2 Chronicles 14:6
in 2 Chronicles 14Because the land was at peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah. In those days no one made war with him, because the LORD had given him rest.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Jehovah had given him rest.
KJV
And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the Lord had given him rest.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 14
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThe land had rest - Those have rest indeed, to whom God gives rest; peace indeed, to whom Christ gives peace. We find by experience, it is good to seek the Lord.
This site's exposition
built fenced cities in Judah
on 2 Chronicles 14:6-7
Asa turns the quiet into fortification: fenced cities, walls, towers, gates and bars go up while the land is yet before us, because we have sought the Lord our God and he has given us rest on every side. The chain is the book's own logic stated once more, seeking answered by rest and rest spent on preparation rather than ease, the reasoning Jehoshaphat's court will run again in chapter 20. Barnes notes the fortification was itself a quiet act of independence, since Judah still sat inside the sphere Shishak's invasion had drawn a generation before.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he built fenced cities in Judah,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Fenced cities - To preserve his territories from invasion, and strengthen the frontiers of his kingdom, see 2Ch 14:7.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
as long as the land is before us As long as the kingdom is established before us, so that if we need them, they will be a refuge for us.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּ֛בֶן | vaiyiven | and he built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| עָרֵ֥י | ʾarei | cities of | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| מְצוּרָ֖ה | metzurah | fortification | H4694 → | 8 times |
| בִּיהוּדָ֑ה | bihudah | in Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| שָׁקְטָ֣ה | shaketah | it was at peace | H8252 → | 41 times |
| הָאָ֗רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וְאֵין־ | veein- | and there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| עִמּ֤וֹ | imo | with him | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| מִלְחָמָה֙ | milchamah | [was] war | H4421 → | 320 times |
| בַּשָּׁנִ֣ים | bashanim | in the years | H8141 → | 877 times |
| הָאֵ֔לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הֵנִ֥יחַ | heniach | he had given rest | H5117 → | 142 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לֽוֹ׃ | lo | to him |
וַיִּ֛בֶןand he built
vaiyivenH1129 →376 times
עָרֵ֥יcities of
ʾareiH5892 →1090 times
מְצוּרָ֖הfortification
metzurahH4694 →8 times
בִּיהוּדָ֑הin Judah
bihudahH3063 →819 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
שָׁקְטָ֣הit was at peace
shaketahH8252 →41 times
הָאָ֗רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
וְאֵין־and there not
veein-H369 →789 times
עִמּ֤וֹwith him
imoH5973 →1050 times
מִלְחָמָה֙[was] war
milchamahH4421 →320 times
בַּשָּׁנִ֣יםin the years
bashanimH8141 →877 times
הָאֵ֔לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הֵנִ֥יחַhe had given rest
heniachH5117 →142 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לֽוֹ׃to him
lo
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Chronicles 22:9But a son will be born to you who will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name will be Solomon, and…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 4:25
Throughout the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel dwelt securely from Dan to Beersheba, each man under his own vine and his own fig tree.
- 1 Kings 4:25
Through
2 Chronicles 15:15And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their heart. They had sought Him earnestly, and He was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 14:7
So he said to the people of Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, with doors and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the…
- 2 Chronicles 15:12
Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul.
- Isaiah 26:8
Yes, we wait for You, O LORD; we walk in the path of Your judgments. Your name and renown are the desire of our souls.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12
And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom,…
- 2 Chronicles 14:7
Through
Job 34:29But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,
it leads to
- Job 23:13
But He is unchangeable, and who can oppose Him? He does what He desires.
- Romans 8:31–34
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
- Job 23:13
About 2 Chronicles
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.