‘If evil comes on us—the sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this house, and before you (for your name is in this house), and cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’
Parallel Translations
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‘If evil comes on us—the sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this house, and before you (for your name is in this house), and cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’
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If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.
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If evil come upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before Thee — for Thy name is in this house — and cry unto Thee in our affliction, and Thou wilt hear and save.
Cross-references (7)
Passages linked to 2 Chronicles 20:9 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Chronicles 6:28-30 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; whatever prayer and supplication is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, who will each know his own plague and his own sorrow, and shall spread out his hands toward this house; then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you, even you only, know the hearts of the children of men)
- 1 Kings 8:33 “When your people Israel are struck down before the enemy, because they have sinned against you; if they turn again to you, and confess your name, and pray and make supplication to you in this house;
- 2 Chronicles 6:20 that your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place where you have said that you would put your name; to listen to the prayer which your servant will pray toward this place.
- Exodus 20:24 You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you.
- 1 Kings 8:37 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague, whatever sickness there is;
- Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”
- Exodus 23:21 Pay attention to him, and listen to his voice. Don’t provoke him, for he will not pardon your disobedience, for my name is in him.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (8 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Meaning war which cometh by God’s just judgments for…
Meaning war which cometh by God’s just judgments for our sins.
That is, it is here called upon, and thou declarest thy presence and favor.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Ch 20:9 If, [when] evil cometh upon us, [as]…
2Ch 20:9 If, [when] evil cometh upon us, [as] the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name [is] in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.
Ver. 9. If when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, &c.] Which is called "evil" by a specialty. "I make peace, and create evil," i.e., war. {Isa 45:7} It is here further called a judgment by a specialty.
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For thy name is in this house.] And shall it be a mere name? wilt not thou afford us the true signs and effects of thy presence?
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 The sword, judgment, or rather, the sword of judgment,…
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.
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 If when evil cometh upon us,.... Any calamity:
If when evil cometh upon us,.... Any calamity:
as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, God's four sore judgments, if by "judgment" is meant wild beasts:
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we stand before this house; in the court before the holy place, and holy of holies:
and in thy presence, for thy name is in this house; called upon in it, and it was called by his name, and in which he dwelt:
and cry unto thee in our affliction; as Solomon prayed at the dedication of it:
then thou wilt hear and help; as the Lord promised, see Kg1 8:33.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 9. For thy name is in this house]…
Verse 9. For thy name is in this house] "Thy Majesty is in this house." Several of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., with the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic, add נקרא nikra, "is invoked;" Thy name is invoked in this house - here thou dwellest, and here thou art worshipped.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Sword of. Prot. "as the sword, judgment, or," &c.…
Sword of. Prot. "as the sword, judgment, or," &c. Sept. "the sword, judgment, death, famine." All these are sent in punishment of sin. H. --- The sword of the enemy is a judgment of God. (M.
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).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 9. If, when evil cometh] R.V. If evil come.
9. If, when evil cometh] R.V. If evil come.
as the sword, judgment] Omit as and render with R.V. mg. the sword of judgement (cp. Eze_14:17).
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we stand before this house, and in thy presence] R.V. we will stand before this house, and before thee.
then thou wilt hear and help] R.V. and thou wilt hear and save.
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 (9) If when evil cometh upon us.—A summary of…
(9) If when evil cometh upon us.—A summary of part of Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication (2Ch_6:24-30). The reference to this prayer implies a confidence that it had been accepted in heaven, as the sign that followed it indicated (2Ch_7:1-3). Syriac, “When the sanctuary is amongst us, there will not come upon us evil, nor sword, nor judgment, &c., and we will come and stand before this house, and before Thee, because Thy name is invoked in this house; and we will come and pray before Thee in this house and thou wilt hearken to the voice of our prayer, and deliver us.” The Hebrew seems to say, “If there come upon us evil—sword (judgment), and pestilence and famine—we will stand (i.e., come forward) before this house, and before Thee, for Thy name is in this house, and we will cry unto Thee out of our distress, and Thou shalt (or that Thou mayest) hear and save.” The word rendered “judgment” (shĕphôt) is not used as a noun anywhere else; and, lacking a conjunction, it spoils the symmetry of the sentence. It is probably an ancient gloss. All the versions have it; and the Vulg. renders, “sword of judgment.” (Comp. the Syriac in 2Ch_20:12, infra.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.