2 Chronicles 19:6-9 sits inside this longer paragraph.
4Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 5He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, 6and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you don’t judge for man, but for Yahweh; and he is with you in the judgment. 7Now therefore let the fear of Yahweh be on you. Take heed and do it; for there is no iniquity with Yahweh our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.”
8Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed Levites and priests, and of the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, for the judgment of Yahweh, and for controversies. They returned to Jerusalem. 9He commanded them, saying, “You shall do this in the fear of Yahweh, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. 10Whenever any controversy comes to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you must warn them, that they not be guilty toward Yahweh, and so wrath come on you and on your brothers. Do this, and you will not be guilty. 11Behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Yahweh; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and may Yahweh be with the good.”
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv6–8 Both to preserve you, if you do justly, or…
Both to preserve you, if you do justly, or to punish you, if you do the contrary.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv6–9 2Ch 19:6 And said to the judges, Take heed…
2Ch 19:6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who [is] with you in the judgment.
Ver. 6. And he said to the judges.] He left them their lesson: and it is such, surely, as deserveth not only to be written in letters of gold on all seats of judicature and in all houses of judges, but also to be engraven upon the tables of their hearts.
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Take heed what ye do.] Carete vobis, cavete populo, do all deliberately, and on good advice: looking well about you.
For ye judge not for man, but for the Lord.] Non tam mei quam Dei estis vicarii: It is God whom you represent. See therefore that ye do it worthy of God: and that you express not him to the world as a corrupt and crooked judge.
Who is with you in the judgment.] As lord paramount. It is as if Jehoshaphat had said, I cannot ride circuit with you, but God both can and will. The Ethiopian judges always reserved the chief place on the tribunal empty for God; of whose presence they were persuaded, though they saw him not.
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 On vv6–9 You represent God’s person, to whom judgement belongeth, and…
You represent God’s person, to whom judgement belongeth, and you have your commission and power from God, and not from man only; and your administration of justice is not only for man’s good, but also for God’s honour and service.
Who is with you; both to observe your carriage, and to defend you against all those enemies whom the impartial exercise of justice may provoke.
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 On vv6–9 Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be…
Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you,.... And act as having that before your eyes, and on your hearts:
take heed and do it; do the commands enjoined them by him, and do judgment according to the law of God:
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for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God; none in his nature, nor in his law; none commanded nor approved of by him, and therefore none should be done by his representatives in judgment:
nor respect of persons; whether high or low, rich or poor:
nor taking of gifts; he accepts not the faces of men, nor receives bribes, nor should his judges; this is forbidden by him, Deu 16:19.
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 On vv6–8 The Lord - You represent God's person to whom…
The Lord - You represent God's person to whom judgment belongeth, you have your commission from God, and not from man only; and your administration of justice is not only for man's good, but also for God's honour and service. With you - Both to observe your carriage, and to defend you against all those enemies whom the impartial exercise of justice may provoke.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv6, 8 Verse 6. Take heed what ye do] A very…
Verse 6. Take heed what ye do] A very solemn and very necessary caution; judges should feel themselves in the place of God, and judge as those who know they shall be judged for their judgments.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv7–9 2Ch 19:7. Wherefore, let the fear of the Lord…
2Ch 19:7. Wherefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you — Which will be a restraint upon you to keep you from doing wrong, and an encouragement to you to be active in fulfilling the duties of your office. For there is no iniquity in our God, nor respect of persons — And therefore you, who are in God’s stead, and do his work, and must give an account to him, must imitate him herein. Nor taking of gifts — So as to pervert judgment. See Exo 23:8; Deu 16:19; Pro 17:23.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v8 The “fathers of Israel” are the heads of families;…
The “fathers of Israel” are the heads of families; the chief of the fathers” are the great patriarchal chiefs, the admitted heads of great houses or clans. They were now admitted to share in the judicial office which seems in David’s time to have been confined to the Levites 1Ch 23:4.
For the judgment of the Lord, and for controversies - By the former are meant disputed cases concerning the performance of religious obligations. In “controversies” are included all the ordinary causes, whether criminal or civil.
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When they returned to Jerusalem - Rather, “and they returned to Jerusalem,” a clause which if detached from the previous words and attached to 2Ch 19:9, gives a satisfactory sense.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv6–8 And whatsoever. Heb. "who is with you in the…
And whatsoever. Heb. "who is with you in the judgment." The Lord will confirm you just decisions, and punish your injustice. H. --- God stood in the synagogue of gods, or judges, Psalm lxxxi. 1. Judges ought not so much to regard man as God, when they pass sentence. C. --- How then will the Anabaptists deny that a man may sit in judgment? T.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v8 TO THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES. (Ch2 19:8-11)
TO THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES. (Ch2 19:8-11)
set of the Levites . . . priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel--A certain number of these three classes constituted a supreme court, which sat in Jerusalem to review appellate cases from the inferior courts. It consisted of two divisions: the first of which had jurisdiction in ecclesiastical matters; the second, in civil, fiscal, and criminal cases. According to others, the two divisions of the supreme court adjudicated: the one according to the law contained in the sacred books; the other according to the law of custom and equity. As in Eastern countries at the present day, the written and unwritten law are objects of separate jurisdiction.
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Next: 2 Chronicles Chapter 20
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On v8 8. Jerusalem… Levites… priests… chief of the fathers —…
8. Jerusalem… Levites… priests… chief of the fathers — From this we need not suppose that no Levites, or priests, or chief fathers were made judges in the other cities. Probably the judges in every city were selected from one or all of these three classes. Comp. 2Ch_23:4; 2 Chronicles 2 Chronicles26:29, notes. But at Jerusalem was the supreme tribunal, to which cases came for final decision.
For the judgment of the Lord — Equivalent to “all matters of the Lord,” in 2Ch_19:11; that is, all matters pertaining to religion and the worship of Jehovah.
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And for controversies — Civil suits, as distinguished from religions or ecclesiastical; called in 2Ch_19:11, “all the king’s matters.”
When they returned to Jerusalem — Rather, and they returned, etc.
That is, the king and his attendants, who went out (2Ch_19:4) from Jerusalem to settle the judicial interests of the kingdom, returned. This sentence ought to be connected with the verse immediately following.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv6, 8, 9 6. Take heed] R.V. Consider.
6. Take heed] R.V. Consider.
who is with you in the judgment] Render, and He is with you in giving judgment (cp. R.V. and mg.). The judges in deciding cases against the rich and powerful were to strengthen themselves with the thought “God is with us” (“Immanuel”).
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 On vv6–9 (6) Ye judge not for man, but for the…
(6) Ye judge not for man, but for the Lord.—’Tis not for man that ye will judge, but for Jehovah, as His vicegerents, and ministers of His will. (Comp. Rom_13:1-4.)
Who is with you in the judgment.—This rightly gives the sense of the brief words: “and with you in word of doom.” i.e., Jehovah will be present with you at the time of your giving sentence. (See on 2Ch_20:17, and comp. Psa_82:1-4 : “God standeth in God’s Assembly; in the midst of gods (i.e., judges) He judgeth.”) The LXX. and Vulgate misunderstand the passage; but the Syriac renders: “Be strong, and judge true judgment, and the Lord will be with you for ever.” (Comp. also Deu_1:17 : “The decision belongeth to God”; and Exo_21:6.) The name “Jehoshaphat” denotes Jehovah judgeth.
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 On vv6, 8 Vers. 6, 7. The statement of the Divine principles…
Vers. 6, 7. The statement of the Divine principles laid down in these verses for the foundations of the "kingdom of heaven" on earth, and the doing of God"s "will on earth, even as it is in heaven," stretch from Moses and Job (Lev_19:15; Deu_1:17 Deu_10:17 Deu_16:19; Job_34:19) to SS. Paul and Peter (Act_10:34; Rom_2:11; 1Pe_1:17)
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 On v7 Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be…
2Ch_19:7
Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you.
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Jehoshaphat reproved
I. His sin. This was--
1. Helping in an ungodly enterprise, against which the prophet had warned him.
2. Forming an alliance, of which the influence on himself, his family, and people could only be bad. It fills one with a kind of despair to see how, among those who profess to regard religion an all-important, friendships and alliances discussed and fixed without this ever coming into view.
II. The rebuke which followed the kings sin.
III. The kings repentance.
1. He received reproof with meekness.
2. He kept aloof from occasions of fresh sin.
3. He did what he could to repair the wrong his example had done.
IV. What made jehoshaphat so prompt to return to the right path when once he had left it? His deep sense of God and right appreciation of His character. Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts. Nothing so controllingly underlies what a man is and does as his cherished thoughts of God. (Monday Club Sermons.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v9 (See Scofield "Psa 19:9").
fear
(See Scofield "Psa 19:9").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv6, 8 He said to the judges
He said to the judges
"Jehoshaphat said to the judges"
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he is with you
Possible meanings are 1) Yahweh was aware of what the judges decided or 2) Yahweh would hold the judges accountable for their decisions or 3) Yahweh would help and guide them in their decisions. (See: Idiom)
let the fear of Yahweh be upon you
This can be expressed in active form. AT: "you should remember to fear Yahweh when you judge"
there is no iniquity with Yahweh our God, nor is there any favoritism or bribe taking
The abstract nouns "iniquity," "favoritism," and "bribe" can be translated using the verbs "sin," "favor," and "bribe." AT: "Yahweh our God will not sin or favor one person over another in judgment or be bribed" (See: Abstract Nouns)
translationWords
judge
fear
iniquity
favor
bribe
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.