2 Chronicles 19:11
in 2 Chronicles 19Note that Amariah, the chief priest, will be over you in all that pertains to the LORD, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all that pertains to the king. And the Levites will serve as officers before you. Act resolutely; may the LORD be with the upright!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Jehovah; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and Jehovah be with the good.
KJV
And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king’s matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 19
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
In religious causes, Amariah, the high priest, was to preside over the court; in civil or criminal causes, Zebadiah was to be president. And to Levites, other than the judges, he assigned the subordinate offices about the court.
This site's exposition
did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites
on 2 Chronicles 19:8-11
In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat sets a second court of Levites, priests and heads of fathers for cases returned there from the district courts, charging them to act in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. Two jurisdictions are named and divided: Amariah the chief priest over all matters of the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, ruler of the house of Judah, over the king's matters, the sacred and civil courts each with its own head under one throne. The charge ends on courage rather than technique, deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good, the same confidence chapter 20 will need within the year.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening5 voices
Matters of the Lord - In Spiritual, or ecclesiastical matters. Ruler - The prince, or chief ruler, under the king, of the tribe of Judah. The king's matters - For civil causes, or controversies either between the king and his people; or between subject and subject, which may be called the king's matters, because it was a principal part of his office to see them justly decided.
Thus there are diversities of gifts and operations, but all from the same Spirit, and for the good of the body. Some best understand the matters of the Lord, others the king's matters; neither can say to the other, I have no need of thee, for God's Israel has need of both; and, as every one has received the gift, so let him minister the same.
2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the L ORD ? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the L ORD . 3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:94%@v2-3
And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord,....
And these hands and feet were as necessary in their places as the eyes and heads (the judges) in theirs. The charge which the king gave them. (1.) They must see to it that they acted from a good principle; they must do all in the fear of the Lord, setting him always before them, and then they would act faithfully, conscientiously, and with a perfect upright heart,
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Behold, Amariah - Here was a two-fold jurisdiction, ecclesiastical and civil: in the ecclesiastical court, Amariah the high-priest was supreme judge, in the civil court, Zebadiah was supreme. To assist both the Levites were a sort of counsellors. Without good and wholesome laws, no nation can be prosperous: and vain are the best laws if they be not judiciously and conscientiously administered. The things of God and the things of the King should never be confounded in the administration of justice. Amariah the priest, and Zebadiah the ruler, should ever have their distinct places of jurisdiction.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
and may the Lord be with the good with the one who performs that which is good and upright.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
between blood[shed] and blood[shed] between the bloodshed of an unintentional murder and an intentional one.
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
26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהִנֵּ֡ה | vehineh | and here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| אֲמַרְיָ֣הוּ | ʾamaryahu | Amariah | H568 → | |
| כֹהֵן֩ | khohen | [the] priest of | H3548 → | 750 times |
| הָרֹ֨אשׁ | harosh | the head | H7218 → | 599 times |
| עֲלֵיכֶ֜ם | ʾaleikhem | [will be] over you | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לְכֹ֣ל | lekhol | to every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| דְּבַר־ | devar- | <the> matter of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וּזְבַדְיָ֨הוּ | uzevadyahu | and Zebadiah | H2069 → | |
| בֶן־ | ven- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׁמָעֵ֜אל | yishmael | Ishmael | H3458 → | |
| הַנָּגִ֤יד | hanagid | the leader | H5057 → | 45 times |
| לְבֵית־ | leveit- | of [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יְהוּדָה֙ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| לְכֹ֣ל | lekhol | to every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| דְּבַר־ | devar- | <the> matter of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וְשֹׁטְרִ֥ים | veshoterim | and [will be] officials | H7860 → | 25 times |
| הַלְוִיִּ֖ם | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| לִפְנֵיכֶ֑ם | lifneikhem | <to> before you | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| חִזְק֣וּ | chizku | be strong | H2388 → | 291 times |
| וַעֲשׂ֔וּ | vaasu | and act | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| וִיהִ֥י | vihi | so may he be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| הַטּֽוֹב׃ פ | hatov | the good | H2896 → | 538 times |
וְהִנֵּ֡הand here!
vehinehH2009 →843 times
אֲמַרְיָ֣הוּAmariah
ʾamaryahuH568 →
כֹהֵן֩[the] priest of
khohenH3548 →750 times
הָרֹ֨אשׁthe head
haroshH7218 →599 times
עֲלֵיכֶ֜ם[will be] over you
ʾaleikhemH5921 →5755 times
לְכֹ֣לto every
lekholH3605 →5413 times
דְּבַר־<the> matter of
devar-H1697 →1440 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וּזְבַדְיָ֨הוּand Zebadiah
uzevadyahuH2069 →
בֶן־[the] son of
ven-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׁמָעֵ֜אלIshmael
yishmaelH3458 →
הַנָּגִ֤ידthe leader
hanagidH5057 →45 times
לְבֵית־of [the] house of
leveit-H1004 →2046 times
יְהוּדָה֙Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
לְכֹ֣לto every
lekholH3605 →5413 times
דְּבַר־<the> matter of
devar-H1697 →1440 times
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וְשֹׁטְרִ֥יםand [will be] officials
veshoterimH7860 →25 times
הַלְוִיִּ֖םthe Levites
halviyimH3881 →291 times
לִפְנֵיכֶ֑ם<to> before you
lifneikhemH6440 →2123 times
חִזְק֣וּbe strong
chizkuH2388 →291 times
וַעֲשׂ֔וּand act
vaasuH6213 →2628 times
וִיהִ֥יso may he be
vihiH1961 →3559 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
הַטּֽוֹב׃ פthe good
hatovH2896 →538 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 Timothy 2:1You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 12:9–10
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of…
- Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- 2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- 1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9–10
Through
1 Chronicles 22:19Now set your heart and soul to seek the LORD your God. Get started building the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD…
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 28:9
As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought.…
- Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
- 1 Chronicles 16:11
Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.
- 1 Chronicles 28:9
About 2 Chronicles

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsIshmaelAbraham's son by Hagar — blessed and made a great nation, but not the covenant heir; Paul's figure of the flesh (Gal 4:21–31).
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
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, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; 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.
