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2 Chronicles 20:9

in 2 Chronicles 20

‘If disaster comes upon us—whether sword or judgment, plague or famine—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your Name is in this temple. We will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.’

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

If evil come upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before thee (for thy name is in this house), and cry unto thee in our affliction, and thou wilt hear and save.

KJV

If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

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This verse in 2 Chronicles 20

Commentary

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

For thy name is in this house - “Thy Majesty is in this house.” Several of Kennicott’s and De Rossi’s MSS., with the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic, add נקרא nikra, “is invoked;” Thy name is invoked in this house - here thou dwellest, and here thou art worshipped.

This site's exposition

before the new court

on 2 Chronicles 20:5-9

The prayer stands on Solomon's dedication and quotes it back to God: verse 9's formula, if the sword, judgment, pestilence or famine come and we stand before this house and cry, then thou wilt hear and help, is the petition of 2 Chr 6:28-30 invoked as a filed covenant document, for thy name is in this house. Abraham is called thy friend, a title Isa 41:8 repeats and Jas 2:23 seals, and the land is argued as the gift given to that friend's seed for ever. Jehoshaphat prays precedent before he prays need.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

If when evil cometh upon us,.... Any calamity: as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, God's four sore judgments, if by "judgment" is meant wild beasts: we stand before this house; in the court before the holy place, and holy of holies: and in thy presence, for thy name is in this house; called upon in it, and it was called by his name, and in which he dwelt: and cry unto thee in our affliction; as Solomon prayed at the dedication of it: then thou wilt hear and help; as the Lord promised, see 1Ki 8:33.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Here thy name is; here we are. Lord, help us, for the glory of thy name." (5.) He pleads the ingratitude and injustice of his enemies: "We are such as it will be thy glory to appear for; they are such as it will be thy glory to appear against; for, [1.] They ill requite our ancient kindnesses.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

Jehoshaphat stood . . . in the house of the Lord, before the new court--that is, the great or outer court (2Ch 4:9) called the new court, probably from having been at that time enlarged or beautified.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

And said, O Lord God of our fathers--This earnest and impressive prayer embraces every topic and argument which, as king and representative of the chosen people, he could urge.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

And now about all that You promised us to save us from our enemies who are coming upon us.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on II Chronicles 20:10:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg

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

22 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • אִם־if

    ʾim-H518 →1069 times

  • תָּב֨וֹאit will come

    tavo'H935 →2568 times

  • עָלֵ֜ינוּon us

    ʾaleinuH5921 →5755 times

  • רָעָ֗הcalamity

    raahH7451 →662 times

  • חֶרֶב֮sword

    cherevH2719 →413 times

  • שְׁפוֹט֮judgment

    shefotH8196 →

  • וְדֶ֣בֶרand pestilence

    vedeverH1698 →49 times

  • וְרָעָב֒and famine

    veraavH7458 →101 times

  • נַֽעַמְדָ֞הwe will stand

    naamdahH5975 →521 times

  • לִפְנֵ֨י<to> before

    lifneiH6440 →2123 times

  • הַבַּ֤יִתthe house

    habayitH1004 →2046 times

  • הַזֶּה֙<the> this

    hazehH2088 →1180 times

  • וּלְפָנֶ֔יךָand <to> before you

    ulefaneikhaH6440 →2123 times

  • כִּ֥יfor

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • שִׁמְךָ֖name your

    shimkhaH8034 →864 times

  • בַּבַּ֣יִת[is] in the house

    babayitH1004 →2046 times

  • הַזֶּ֑ה<the> this

    hazehH2088 →1180 times

  • וְנִזְעַ֥קso we may cry out

    venizakH2199 →73 times

  • אֵלֶ֛יךָto you

    ʾeleikhaH413 →5510 times

  • מִצָּרָתֵ֖נוּfrom distress our

    mitzaratenuH6869 →

  • וְתִשְׁמַ֥עso you may hear

    vetishma'H8085 →1159 times

  • וְתוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃and you may save

    vetoshia'H3467 →

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

10 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

2 Chronicles 6:28–30When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemies besiege them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come,16 worksPsalms 30:11You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,8 works2 Chronicles 6:20May Your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your Name, so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.6 works1 Kings 8:33When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and confess Your name, praying and pleading with You in this temple,6 worksExodus 20:24You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you.5 works1 Kings 8:37When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemy besieges them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come,3 works
The other 4 cross-references, with their words ▾
Matthew 18:20For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”3 worksEzra 10:1While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well.3 worksExodus 23:21Pay attention to him and listen to his voice; do not defy him, for he will not forgive rebellion, since My Name is in him.2 worksEzekiel 14:19Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath upon it through bloodshed, cutting off from it both man and beast,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Exodus 20:24

    You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name…

    it leads to

    • 2 Chronicles 6:6

      But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Deuteronomy 12:5

      Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.

    • Psalms 132:13–14

      For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His home:

    • 1 Kings 9:3

      And the LORD said to him: “I have heard your prayer and petition before Me. I have consecrated this temple you have built by putting My Name there forever; My eyes and My heart…

    • 2 Chronicles 7:16

      For I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that My Name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.

  • Through

    1 Kings 8:33

    When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and confess Your name, praying and pleading with You in this temple,

    it leads to

    • Leviticus 26:17

      And I will set My face against you, so that you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one pursues you.

    • Deuteronomy 28:25

      The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them in one direction but flee from them in seven. You will be an object of horror to…

  • Through

    1 Kings 8:37

    When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemy besieges them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come,

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 28:21–22

      The LORD will make the plague cling to you until He has exterminated you from the land that you are entering to possess.

About 2 Chronicles

The Ammonite and Moabite Armies Are Destroyed — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
The Ammonite and Moabite Armies Are Destroyed — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
2 Chronicles: the study guide →Read 2 Chronicles 20 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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.

Read on in 2 Chronicles 20 →