2 Chronicles 16:9
in 2 Chronicles 16For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly; for from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
KJV
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 16
Commentary
11 notes on this verseProvidence runs to and fro, is never out of the way, never to seek, never at a loss. (2.) That God governs the world for the good of his people, does all in pursuance of the counsels of his love concerning their salvation, all for Jacob his servant's sake, and Israel his elect, Isa. xlv. Christ is head over all things to his church, Eph. i.
This site's exposition
Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria
on 2 Chronicles 16:7-9
Hanani's confrontation has no parallel in Kings; it is Chronicles' own addition to Asa's history, and the charge is exact, relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God. The seer recalls the far larger host of Ethiopians and Lubim that Asa met by faith alone in chapter fourteen, so the rebuke measures the king against his own earlier obedience rather than against some standard he never knew. Verse nine gives the seeking refrain its fullest statement in the book, the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him, and turns Asa's peace into wars for the rest of his days.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 5 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The soul is disposed to the gift of fortitude through the unconquerable shield of faith. If we loved truth, we would not fear the devil, because it is written: "The eyes of the Lord behold the whole earth and give fortitude to those who believe …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth,....
Asa's displeasure at this reproof. Though it came from God by one that was known to be his messenger, though the reproof was just and the reasoning fair, and all intended for his good, yet he was wroth with the seer for telling him of his folly; nay, he was in a rage with him,
It is a foolish thing to lean on a broken reed, when we have the rock of ages to rely upon. To convince him of his folly he shows him, 1. That he acted against his experience,
19 , the admission of which renders the computation easy. This passage we had before ( 1 Kings xv. 17 , &c.) and Asa was in several ways faulty in it.
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
This rebuke was pungent and, from its truth and justness, ought to have penetrated and afflicted the heart of such a man as Asa. But his pride was offended at the freedom taken by the honest reprover of royalty, and in a burst of passionate resentment, he ordered Hanani to be thrown into prison.
OUR text leads us to speak upon historical matters, and for this I shall by no means apologize, although I have sometimes heard very foolish professors speak slightingly of the historical part of Scripture. Remember that the historical books were almost the only Scripture possessed by the early saints and from those they learned the mind of God. David sang the blessedness of the man who delighted in the Law of the Lord, yet he only had the first five books and, perhaps, Joshua, Judges and Ruth—all books of history in which to meditate day and night. The Psalmist, himself, spoke most lovingly of these books, which were the only statutes and testimonies of the Lord to him, with, perhaps, the addition of the Book of Job. Other saints delighted in the histories of the Word before the more spiritual books came in their way at all. If rightly viewed, the histories of the Old Testament are full of instruction. They supply us both with warnings and examples in the realm of practical morals. And hidden within their letter, like pearls in oyster shells, lie grand spiritual Truths of God couched in allegory and metaphor. I may say of the least important of all the books what our Lord said of children, "Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones." To take away from Holy Writ involves a curse upon the daring deed—may we never incur the penalty! I feel Scripture is given by Inspiration and is profitable—be it ours to gain the profit. Let us see whether we cannot get a lesson from the life of King Asa. We will commence by noticing who he was and what he had done in his better days, for this will help to understand more clearly the fault into which he fell. He was a man of whom it is said that his heart was perfect before God all his days.
OUR text leads us to speak upon historical matters, and for this I shall by no means apologize, although I have sometimes heard very foolish professors speak slightingly of the historical part of Scripture. Remember that the historical books were almost the only Scripture possessed by the early saints and from those they learned the mind of God. David sang the blessedness of the man who delighted in the Law of the Lord, yet he only had the first five books and, perhaps, Joshua, Judges and Ruth—all books of history in which to meditate day and night.
Therefore - thou shalt have wars - And so he had with Israel during the rest of his reign, 1Ki 15:32.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עֵינָ֞יו | ʾeinav | eyes his | H5869 → | 887 times |
| מְשֹׁטְט֤וֹת | meshotetot | [are] roving about | H7751 → | |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ | haaretz | the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| לְ֠הִתְחַזֵּק | lehitchazek | to show himself strong | H2388 → | 291 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| לְבָבָ֥ם | levavam | [those who] heart their | H3824 → | 252 times |
| שָׁלֵ֛ם | shalem | [is] complete | H8003 → | 28 times |
| אֵלָ֖יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| נִסְכַּ֣לְתָּ | niskalta | you have acted foolishly | H5528 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| זֹ֑את | zot | this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מֵעַ֔תָּה | meatah | from now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| יֵ֥שׁ | yesh | there | H3426 → | 140 times |
| עִמְּךָ֖ | ʾimekha | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| מִלְחָמֽוֹת׃ | milchamot | [will be] wars | H4421 → | 320 times |
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עֵינָ֞יוeyes his
ʾeinavH5869 →887 times
מְשֹׁטְט֤וֹת[are] roving about
meshotetotH7751 →
בְּכָל־in all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
הָאָ֙רֶץ֙the earth
haaretzH776 →2504 times
לְ֠הִתְחַזֵּקto show himself strong
lehitchazekH2388 →291 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
לְבָבָ֥ם[those who] heart their
levavamH3824 →252 times
שָׁלֵ֛ם[is] complete
shalemH8003 →28 times
אֵלָ֖יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
נִסְכַּ֣לְתָּyou have acted foolishly
niskaltaH5528 →
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
זֹ֑אתthis
zotH2063 →603 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
מֵעַ֔תָּהfrom now
meatahH6258 →433 times
יֵ֥שׁthere
yeshH3426 →140 times
עִמְּךָ֖with you
ʾimekhaH5973 →1050 times
מִלְחָמֽוֹת׃[will be] wars
milchamotH4421 →320 times
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
Proverbs 15:3The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
it leads to
- Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 23:24
“Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 5:21
For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and the LORD examines all his paths.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 16:17
For My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from My face, and their guilt is not concealed from My eyes.
- Hebrews 4:13
Through
1 Peter 3:12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 34:15–16
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
- John 9:31
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.
- Proverbs 15:3
Through
Psalms 34:15The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
- 1 Peter 3:12
About 2 Chronicles
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 5; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1152: “A Lesson from the Life of King Asa” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of the Chronicles and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.