2 Chronicles 20:34
(34) Now the rest of the acts.--1Kings 22:45 : "Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? "The expression how he warred hints at his victory over the three allies. "As to the historical foundation of this victory there can be no doubt, after what has been noted by Hitzig on Joel, Einleit. u. 4, 2; and by Ewald, Gesch. Isr. iii. 510, ff." (Thenius).

In the book (story).--Literally, words.

Who is mentioned.--Which is inscribed (h?'al?h, see 1Kings 9:21; 2Chronicles 8:8), or entered, in the book, &c. So the Syriac, "which is written in the book of the kings of Israel." "The words of Jehu the son of Hanani is the title of a prophetic monograph here referred to as incorporated in the "Book of the Kings of Israel."

Verse 34. - The rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, etc. These "acts of Jehoshaphat" are said in this verse to find their record in the book of Jehu... mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel. The parallel has, "in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah." For our "mentioned," note margin, literal, made to ascend and Revised Version "inserted." The "book of the kings of Israel" may (note also the remarkable apparent misnomers of our writer, as illustrated by 2 Chronicles 12:6; 2 Chronicles 21:2, 4) very possibly be one with the parallel, "book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah" (see our 'Introduction,' 1 Chronicles, pp. 7, 8.). Of this larger collected cyclopaedia of royal biography, Jehu's account (דִּבְרֵי) of Jehoshaphat was one component part. Though Jehu's (דִבְרֵי) book is not mentioned elsewhere, he himself is particularly in 1 Kings 16:1, as well as in our ch. 19:2.

20:31-37 Jehoshaphat kept close to the worship of God, and did what he could to keep his people close to it. But after God had done such great things for him, given him not only victory, but wealth; after this, to go and join himself with a wicked king, was very ungrateful. What could he expect but that God would be angry with him? Yet it seems, he took the warning; for when Ahaziah afterward pressed him to join him, he would not, 1Ki 22:49. Thus the alliance was broken, and the Divine rebuke had its effect, at least for a season. Let us be thankful for any losses which may have prevented the loss of our immortal souls. Let us praise the Lord, who sought after us, and left us not to perish in our sins.Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last,.... Those that were done at the beginning, and those that were done at the latter end of his reign:

behold, they are written in the book of Jehu, the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel; see 1 Kings 16:1, the same that reproved Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 19:2. He wrote a book of his own times, and which was so much esteemed, according to Kimchi, that it was written with, or put along with, the book of the kings of Israel, for so he interprets the phrase; but the Targum understands it of Jehu being the king's historiographer, who had the care and oversight of the diary, journal, or annals of the kings of Israel.

2 Chronicles 20:33
Top of Page
Top of Page