Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 19:6
And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who [is] with you in the judgment.
6. Take heed ] R.V. Consider.
who is with you in the judgment ] Render, and He is with you in giving judgment (cp. R.V. and mg.). The judges in deciding cases against the rich and powerful were to strengthen themselves with the thought “God is with us” (“Immanuel”).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. Take heed what ye do] A very solemn and very necessary caution; judges should feel themselves in the place of God, and judge as those who know they shall be judged for their judgments.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
You represent Gods person, to whom judgement belongeth, and you have your commission and power from God, and not from man only; and your administration of justice is not only for mans good, but also for Gods honour and service.
Who is with you; both to observe your carriage, and to defend you against all those enemies whom the impartial exercise of justice may provoke.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And said to the judges, take heed what you do,…. In judgment, that they judged righteous judgment according to the law of God, without partiality and respect of persons:
for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord; not for man only, but for the Lord; and not so much for man as for the Lord, whom they represented in judgment; whose law was the rule of their judgment, and whose glory their end, and to whom they were accountable:
who is with you in the judgment: as to guide and direct you, so to observe how they behaved, and be a witness for or against them; the Targum is,
“ye judge not before men, but before the Word of the Lord, whose Shechinah dwells with you in the affair of judgment.”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(6) Ye judge not for man, but for the Lord.Tis not for man that ye will judge, but for Jehovah, as His vicegerents, and ministers of His will. (Comp. Rom. 13:1-4.)
Who is with you in the judgment.This rightly gives the sense of the brief words: and with you in word of doom. i.e., Jehovah will be present with you at the time of your giving sentence. (See on 2Ch. 20:17, and comp. Psa. 82:1-4 : God standeth in Gods Assembly; in the midst of gods (i.e., judges) He judgeth.) The LXX. and Vulgate misunderstand the passage; but the Syriac renders: Be strong, and judge true judgment, and the Lord will be with you for ever. (Comp. also Deu. 1:17 : The decision belongeth to God; and Exo. 21:6.) The name Jehoshaphat denotes Jehovah judgeth.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 19:6. Who is with you in the judgment And the judgment shall be determined by your words. Houbigant. The Targum renders the verse thus: “Take heed what you do; for you do not judge before the sons of men, but before the word of the Lord; and his glorious presence presides among you in the act of judgment.” It is a remarkable saying of Cicero, That judges, being sworn to do justice, should remember, when they come to pass sentence, Deum habere testem, id est, ut ego arbitror, mentem suam, qua nihil homini dedit ipse Deus divinius. De Offic. l. iii. c. 13., where he has left us this excellent instruction, that a man must lay aside the person of a friend, when he puts on the person of a judge. See also Hesiod de Oper. et Diebus, line 246.
REFLECTIONS.1st, Imminent was the danger that Jehoshaphat had escaped; yet, through mercy, he arrives at his house in peace, while Ahab was left dead at Samaria. Note; Providential escapes from danger deserve to be deeply and gratefully remembered. But, though God suffered him not to fall in the battle, he goes not without a just rebuke for his folly.
1. Jehu the son of Hanani is sent, nor fears to deliver his message, though his father’s sufferings, chap. 2Ch 16:10 admonished him of his danger. He expostulates with him on the evil of his conduct: ought such a man as he to help an idolater and persecutor, or join in affinity and friendship with such a hater of God as Ahab? He threatens him, therefore, with the displeasure of God. War was his choice, and war he should have; and that Jehoram, whom he matched so wickedly, should prove a deadly scourge to his family. But, as there were good things found in him, and his heart was sound with God, he is not finally cast off, or rejected. Note; (1.) We must never make those our friends who are the enemies of God. (2.) Every disobedient sinner is, at bottom, a hater of God. (3.) God’s wrath respecting the eternal consequences of sin may be removed, when, for our correction, our present sufferings may be grievous. (4.) God is not unrighteous, to forget the works of faith, and labours of love.
2. The rebuke was received with silence, and the effect of it gracious. He no more visited his idolatrous neighbours, but stayed at home to mind his own concerns: and, as he had been told by the prophet, that God approved of what he had done for the reformation of the people, he sought to carry it on still by a progress through his dominions, to engage them to seek the God of their fathers, and to bring back those who had departed from him, perhaps emboldened by seeing his connection with Ahab. Note; (1.) A good man esteems rebuke the most friendly office. (2.) When we have, though undesignedly, encouraged others to do evil, we cannot but be solicitous to recover them from the error of their ways. (3.) The commendations of good men should quicken us to greater zeal and diligence in the cause of God.
2nd, To continue the people in the careful observance of the divine ordinances, and to provide for the equitable administration of justice,
1. Jehoshaphat placed judges in every city, with a solemn injunction to take heed to the diligent discharge of their office, with all circumspection and impartiality; and especially to have the fear of God upon their minds, the great preservative from all injustice. And this he urges, because they acted as God’s vicegerents; and would be directed by him, if they looked up to him, or be detected if they judged iniquitously: and, as no bribe, or respect of persons, found place before him, they must shew no favour, nor receive gifts. Note; The impartial distribution of justice is among the greatest blessings that a nation can enjoy.
2. He established a supreme court of judicature at Jerusalem, on his return from the progress that he had made. It consisted of priests and Levites, as most skilled in the law; and the chief fathers, that is, those most distinguished for their station, men of age and experience; with inferior officers, who saw the sentence executed, under the high-priest, as president in ecclesiastical causes, and Zebadiah in the matters of civil government. To this court all cases of murder and manslaughter were referred, and appeals made from the inferior judges in difficult cases of controversy, where the law seemed dubious. Jehoshaphat enjoins them to act faithfully and conscientiously, as men fearing God, and judging righteously. They must warn the people of the great evil of sin in general; of the danger of false witness, and of stubborn disobedience against the law; and, undismayed by any man’s greatness, impartially administer justice; that so they might deliver their own souls, and not trespass against God: the issue of which upright conduct would be, God’s blessing upon them. Note; (1.) Ability and integrity are essential qualities of a good judge. (2.) Magistrates are chargeable with the crimes which they either connive at, or neglect to punish. (3.) They who have courage to act for God, will find his support and blessing carrying them through every danger.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ch 19:6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who [is] with you in the judgment.
Ver. 6. And he said to the judges. ] He left them their lesson: and it is such, surely, as deserveth not only to be written in letters of gold on all seats of judicature and in all houses of judges, but also to be engraven upon the tables of their hearts.
Take heed what ye do.
For ye judge not for man, but for the Lord.
Who is with you in the judgment.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
man. Hebrew. ‘adam. App-14.
in the judgments = in the word or matter of judgment.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Take: Jos 22:5, 1Ch 28:10, Luk 12:15, Luk 21:8, Act 5:35, Act 22:26
ye judge: Deu 1:17, Psa 82:1-6, Ecc 5:8
judgment: Heb. matter of judgment
Reciprocal: Exo 18:17 – not good Lev 19:15 – General Deu 1:16 – Hear Deu 19:18 – diligent Deu 25:1 – General 1Sa 8:1 – made his 2Sa 3:39 – I am 2Ch 19:11 – the Lord Neh 5:7 – I rebuked Psa 58:1 – Do Amo 5:15 – establish Luk 17:3 – heed Act 20:28 – Take Rom 13:4 – he is 1Ti 4:16 – Take
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
19:6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who [is] {c} with you in the judgment.
(c) Both to preserve you if you do justly or to punish you, if you do the contrary.