from that quarter they came, as the following verse shows.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Antiqu. l. 9. c. 1. sect. 2.
F19 Weemse of the Moral Law, l. 2. c. 6. p. 161.

2 Chronicles 20:1 In-Context

1 Some time later the armies of Moab and Ammon, together with their allies, the Meunites, invaded Judah.

2 Some messengers came and announced to King Jehoshaphat: "A large army from Edom has come from the other side of the Dead Sea to attack you. They have already captured Hazazon Tamar." (This is another name for Engedi.)

3 Jehoshaphat was frightened and prayed to the Lord for guidance. Then he gave orders for a fast to be observed throughout the country.

4 From every city of Judah people hurried to Jerusalem to ask the Lord for guidance,

5 and they and the people of Jerusalem gathered in the new courtyard of the Temple. King Jehoshaphat went and stood before them

Footnotes

• [a] [One ancient translation] Meunites; [Hebrew] Ammonites.