2 Chronicles 20:21
in 2 Chronicles 20Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed them that should sing unto Jehovah, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks unto Jehovah; for his lovingkindness endureth for ever.
KJV
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.
⋯
This verse in 2 Chronicles 20
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Praise the beauty of holiness - Some render, “in the beauty of holiness” - i. e. in rich apparel and ornaments suitable to a holy occasion. Compare Psa 29:2.
This site's exposition
as they went out before the army
The order of march is the chapter's theology made visible: singers first, army behind, praising the beauty of holiness, the phrase that entered Scripture at 1 Chr 16:29 and occurs four times ever. Their one line is the refrain David planted at 1 Chr 16:34, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever, the sentence that will outlive the temple itself. Judah's vanguard is a liturgy.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
By this strange advance towards the field of battle, Jehoshaphat intended to express his firm reliance upon the word of God (which enabled him to triumph before the battle), to animate his own soldiers, to confound the enemy, and to engage God on their side; for praise pleases God better than all burnt offering and sacrifice.
Consulted - Jehoshaphat called a counsel of war, and it was resolved, to appoint singers to go out before the army, who had nothing to do, but to praise God, to praise his holiness, which is his beauty, to praise him as they did in the temple, that beauty of holiness.
And when he had consulted with the people,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
he appointed singers . . . that they should praise . . . as they went out before the army--Having arranged the line of procession, he gave the signal to move forwards. The Levites led the van with their musical instruments; and singing the 136th Psalm, the people went on, not as an army marching against an enemy, but returning in joyful triumph after a victory.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Modern Voices1 voice
The greatest need of the Church of Jesus Christ in this critical hour in history is a baptism of holiness. Purity. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּוָּעַץ֙ | vaiyivaatz | and he consulted | H3289 → | 79 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | <to> | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָעָ֔ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וַיַּעֲמֵ֤ד | vaiyaamed | and he appointed | H5975 → | 521 times |
| מְשֹֽׁרֲרִים֙ | meshorarim | [those who] sang | H7891 → | 86 times |
| לַיהוָ֔ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וּֽמְהַֽלְלִ֖ים | umehalim | and [those who] praised | H1984 → | 165 times |
| לְהַדְרַת־ | lehadrat- | to adornment of | H1927 → | |
| קֹ֑דֶשׁ | kodesh | holiness | H6944 → | 469 times |
| בְּצֵאת֙ | betzet | when went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הֶֽחָל֔וּץ | hechalutz | the [man] equipped | H2502 → | 44 times |
| וְאֹֽמְרִים֙ | veomerim | and saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הוֹד֣וּ | hodu | give thanks | H3034 → | 114 times |
| לַיהוָ֔ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לְעוֹלָ֖ם | leolam | [is] for ever | H5769 → | 438 times |
| חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | chasdo | covenant loyalty his | H2617 → | 247 times |
וַיִּוָּעַץ֙and he consulted
vaiyivaatzH3289 →79 times
אֶל־<to>
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָעָ֔םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
וַיַּעֲמֵ֤דand he appointed
vaiyaamedH5975 →521 times
מְשֹֽׁרֲרִים֙[those who] sang
meshorarimH7891 →86 times
לַיהוָ֔הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
וּֽמְהַֽלְלִ֖יםand [those who] praised
umehalimH1984 →165 times
לְהַדְרַת־to adornment of
lehadrat-H1927 →
קֹ֑דֶשׁholiness
kodeshH6944 →469 times
בְּצֵאת֙when went out
betzetH3318 →1067 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
הֶֽחָל֔וּץthe [man] equipped
hechalutzH2502 →44 times
וְאֹֽמְרִים֙and saying
veomerimH559 →5305 times
הוֹד֣וּgive thanks
hoduH3034 →114 times
לַיהוָ֔הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לְעוֹלָ֖ם[is] for ever
leolamH5769 →438 times
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃covenant loyalty his
chasdoH2617 →247 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
1 Chronicles 16:34Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 7:3
When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 106:1
Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezra 3:11
And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to the LORD: “For He is good; for His loving devotion to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 107:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
- Psalms 136:1–26
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His loving devotion endures forever.
- 2 Chronicles 7:3
Through
Psalms 107:1Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 105:1
Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 16:34
Through
1 Chronicles 16:29Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness;
it leads to
- Psalms 100:4
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and bless His name.
- Psalms 100:4
About 2 Chronicles
This page draws on 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Leonard Ravenhill, Holiness of God; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and W. H. Bennett, The Books of Chronicles (Expositor's Bible).