2 Chronicles 25:7
in 2 Chronicles 25But a man of God came to him and said, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—not with any of the Ephraimites.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for Jehovah is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.
KJV
But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the Lord is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 25
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThe Lord is not with Israel - “The Word of the Lord is not the helper of the Israelites, nor of the kingdom of the tribe of Ephraim.” - Targum.
This site's exposition
let not the army of Israel go with thee
on 2 Chronicles 25:7-8
The man of God who confronts Amaziah before the campaign even begins has no counterpart in Kings; the whole episode from verse 7 through verse 10 is Chronicles' own addition. His charge is not moral but positional, the Lord is not with Israel, because Ephraim's worship at the calves has cut it off from the Lord's presence regardless of its numbers. Fellowship with an unfaithful ally is treated as a spiritual liability before it is treated as a military one.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
For the Almighty sets in motion even in the innermost hearts of people the movement of their will, so that he does through their agency whatsoever he wishes to perform through them—even he who knows not how to will anything in unrighteousness. What, again, is the purport of that which the man of God said to King Amaziah: "Let not the army of Israel go with you; for the Lord is not with Israel, even with all the children of Ephraim: for if you shall think to obtain with these, the Lord shall put you to flight before your enemies: for God has power either to strengthen or to put to flight"? Now, how does the power of God help some in war by giving them confidence and put others to flight by injecting fear into them, except it be that he who has made all things according to his own will, in heaven and on earth, also works in human hearts? We read also what Joash, king of Israel, said when he sent a message to Amaziah, king of Judah, who wanted to fight with him. After certain other words, he added, "Now stay at home; why do you challenge me to your hurt, that you should fall, you and Judah with you?" Then the Scripture has added this sequel: "But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might be delivered into their hands, because they sought after the gods of Edom." Behold, now, how God, wishing to punish the sin of idolatry, wrought this in this man's heart, with whom he was indeed justly angry, not to listen to sound advice but to despise it and go to the battle in which he with his army was routed.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Let not, &c. - It is comfortable to employ those, who we have reason to hope, have an interest in heaven, but dangerous associating with those from whom the Lord is departed.
But there came a man of God to him,....
He would not have him call in any assistance at all: it looked like distrust of God. If he made sure of God's presence, the army he had of his own was sufficient. But particularly he must not take in their assistance: For the Lord is not with the children of Ephraim, because they are not with him, but worship the calves.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאִ֣ישׁ | veish | and [the] man of | H376 → | 1663 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| בָּ֤א | ba' | he came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֵלָיו֙ | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לֵאמֹ֔ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הַמֶּ֕לֶךְ | hamelekh | O king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| יָבֹ֥א | yavo' | it go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| עִמְּךָ֖ | ʾimekha | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| צְבָ֣א | tzeva' | [the] army of | H6635 → | 485 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֵ֤ין | ʾein | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | [is] with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| כֹּ֖ל | kol | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בְּנֵ֥י | benei | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ | ʾefrayim | Ephraim | H669 → | 180 times |
וְאִ֣ישׁand [the] man of
veishH376 →1663 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
בָּ֤אhe came
ba'H935 →2568 times
אֵלָיו֙to him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
הַמֶּ֕לֶךְO king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
יָבֹ֥אit go
yavo'H935 →2568 times
עִמְּךָ֖with you
ʾimekhaH5973 →1050 times
צְבָ֣א[the] army of
tzeva'H6635 →485 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֵ֤יןnot
ʾeinH369 →789 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עִם־[is] with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
כֹּ֖לall
kolH3605 →5413 times
בְּנֵ֥י[the] descendants of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
אֶפְרָֽיִם׃Ephraim
ʾefrayimH669 →180 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 Timothy 6:11But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 2:22
Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
- 2 Timothy 3:17
so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
- 1 Timothy 4:12
Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
- 2 Timothy 2:22
Through
2 Timothy 3:17so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 2:21
So if anyone cleanses himself of what is unfit, he will be a vessel for honor: sanctified, useful to the Master, and prepared for every good work.
- 2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
- Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
- 1 Timothy 6:11
But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
- Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.
- 2 Timothy 2:21
About 2 Chronicles
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, ON GRACE AND FREE WILL 42 [21]; 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.