2 Chronicles 17:7
in 2 Chronicles 17In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben-hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;
KJV
Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Ben–hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 17
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The princes were not sent as teachers themselves, but had the duty committed to them of seeing that the people were taught. The actual teachers were the priests and Levites of 2Ch 17:8.
This site's exposition
to teach in the cities of Judah
on 2 Chronicles 17:7-9
In the third year Jehoshaphat sends five princes, nine Levites and two priests through all the cities of Judah, and they carry the book of the law of the Lord with them as they go. Nothing in Samuel or Kings parallels this mission; it is Chronicles' own material, an itinerant teaching program built on the written word a century before Josiah's workmen find a forgotten copy of that same law in the temple. Barnes takes the book carried to be the Pentateuch essentially as it stands, brought along because full copies of the law were scarce, and Gill reads the teaching itself as the people's duty toward God and man, taught from the text and confirmed by its own authority.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes,....
The princes or judges upon the bench have a great opportunity of teaching people their duty to God and man, and it is not out of their province, for the laws of God are to be looked upon as laws of the land.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Time and unbroken opportunities were afforded for carrying out fully this excellent plan of home education, for the kingdom enjoyed internal tranquillity as well as freedom for foreign wars. It is conformable to the pious style of the sacred historian to trace this profound peace to the "fear of the Lord having fallen on all kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah."
To teach in the cities of Judah - “To teach the fear of the Lord in the cities of Judah.” - Targum. In these verses we find a remarkable account of an itinerant ministry established by Jehoshaphat; and in this work he employed three classes of men: 1. The princes. 2. The Levites. 3. The priests. We may presume that the princes instructed the people in the nature of the civil law and constitution of the kingdom; the Levites instructed them in every thing that appertained to the temple service, and ritual law; and the priests instructed them in the nature and design of the religion they professed. Thus the nation became thoroughly instructed in their duty to God, to the king, and to each other. They became, therefore, as one man; and against a people thus united, on such principles, no enemy could be successful.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבִשְׁנַ֨ת | uvishnat | and in year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| שָׁל֜וֹשׁ | shaloosh | three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| לְמָלְכ֗וֹ | lemalekho | of reigning his | H4427 → | 348 times |
| שָׁלַ֤ח | shalach | he sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| לְשָׂרָיו֙ | lesarav | <to> officials his | H8269 → | 421 times |
| לְבֶן־ | leven- | <to> Ben- | H1134 → | |
| חַ֙יִל֙ | chayil | Hail | H1134 → | |
| וּלְעֹבַדְיָ֣ה | uleoadyah | and <to> Obadiah | H5662 → | |
| וְלִזְכַרְיָ֔ה | velizkharyah | and <to> Zechariah | H2148 → | 43 times |
| וְלִנְתַנְאֵ֖ל | velintanel | and <to> Nethanel | H5417 → | |
| וּלְמִיכָיָ֑הוּ | ulemikhayahu | and <to> Micaiah | H4322 → | |
| לְלַמֵּ֖ד | lelamed | to teach | H3925 → | 85 times |
| בְּעָרֵ֥י | bearei | in [the] cities of | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| יְהוּדָֽה׃ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
וּבִשְׁנַ֨תand in year
uvishnatH8141 →877 times
שָׁל֜וֹשׁthree
shalooshH7969 →432 times
לְמָלְכ֗וֹof reigning his
lemalekhoH4427 →348 times
שָׁלַ֤חhe sent
shalachH7971 →845 times
לְשָׂרָיו֙<to> officials his
lesaravH8269 →421 times
לְבֶן־<to> Ben-
leven-H1134 →
חַ֙יִל֙Hail
chayilH1134 →
וּלְעֹבַדְיָ֣הand <to> Obadiah
uleoadyahH5662 →
וְלִזְכַרְיָ֔הand <to> Zechariah
velizkharyahH2148 →43 times
וְלִנְתַנְאֵ֖לand <to> Nethanel
velintanelH5417 →
וּלְמִיכָיָ֑הוּand <to> Micaiah
ulemikhayahuH4322 →
לְלַמֵּ֖דto teach
lelamedH3925 →85 times
בְּעָרֵ֥יin [the] cities of
beareiH5892 →1090 times
יְהוּדָֽה׃Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 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
2 Chronicles 15:3For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 17:8–9
accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Nehemiah 8:9
Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or…
- Leviticus 10:11
so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.”
- Jeremiah 10:10
But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at His wrath, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
- Ezekiel 44:21–23
No priest may drink wine before he enters the inner court.
- 2 Chronicles 17:8–9
Through
2 Chronicles 35:3To the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the LORD, Josiah said: “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. It is not…
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 23:26
So now the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.”
- 2 Chronicles 30:22
And Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully before the LORD. For seven days they ate their assigned portion, sacrificing fellowship offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
- Deuteronomy 33:10
He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
- 1 Chronicles 23:26
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, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.