For he said to Judah, “Let’s build these cities, and make walls around them, with towers, gates, and bars. The land is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God. We have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.
Parallel Translations
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For he said to Judah, “Let’s build these cities, and make walls around them, with towers, gates, and bars. The land is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God. We have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.
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Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
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(14-6) For he said unto Judah: 'Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He hath given us rest on every side.' So they built and prospered.
Cross-references (14)
Passages linked to 2 Chronicles 14:7 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
- 2 Chronicles 14:6 He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him rest.
- 1 Chronicles 28:9 You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
- Jeremiah 29:12-14 You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You shall seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” says Yahweh, “and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, says Yahweh. I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive.”
- John 12:35-36 Jesus therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.” Jesus said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them.
- Joshua 23:1 After many days, when Yahweh had given rest to Israel from their enemies all around, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years,
- 2 Chronicles 8:5 Also he built Beth Horon the upper and Beth Horon the lower, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars;
- 2 Chronicles 14:4 and commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and to obey his law and command.
- 2 Chronicles 32:5 He took courage, built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, with the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo in David’s city, and made weapons and shields in abundance.
- Psalms 105:3-4 Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice. Seek Yahweh and his strength. Seek his face forever more.
- Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.
- John 9:4 I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.
- Acts 9:31 So the assemblies throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
- Hebrews 3:13-15 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm to the end, while it is said, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain While we have the full government thereof.
While we have the full government thereof.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Ch 14:7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us…
2Ch 14:7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about [them] walls, and towers, gates, and bars, [while] the land [is] yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought [him], and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
Ver. 7. Because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him.] It did his heart good to think how piously they had purchased their present peace; and therefore he repeateth it. See Zec 8:19. {See Trapp on "Zec 8:19"}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Yet before us, i.e. in our power, as that…
Yet before us, i.e. in our power, as that phrase is oft used. See Poole "Gen 13:9".
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Asa had an army of men that bare…
And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand,.... These were armed with a large sort of shield, to protect them, and with spears, to push at an enemy when they came near them, and to close quarters with them:
and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand; these had also a lesser sort of shields, to defend their bodies, and bows and arrows, to annoy an enemy at a distance:
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all these were mighty men of valour; able bodied men, valiant and courageous; perhaps Asa gathered these together, on hearing that the Ethiopians were preparing to attack him, as follows.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Before us - In our power.
Before us - In our power.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The land is yet before us - i. e.,…
The land is yet before us - i. e., “unoccupied by an enemy” - “the land is open to us to go where we please.” Compare Gen 13:9. The fortification of the strongholds would be an act of rebellion against Egypt, and it might be expected that the Egyptians would endeavor to put a stop to it.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain while the land is yet before us--that is, while…
while the land is yet before us--that is, while we have free and undisputed progress everywhere; no foe is near; but, as this happy time of peace may not last always and the kingdom is but small and weak, let us prepare suitable defenses in case of need. He had also an army of five hundred eighty thousand men. Judah furnished the heavily armed soldiers, and Benjamin the archers. This large number does not mean a body of professional soldiers, but all capable of bearing arms and liable to be called into service.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 7. Therefore he said] R.V. For he said.
7. Therefore he said] R.V. For he said.
and bars, while the land is yet before us; because, etc.] R.V. and bars; the land is yet before us, because, etc.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (7) Therefore.—And.
(7) Therefore.—And.
These cities.—The “fenced cities” of last verse. Their names are unknown. Geba and Mizpah were fortified by Asa; but that was after the war with Baasha, which began in the twenty-sixth year of Asa (1Ki_15:33); see 2Ch_16:6. A general system of defence, like that of Rehoboam, who fortified as many as fifteen cities, seems to be indicated.
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Walls.—A wall.
Gates (doors) and bars.—1Sa_23:7, and 2Ch_8:5, supra, where “bars” is, as usual, singular, bariach. Here it is plural.
While the land is yet before us.—Is open to us, free from hostile occupation. The phrase is apparently borrowed from Gen_13:9. (Is yet, ‘odennû, masculine pronoun, instead of feminine; probably a clerical error). Omit while, and put a stop at bars. “The land is still before us, for we have sought the Lord,” appears to be the connection of thought.
So they built and prospered—i.e., built prosperously, without let or hindrance.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain We have sought him, and he hath given us…
We have sought him, and he hath given us rest. In three successive verses the blessings of peace and quiet, and no war and rest, are recorded (Isa_26:1; Zec_2:5)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Therefore said he unto Judah, Let us build these…
2Ch_14:7
Therefore said he unto Judah, Let us build these cities . . . while the land is yet before us
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The duty of improving present opportunity
(a Sunday-school sermon):--Consider--
I.
The opportunity for labour with which we are blessed. The land is yet before us.
1. We have liberty to labour.
2. The facilities are great: multiplication of elementary books, circulation of Bibles, etc.
3. The encouragements are numerous. The prejudices of society are in our favour. Gods command, etc.
II. The importance of labouring while we have this opportunity.
1. What is the work to which we are called? That of teaching the young the Word of God (Deu_6:6-7; Psa_78:5; Psa_78:7; Pro_22:6).
2. The duty of improving existing opportunities. Conclusion: Address children. If you had to pass through a long and dark passage where there were many deep pits, how anxious, at the beginning, would you feel for light. Such is the Word of God given to you at your entrance into life (Psa_119:105). (J. G. Breay, B.A.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Asa said to Judah
Asa said to Judah
Here "Judah" refers to the people of Judah. AT: "Asa said to the people of Judah" (See: Metonymy)
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peace on every side
"peace all around." This means that Judah was at peace with all of the surrounding nations.
So they built
The ellipsis may be supplied from the context. AT: "So they built the cities" (See: Ellipsis)
300,000 men ... 280,000 men
"three hundred thousand men ... two hundred and eighty thousand men" (See: Numbers)
translationWords
Asa
watchtower
gate
seek
shield
spear
Benjamin
bow and arrow
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 14:7-14 Solomon had prayed that the Lord would hear…
14:7-14 Solomon had prayed that the Lord would hear his people when they were led into battle (6:34). In the battle against Zerah, God responded to such a prayer. • Ethiopian (literally “Cushite”) might refer to someone from southern Egypt (Nubia) or a Midianite territory northeast of Aqabah (see Num 12:1; Hab 3:7). However, the mention of Libya in 2 Chr 16:8, the size of the battle (comparable to the attack of Shishak against Rehoboam in 12:3), and the location of Mareshah in the west of Judah indicate that Zerah was an Egyptian; he is otherwise unknown. He might have been a Nubian general dispatched by Osorkon I, the Libyan pharaoh who ruled Egypt between the tenth and fourteenth years of Asa (900–897 BC). Another view is that Shishak established a buffer state around Gerar, supported by Nubian mercenaries that invaded Judah. The account, however, only says that Asa and his armies pursued the armies south to Gerar and took a vast amount of plunder, particularly from the herdsmen living in tents around the cities.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.