Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 17:6
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.
6. moreover he took away ] R.V. and furthermore he took away. In 2Ch 20:33 = 1Ki 22:43 it is said that the high places were not taken away. Cp. what is said of Asa (2Ch 14:3 and 2Ch 15:17 = 1Ki 15:14). It seems that in both cases the Chronicler incorporates mutually contradictory traditions. If the removal took place, it must have met with only partial success.
and groves ] R.V. and the Asherim. See note on 2Ch 14:3.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
His heart was lifted up – This expression generally occurs in a bad sense Deu 8:14; 2Ch 26:16; Psa 131:1; Pro 18:12; but here it must be taken differently. The margin was encouraged expresses fairly the true meaning. He first began by setting an example of faithfulness to Yahweh. He then proceeded to use his best endeavors to extirpate idolatry.
He took away the high places – Compare 2Ch 20:33, and see the 2Ch 15:17 note.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Ch 17:6
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord.
Encouragement in the ways of the Lord
I. The ways of the Lord are divine. Are His ways cold and unpleasant? H we descend a deep coal-pit and look up the shaft into the bright sky, we see the stars, but the pit is cold and dark. So men think that when they commune with God, it is like being in a coal-pit beholding a star; it is a beautiful sight, but makes one cold and unpleasant. Is this the truth? No; the Bible describes Gods people as having melody in their hearts, and one of His sweetest names is The happy God. Some people are afraid of becoming religious, lest they should be miserable; but they mistake the God in whose breast there is an ever-flowing heaven. The man who the most loves God is the happiest in disposition and the most cheerful as well as the most graceful in life.
II. His ways are also humane; they constrain us to love our suffering fellow-man, when he can do us no good but when we can do him good. (W. Birch.)
Jehoshaphat
I. Some men when, like jehoshaphat, they have riches and honour in abundance, have their hearts lifted up, but not in the ways of the Lord. The natural tendency of such circumstances is to create and foster a spirit of pride, of self-sufficiency, and of independence. How necessary the warning (Deu 8:11-14). Nebuchadnezzar is a striking exemplification of this.
II. Some men whose hearts are not lifted up are in the ways of the Lord. They are real Christians, but doubting, desponding Christians.
III. Some men have their hearts lifted up, like Jehoshaphat, in the ways of the Lord. They rejoice in the Lord alway. (R. Harley.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
His heart was lifted up above all discouragements, and difficulties, and fears, by which mens hearts use to be cast down: he was valiant and resolute for God and his ways.
He took away the high places and groves, to wit, such only wherein idols were worshipped, as appears by comparing this with 2Ch 20:33. And though Asa had done this before, yet either he did not do it thoroughly, or the Jews (who were many of them mad upon their idols) had secretly made new ones, in the latter part of his reign, when he grew more infirm in body, and more remiss in Gods cause.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. his heart was lifted up in theways of the LordFull of faith and piety, he possessed zeal andcourage to undertake the reformation of manners, to suppress all theworks and objects of idolatry (see on 2Ch20:33), and he held out public encouragement to the pure worshipof God.
2Ch17:7-11. HE SENDSLEVITES TO TEACHIN JUDAH.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord,…. It was engaged in them, was bent and set upon them; he walked in them with great pleasure and cheerfulness, being inspired with zeal and courage; he was fearless and intrepid, and regarded not any opposition he might have, or expect to have, in the work of reformation in which he was concerned:
moreover, he took away the high places; such as were dedicated to idols, but not those in which the true God was worshipped, 2Ch 20:33
and groves out of Judah; where idols were placed; for though these had been removed by Asa, yet had been renewed in the latter part of his days, when more negligent of religion.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This blessing encouraged Jehoshaphat to extirpate from the land all idolatrous worship, and to teach the people the law of the Lord. , usually sensu malo , to be haughty, proud, cf. e.g., 2Ch 26:16; 2Ch 32:25; here sensu bono , of rising courage to advance in ways pleasing to God: and he removed the high places also, etc. points back to 2Ch 17:3: not only did he himself keep far from the Baals, but he removed, besides, all memorials of the Baal-worship from Judah. On and , see on 2Ch 14:2.
2Ch 17:7-9 In the third year of his reign he sent five princes, i.e., laymen of high position, with nine Levites and two priests, into the cities of Judah, with the book of the law, to teach the law everywhere to the people. is nom. prop., like , 1Ki 4:10, , 1Ki 4:9, and is not to be translated as an adjective, as in lxx and Syr., partly on account of the praef., and still more on account of the singular, for the plural must be used when it is in apposition to . Nothing further is known of the men named; the designation of them as suggests the idea that they were heads of families or fathers’-houses. , too (2Ch 17:8), is one name. The “book of the law of Jahve” is the Pentateuch, not merely a collection of Mosaic laws, since in Jehoshaphat’s time the Mosaic book of the law (the Pentateuch) had been long in existence. signifies to go through the cities of Judah in different directions; baa`aam limeed, to teach among the people (not the people). The mission of these men is called by the older theologians a solemn ecclesiarum visitatio, quam Josaphat laudabili exemplo per universum regnum suum instituit, and they differ in opinion only as to the part played by the princes in it. Vitringa, de synagoga vet. p. 389, in agreement with Rashi, thinks that only the Levites and priests were deputed ut docerent; the princes, ut auctoritate imperioque suo populum erudiendum in officio continerent eumque de seria regis voluntate certiorem facerent; while others, e.g., Buddaeus, refer to 2Ch 17:9, ubi principes pariter ac Levitae populum docuisse dicuntur, or believe with Grotius, docere et explicare legem non tantum sacerdotum erat et Levitarum, sed omnium eruditorum . Both views contain elements of truth, and do not mutually exclude each other, but may be harmonized. We can hardly confine to religious teaching. The Mosaic law contains a number of merely civil precepts, as to which laymen learned in the law might impart instruction; and consequently the teaching probably consisted not merely in making the people acquainted with the contents of the law, but at the same time of direction and guidance in keeping the law, and generally in restoring and confirming the authority of the law among the people. In connection with this there were many abuses and illegalities which had to be broken down and removed; so that in this respect the task of the commission sent round the country by Jehoshaphat may be compared to a church inspection, if only we understand thereby not an inspection of churches in the Christian sense of the words, but an inspection of the religious and moral life of the communities of Israel under the old covenant.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(6) And his heart was lifted up.Gabhah lbh, which usually, like the phrase of Authorised version, has a bad meaning, as in 2Ch. 26:16. The margin is right here: his courage rose high, or he grew bold in the ways of Jehovah, i.e., in the path of religious reform. Vulg., cum sumpsisset cor ejus audaciam propter vias Domini.
Moreover.And again, further. Referring to 2Ch. 17:3. Not only did he not seek the Baals, but more than this, he removed the high places, &c. [This is the common explanation. But the sense may rather be: And he again removed, referring back to Asas reforms, 2Ch. 14:5.]
Groves.Ashrim, Asherahs. (2Ch. 14:3.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. His heart was lifted up That is, exalted with holy faith and courage.
Took away the high places Yet, in spite of all his efforts and successes in this matter, the people had become so addicted to these practices that their destruction was not thoroughly secured. See note on 2Ch 14:3, and compare 2Ch 20:33.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ch 17:6. And his heart was lifted up And when he had elevated his mind in following the commandments of God, he took yet from Judah high places and groves: i.e. he destroyed yet other monuments of idolatry, which had escaped the diligence of his father Asa, though he took not away those high places and altars which had been erected in Jerusalem for the true God. See 1Ki 22:43 and ch. 1Ki 20:33 of this book.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ch 17:6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.
Ver. 6. And his heart was lifted up. ] Not with pride, as 2Ch 32:25 , but with undaunted courage and disengaged zeal, such as made him come off roundly and readily in the ensuing reformation: he was more forward and forth putting than his father Asa, “not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
lifted up = encouraged.
he took away. But “the people” failed in their part (2Ch 20:33; 1Ki 22:43). Jehoshaphat did his by commanding that they should be taken away; not, of course, doing this with his own hands. Compare 2Ch 19:3.
groves. Hebrew the ‘Asherim. See notes on Exo 34:13, and App-42.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
high places (See Scofield “1Ki 3:2”).
groves (See Scofield “Deu 16:21”) See Scofield “Jdg 3:7”.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
his heart: Deu 28:47, Job 22:26
lifted up: that is, was encouraged
in the ways: Psa 18:21, Psa 18:22, Psa 119:1, Psa 138:5, Hos 14:9, Act 13:10
he took away: 2Ch 14:3, 2Ch 15:17, 2Ch 19:3, 2Ch 20:33, 2Ch 31:1, 2Ch 34:3-7, 1Ki 22:43
Reciprocal: 2Ki 15:4 – the high places Luk 19:2 – and he
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
17:6 And his heart was {c} lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.
(c) He gave himself wholly to serve the Lord.