KJV

KJV

Click to Change

Return to Top

Return to Top

Printer Icon

Print

Prior Book Prior Chapter Back to Commentaries Author Bio & Contents Next Chapter Next Book
Cite Print
The Blue Letter Bible

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown :: Commentary on 2 Chronicles 19

Choose a new font size and typeface

The Second Book of the Chronicles

Commentary by ROBERT JAMIESON

CHAPTER 19

2Ch 19:1-4. JEHOSHAPHAT VISITS HIS KINGDOM.

      1-4. Jehoshaphat. . . returned to his house in peace--(See 2Ch 18:16 ). Not long after he had resumed the ordinary functions of royalty in Jerusalem, he was one day disturbed by an unexpected and ominous visit from a prophet of the Lord ( 2Ch 19:2 ). This was Jehu, of whose father we read in 2Ch 16:7. He himself had been called to discharge the prophetic office in Israel. But probably for his bold rebuke to Baasha ( 1Ki 16:1 ), he had been driven by that arbitrary monarch within the territory of Judah, where we now find him with the privileged license of his order, taking the same religious supervision of Jehoshaphat's proceedings as he had formerly done of Baasha's. At the interview here described, he condemned, in the strongest terms, the king of Judah's imprudent and incongruous league with Ahab--God's open enemy ( 1Ki 22:2 ) --as an unholy alliance that would be conducive neither to the honor and comfort of his house nor to the best interests of his kingdom. He apprised Jehoshaphat that, on account of that grave offense, "wrath was upon him from before the Lord," a judgment that was inflicted soon after (see 2Ch 20:1 ). The prophet's rebuke, however, was administered in a mingled strain of severity and mildness; for he interposed "a nevertheless" ( 2Ch 19:3 ), which implied that the threatened storm would be averted, in token of the divine approval of his public efforts for the promotion of the true religion, as well as of the sincere piety of his personal character and life.

      4. he went out again through the people--This means his reappointing the commissioners of public instruction ( 2Ch 17:7-9 ), perhaps with new powers and a larger staff of assistants to overtake every part of the land. The complement of teachers required for that purpose would be easily obtained because the whole tribe of Levites was now concentrated within the kingdom of Judah.

      2Ch 19:5-7. HIS INSTRUCTIONS TO THE JUDGES.

      5-7. he set judges in the land--There had been judicial courts established at an early period. But Jehoshaphat was the first king who modified these institutions according to the circumstances of the now fragmentary kingdom of Judah. He fixed local courts in each of the fortified cities, these being the provincial capitals of every district (see on JF & B for De 16:18).

      2Ch 19:8-11. TO THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES.

      8. 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.

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 1 ← Prior Book
Commentary on Ezra 1 Next Book →
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 18 ← Prior Chapter
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 20 Next Chapter →
BLB Searches
Search the Bible
KJV
 [?]

Advanced Options

Other Searches

Multi-Verse Retrieval
x
KJV

Daily Devotionals
x

Blue Letter Bible offers several daily devotional readings in order to help you refocus on Christ and the Gospel of His peace and righteousness.

Daily Bible Reading Plans
x

Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year.

One-Year Plans

Two-Year Plan

CONTENT DISCLAIMER:

The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.