2 Chron. 20 Several armies come against Judah: Jehoshaphat in his fear proclaimeth a fast, 2 Chron. 20:1–4. His prayer, 2 Chron. 20:5–13. Jehaziel’s prophecy, 2 Chron. 20:14–17. The enemies are overthrown, 2 Chron. 20:20–25. The people return in triumph, blessing God, 2 Chron. 20:26–30.

Other beside the Ammonites, to wit, the people that dwelt in Mount Seir, who were now confederate with them, as appears from 2 Chron. 20:10, 2 Chron. 20:22–23. Or this is the name of a peculiar people, called either Mehumin, of whom you read 2 Chron.

From beyond the sea, to wit, the Dead Sea, beyond which Mount Seir lay. On this side Syria, or, and from Syria, largely so called, and so it includes the Moabites and Ammonites.

Jehoshaphat feared; partly from human frailty, and partly from the remembrance of his own guilt, and the wrath of God denounced against him for it, 2 Chron. 19:2.

In the house of the Lord, largely so called, i.e. in one of the courts of the temple, even in the court of the people, and upon that brazen scaffold which Solomon had erected for such a purpose, 2 Chron. 6:13. Before the new court, i.e.

i.e. To whom thou hast engaged thyself by covenant to be his friend, and the friend of his seed for ever, and therefore we trust thou wilt not forsake us his posterity.

The sword, judgment, or rather, the sword of judgment, or of vengeance, i.e. war, whereby thou judgest and punishest thy people for their sins. Compare Lev. 26:25.

Thus he speaks, partly though he had great armies to be drawn together in due time upon great occasions, 2 Chron. 17:14;c. yet he seems to have been surprised by these men before his forces were in readiness to oppose them; and partly because he well knew, and piously and wisely considered, that no…

Whom they used to present before the Lord in times of great distress, partly to stir up themselves to more fervent and faithful prayers, that their eye, being upon their harmless and tender children, might affect their heart with a greater sense of their misery; and partly to move God to…

He was suddenly inspired by God with the following message.

God will fight for you, and he alone will do the work; you need not strike a stroke.

Go ye down from Jerusalem, where he and his army now were; which stood upon high ground.

Bowed his head with his face to the ground, in token of his reverence to God and his message, his belief of the promise, and his thankfulness for so great a favour.

The Levites stood up, by Jehoshaphat’s appointment. With a loud voice on high, i.e. with most loud voice, with heart and voice lifted up; whereby they showed their full assurance of the victory, as if it were already accomplished.

Believe his prophets, i.e. God’s promise delivered to us by this prophet, and consequently all other predictions of the prophets that either have been or shall be. So shall ye prosper: take heed, lest by your unbelief you frustrate God’s promise.

With the people, i.e. with the elders or chief of the people; partly to take their advice about the expediency of the thing; and partly that they might excite and prepare themselves, and the people under them, to this great work of praising God.

When they began to sing and to praise; so acceptable are the fervent prayers of God’s people to God, and so terrible to their enemies. Ambushments, or, liers in wait; either, 1.

Toward the watch-tower; which stood upon the cliff of Ziz, mentioned above, 2 Chron. 20:16, or some other hill which looked toward the wilderness, where their enemies lay encamped, whose numbers, and order, and condition they could decry from thence.

Riches and precious jewels; which they brought with them, partly, to corrupt any of Jehoshaphat’s officers as they saw occasion; partly, to procure necessaries for their vast army from time to time; and partly, because they came as to a triumph rather than to a fight, being secure and confident of…

The valley of Berachah, Heb. of blessing; so called from their solemn blessings and praises given to God in it upon this occasion.

To renew their praises in the court of the temple, the proper and usual place for it.

On all the kingdoms of those countries which were near, or which heard these things.

The high places where not taken away; not fully nor universally; of which See Poole “2 Chron. 17:6”. The fault was not in Jehoshaphat, but in the people, who, though they did worship the true God, yet would not be confined to the temple, but for their own conveniency, or from their affection to…

This is mentioned as an aggravation of his sin, after so great a favour and obligation laid upon him by God, and after he had been so sharply reproved and threatened by a prophet for the same thing, 2 Chron.

To make ships to go to Tarshish; of which See Poole “1 Kings 10:22, 1 Kings 10:22:48”. They made the ships in Ezion-gaber; of which see on 1 Kings 9:26.