2 Chronicles 20:15
in 2 Chronicles 20And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat: Thus saith Jehovah unto you, Fear not ye, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
KJV
And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 20
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The prophet uses words familiar to the people, and connected with several great deliverances (see the marginal references). 2Ch 20:16 By the “cliff (or, rather - as in the margin - ascent) of Ziz,” we must understand the mountain path which leads up from Engedi across the elevated tract still known as El-Husasah, in the direction of Tekoa 2Ch 20:20. At the end of the brook - Rather, “at the end of the gulley,” or dry torrent-course. No name like Jeruel has been as yet found in this district.
This site's exposition
a Levite of the sons of Asaph
on 2 Chronicles 20:14-17
The answer comes through a singer: Jahaziel is of the sons of Asaph, the choir David founded in 1 Chr 25, and the Spirit of the LORD comes on him in the midst of the congregation. The oracle carries the sentence that occurs nowhere else in Scripture, the battle is not yours, but God's, and its instruction repeats Moses at the sea: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD, the shape of Ex 14:13, a correspondence the bench draws and the words invite. Tomorrow they must still march out; standing still is a posture of trust, not of absence.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): " Be not afraid; you have admitted fear enough to bring you to God, do not now admit that which will drive you to God, do not now admit that which will drive you from him again. The battle is not yours; it is not in your own strength, not for your own cause, that you engage; the battle is God's: he does and will, as you have desired, interest himself in the cause." 3.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And he said, hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Then upon Jahaziel . . . came the Spirit of the Lord--This prophet is not elsewhere mentioned, but his claim to the inspiration of a prophetic spirit was verified by the calm and distinct announcement he gave, both of the manner and the completeness of the deliverance he predicted.
For the battle is not yours, but God’s - God will not employ you in the discomfiture of this great host; he himself will take the matter in hand, deliver you, and destroy them.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
You shall not fear, neither shall you be dismayed This refers back to what they said, (verse 12) “we have no strength before this multitude.” The prophet said to them, “Although they outnumber you, do not fear them.”
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
27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֗אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּ | hakshivu | pay attention | H7181 → | |
| כָל־ | khol- | O all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יְהוּדָה֙ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י | veyoshevei | and [the] inhabitants of | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| וְהַמֶּ֖לֶךְ | vehamelekh | and the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יְהוֹשָׁפָ֑ט | yehoshafat | Jehoshaphat | H3092 → | 84 times |
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֨ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֜ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לָכֶ֗ם | lakhem | to you | ||
| אַ֠תֶּם | ʾatem | O you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּֽירְא֤וּ | tireu | you be afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| וְאַל־ | veal- | and may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תֵּחַ֙תּוּ֙ | techatu | you be dismayed | H2865 → | 52 times |
| מִפְּנֵ֨י | mipenei | <from> because of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הֶהָמ֤וֹן | hehamon | the multitude | H1995 → | 83 times |
| הָרָב֙ | harav | <the> great | H7227 → | 454 times |
| הַזֶּ֔ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| לָכֶ֛ם | lakhem | [belongs] to you | ||
| הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה | hamilchamah | the battle | H4421 → | 320 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ | lelohim | to God | H430 → | 2601 times |
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּpay attention
hakshivuH7181 →
כָל־O all
khol-H3605 →5413 times
יְהוּדָה֙Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣יand [the] inhabitants of
veyosheveiH3427 →1079 times
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔םJerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
וְהַמֶּ֖לֶךְand the king
vehamelekhH4428 →2525 times
יְהוֹשָׁפָ֑טJehoshaphat
yehoshafatH3092 →84 times
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
אָמַ֨רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֜הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לָכֶ֗םto you
lakhem
אַ֠תֶּםO you
ʾatemH859 →1094 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּֽירְא֤וּyou be afraid
tireuH3372 →315 times
וְאַל־and may not
veal-H408 →724 times
תֵּחַ֙תּוּ֙you be dismayed
techatuH2865 →52 times
מִפְּנֵ֨י<from> because of
mipeneiH6440 →2123 times
הֶהָמ֤וֹןthe multitude
hehamonH1995 →83 times
הָרָב֙<the> great
haravH7227 →454 times
הַזֶּ֔ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
לָכֶ֛ם[belongs] to you
lakhem
הַמִּלְחָמָ֖הthe battle
hamilchamahH4421 →320 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֵאלֹהִֽים׃to God
lelohimH430 →2601 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
Deuteronomy 31:6Be 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.”
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.
- Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Psalms 27:14
Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
- 1 Chronicles 28:20
David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will neither fail you…
- Isaiah 41:10
Do 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…
- Joshua 1:9
Through
Deuteronomy 31:8The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
it leads to
- Exodus 33:14
And the LORD answered, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
- Deuteronomy 31:6
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.”
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Exodus 33:14
About 2 Chronicles
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.