2 Chronicles 17:3
in 2 Chronicles 17Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek out the Baals,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the Baalim,
KJV
And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 17
Commentary
8 notes on this verseOf Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, it is written, "And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, who walked in the first ways of David, his father." From this it is clear that Jehoshaphat possessed the justice that David first possessed and that he did not commit the sins that David later committed. "He trusted not in Baalim," he says, "but in the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the sins of Israel. And the Lord established the kingdom in his hand and all Judah brought presents to Jehoshaphat.
This site's exposition
walked in the first ways of his father David
on 2 Chronicles 17:3-4
The Lord is with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and the text sets a negative beside a positive: he sought not unto Baalim, but sought to the Lord God of his father and walked in his commandments. Barnes notes that some manuscripts read simply his father without naming David, since David's earlier and later ways are nowhere else contrasted in the text, but either way the standard held up is the founding king's devotion rather than the mixed record Asa left in his own last years. This verse plants the seeking refrain that runs through the whole book at the head of the reign the rest of the chapter bears out.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Paul himself thus limits our imitation of him ( 1 Cor. xi. 1 ): Follow me, as I follow Christ, and not otherwise. Many good people have had their first ways, which were their best ways, their first love, which was their strongest love; and in every copy we propose to write after, as we must single out that only which is good, so that chiefly which is best.
Sought not, &c. - It is true, he recovered from that fall. "Yet perhaps, says Mr. Henry, he never, while he lived, fully retrieved the spiritual strength he lost by it."
And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat,....
He worshipped the Lord God of his father and him only, prayed to him only and enquired of him only; both are included in seeking him. That he walked in God's commandments, not only worshipped the true God, but worshipped him according to his own institution, and not after the doings of Israel,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The first ways of his father David - The Septuagint and several Hebrew manuscripts omit “David,” which has probably crept in from the margin, for David’s “first ways” are nowhere else contrasted with his later ways. The real meaning of the writer is, that Jehoshaphat followed the example set by his father Asa in his earlier years 2Ch 14:1-15; 15. Baalim - On the plural form, see 1Ki 18:18 note.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The Lord was with Jehoshaphat - “The Word of the Lord was Jehoshaphat’s Helper.” - Targum.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
in the first ways of David, his father But not the last ways, when he sinned in the incident of Bathsheba, and when the Adversary enticed him to count Israel. This is the most accurate interpretation, but others explain “first” as meaning superior to Solomon and Rehoboam.
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. 6 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
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֥י | vayhi | and he was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| יְהוֹשָׁפָ֑ט | yehoshafat | Jehoshaphat | H3092 → | 84 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הָלַ֗ךְ | halakh | he walked | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| בְּדַרְכֵ֞י | bedarkhei | in [the] ways of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| דָּוִ֤יד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| אָבִיו֙ | ʾaviv | ancestor his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים | harishonim | <the> former | H7223 → | 182 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| דָרַ֖שׁ | darash | he sought | H1875 → | 164 times |
| לַבְּעָלִֽים׃ | labealim | <to> the Baals | H1168 → | 82 times |
וַיְהִ֥יand he was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
יְהוֹשָׁפָ֑טJehoshaphat
yehoshafatH3092 →84 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
הָלַ֗ךְhe walked
halakhH1980 →1546 times
בְּדַרְכֵ֞יin [the] ways of
bedarkheiH1870 →707 times
דָּוִ֤ידDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
אָבִיו֙ancestor his
ʾavivH1 →1212 times
הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים<the> former
harishonimH7223 →182 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
דָרַ֖שׁhe sought
darashH1875 →164 times
לַבְּעָלִֽים׃<to> the Baals
labealimH1168 →82 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
Isaiah 41:10Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
it leads to
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 43:1–2
Now this is what the LORD says— He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your…
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Deuteronomy 31:6–8
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- Joshua 1:9
Through
Judges 6:12And the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”
it leads to
- Joshua 1:5
No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
- Luke 1:28
The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
- Judges 2:18
Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, He was with that judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was…
- Joshua 1:5
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; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jerome, Against the Pelagians 2.21; 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.