2 Chronicles 25:7

7 But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, do not hire troops from Israel, for the LORD is not with Israel. He will not help those people of Ephraim!

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.''

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FOOTNOTES:

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

2 Chronicles 25:7 In-Context

5 Then Amaziah organized the army, assigning generals and captains for all Judah and Benjamin. He took a census and found that he had an army of 300,000 select troops, twenty years old and older, all trained in the use of spear and shield.

6 He also paid about 7,500 pounds of silver to hire 100,000 experienced fighting men from Israel.

7 But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, do not hire troops from Israel, for the LORD is not with Israel. He will not help those people of Ephraim!

8 If you let them go with your troops into battle, you will be defeated by the enemy no matter how well you fight. God will overthrow you, for he has the power to help you or to trip you up.”

9 Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about all that silver I paid to hire the army of Israel?” The man of God replied, “The LORD is able to give you much more than this!”