2 Chronicles 25:8
in 2 Chronicles 25Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will make you stumble before the enemy, for God has power to help and power to overthrow.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But if thou wilt go, do valiantly, be strong for the battle: God will cast thee down before the enemy; for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
KJV
But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 25
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
If the present text is regarded as sound, this passage must be taken ironically. But most recent commentators supply a second negative, and render it: “But go thou alone, act, be strong for the battle - God shall then not make thee to fall.”
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 Awakening2 voices
But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle,....
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
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֚י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | except | H518 → | 1069 times |
| בֹּ֣א | bo' | go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אַתָּ֔ה | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| עֲשֵׂ֖ה | ʾaseh | act | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| חֲזַ֣ק | chazak | be strong | H2388 → | 291 times |
| לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה | lamilchamah | for the battle | H4421 → | 320 times |
| יַכְשִֽׁילְךָ֤ | yakhshilekha | he will overthrow you | H3782 → | 62 times |
| הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אוֹיֵ֔ב | ʾoyev | [the] enemy | H341 → | 282 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יֶשׁ־ | yesh- | there | H3426 → | 140 times |
| כֹּ֛חַ | koach | [is] strength | H3581 → | 126 times |
| בֵּאלֹהִ֖ים | belohim | in God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לַעְז֥וֹר | la'zor | to help | H5826 → | 81 times |
| וּלְהַכְשִֽׁיל׃ | ulehakhshil | and to overthrow | H3782 → | 62 times |
כִּ֚יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אִם־except
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
בֹּ֣אgo
bo'H935 →2568 times
אַתָּ֔הyou
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
עֲשֵׂ֖הact
ʾasehH6213 →2628 times
חֲזַ֣קbe strong
chazakH2388 →291 times
לַמִּלְחָמָ֑הfor the battle
lamilchamahH4421 →320 times
יַכְשִֽׁילְךָ֤he will overthrow you
yakhshilekhaH3782 →62 times
הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
אוֹיֵ֔ב[the] enemy
ʾoyevH341 →282 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יֶשׁ־there
yesh-H3426 →140 times
כֹּ֛חַ[is] strength
koachH3581 →126 times
בֵּאלֹהִ֖יםin God
belohimH430 →2601 times
לַעְז֥וֹרto help
la'zorH5826 →81 times
וּלְהַכְשִֽׁיל׃and to overthrow
ulehakhshilH3782 →62 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
Psalms 33:10The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.
it leads to
- Psalms 21:11
Though they intend You harm, the schemes they devise will not prevail.
- Job 5:12–13
He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success.
- Isaiah 44:25
who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,
- Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- 2 Samuel 15:31
Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
- Psalms 21:11
Through
Philippians 4:19And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 9:8–11
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.
- Psalms 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- 1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…
- 2 Corinthians 9:8–11
About 2 Chronicles
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.