2 Chronicles 25:16
in 2 Chronicles 25While he was still speaking, the king asked, “Have we made you the counselor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Have we made thee of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
KJV
And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 25
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Art thou made of the king’s counsel? - A subtle irony: “Have I made thee one of my council? If not what entitles thee to offer thy advice?” For the fulfillment of the prophecy, see 2Ch 25:22-24, 2Ch 25:27.
This site's exposition
Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people
on 2 Chronicles 25:15-16
The prophet's question in verse 15 states the chapter's whole argument as a question, why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand. Amaziah answers not with repentance but with a threat, forbear, why shouldest thou be smitten, and the prophet obeys and stops speaking, but not before pronouncing the verdict, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee. Silencing a true prophet does not silence the word already spoken; the narrator points back to this verse when the fulfillment comes at verse 27.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
But this prophet, who dissuaded him from worshipping the gods of the Edomites, he ran upon with an unaccountable rage, which must be attributed to the witchcraft of idolatry. He was easily persuaded to part with his talents of silver, but by no means with his gods of silver.
It is at thy peril if thou sayest a word more of this matter." He seems to remind him of Zechariah's fate in the last reign, who was put to death for making bold with the king; and bids him take warning by him. Thus he justifies the killing of that prophet by menacing this, and so, in effect, makes himself guilty of the blood of both.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
The secure sinner perhaps values himself on having silenced his reprovers and monitors. It is a plain indication he is marked out for ruin. They that are deaf to reproof, are ripening apace for destruction.
And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, art thou made of the king's council?....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
as he talked with him, &c.--Those who were invested with the prophetic character were entitled to counsel kings. Amaziah, had he not been offended by unwelcome truths, would have admitted the claim of this prophet, who was probably the same that had given him counsel previous to the war with Edom.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Amaziah . . . brought the gods of the children of Seir--The Edomites worshipped the sun under different forms and with various rites. But burning incense upon altars was a principal act of worship, and this was the very thing Amaziah is described as having with strange infatuation performed.
Art thou made of the king’s counsel? - How darest thou give advice to, or reprove, a king?
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
that God has given counsel to destroy you i.e., If you do not hearken to My advice to follow the straight path, you should know, O king, that the Lord has given counsel to destroy you because you have done this, and have not hearkened to the counsel.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Come, let us confront each other to show our might on horses with spears.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֣י׀ | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְּדַבְּר֣וֹ | bedabero | when was speaking he | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֵלָ֗יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לוֹ֙ | lo | to him | ||
| הַלְיוֹעֵ֤ץ | halyoetz | ¿ into a counselor | H3289 → | 79 times |
| לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ | lamelekh | of the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| נְתַנּ֔וּךָ | netanukha | have we made you | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| חֲדַל־ | chadal- | cease | H2308 → | 58 times |
| לְךָ֖ | lekha | <for> yourself | ||
| לָ֣מָּה | lamah | <to> why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| יַכּ֑וּךָ | yakukha | will people strike down you | H5221 → | 499 times |
| וַיֶּחְדַּ֣ל | vaiyechdal | and he ceased | H2308 → | 58 times |
| הַנָּבִ֗יא | hanavi' | the prophet | H5030 → | 314 times |
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יָדַ֗עְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יָעַ֤ץ | yaatz | he has planned | H3289 → | 79 times |
| אֱלֹהִים֙ | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לְהַשְׁחִיתֶ֔ךָ | lehashchitekha | to destroy you | H7843 → | 146 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עָשִׂ֣יתָ | ʾasita | you have done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| זֹּ֔את | zot | this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ | shama'ta | you have listened | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| לַעֲצָתִֽי׃ פ | laatzati | to counsel my | H6098 → | 89 times |
וַיְהִ֣י׀and it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
בְּדַבְּר֣וֹwhen was speaking he
bedaberoH1696 →1141 times
אֵלָ֗יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
לוֹ֙to him
lo
הַלְיוֹעֵ֤ץ¿ into a counselor
halyoetzH3289 →79 times
לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙of the king
lamelekhH4428 →2525 times
נְתַנּ֔וּךָhave we made you
netanukhaH5414 →2011 times
חֲדַל־cease
chadal-H2308 →58 times
לְךָ֖<for> yourself
lekha
לָ֣מָּה<to> why?
lamahH4100 →752 times
יַכּ֑וּךָwill people strike down you
yakukhaH5221 →499 times
וַיֶּחְדַּ֣לand he ceased
vaiyechdalH2308 →58 times
הַנָּבִ֗יאthe prophet
hanavi'H5030 →314 times
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙and he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יָדַ֗עְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
יָעַ֤ץhe has planned
yaatzH3289 →79 times
אֱלֹהִים֙God
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
לְהַשְׁחִיתֶ֔ךָto destroy you
lehashchitekhaH7843 →146 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
עָשִׂ֣יתָyou have done
ʾasitaH6213 →2628 times
זֹּ֔אתthis
zotH2063 →603 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
שָׁמַ֖עְתָּyou have listened
shama'taH8085 →1159 times
לַעֲצָתִֽי׃ פto counsel my
laatzatiH6098 →89 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 4:3For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 2:1–3
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 2 Timothy 3:1–6
But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.
- 1 Timothy 4:1–3
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
- 1 Timothy 1:10
for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching
- Galatians 4:16
Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
- 2 Peter 2:1–3
Through
1 Samuel 2:25If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since…
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:26
If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,
- 1 Samuel 3:14
Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, ‘The iniquity of Eli’s house shall never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”
- Joshua 11:20
For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD…
- Hebrews 10:26
About 2 Chronicles

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 (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
