22<\/strong>. the Lord set ambushments<\/em> ] R.V. the LORD set liers in wait<\/strong>. All that is meant by this is that the Lord suggested to Jehoshaphat the plan of setting an ambush; cp. Jos 8:2<\/span> (where it is said that the Lord suggested the same plan to Joshua). Jehoshaphat himself marched with the bulk of his forces, but the flower of the Judan army was probably disposed in ambush. G. A. Smith ( Hist. Geography<\/em>, p. 272) points out that the country between En-gedi and Tekoa is well suited for attack by surprise.<\/p>\n The Lord set ambushments – <\/B>These liers in wait have been regarded as angels employed by God to confuse the host and cause its destruction, so that the Moabites and Ammonites first united to destroy the Edomites, and then turned upon each other.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 22<\/span>. The Lord set ambushments<\/B><\/I>] “The WORD of the Lord placed snares among the children of Ammon and Moab; and the inhabitants of the mountain of Gibla, who came to fight with Judah; and they were broken to pieces:” so the Targum<\/I>.<\/P> <\/P> Houbigant<\/I> translates the place thus: “The Lord set against the children of Ammon and Moab ambushments of those who came from Mount Seir against Judah; and the children of Ammon and Moab were smitten: but they afterwards rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, and utterly destroyed them; who being destroyed, they rose up one against another, and mutually destroyed each other.” This is probably the meaning of these verses. Calmet’s<\/I> version is not very different.<\/P> <\/p>\n When they began to sing and to praise; <\/B>so acceptable are the fervent prayers of Gods people to God, and so terrible to their enemies. <\/P> Ambushments, <\/B>or, liers in wait<\/I>; either, <\/P> 1. The holy angels, who appeared in the shape of men, and possibly put on the appearances and visages of Moabites or Ammonites, and in that shape slew the rest, who supposing this slaughter to be done by a part of their own army, fell upon them, and so broke forth into mutual slaughters. Or, <\/P> 2. God raised jealousies and animosities amongst themselves, which by degrees broke forth first into secret ambushments, which one party laid for another, and then into open hostilities and outrages to their utter destruction. So vain are all mens attempts against God, who needs none to destroy his enemies but themselves, and their own mistakes and passions, which he can when he pleaseth arm against them. <\/P> <\/p>\n 22. when they began to sing and topraise the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab,and Mount Seir<\/B>Some think that this was done by angels in humanform, whose sudden appearance diffused an uncontrollable panic.Others entertain the more probable opinion that, in the camp of thisvast horde, composed of different tribes, jealousies and animositieshad sprung up, which led to widespread dissensions and fierce feuds,in which they drew the sword against each other. The consequence was,that as the mutual strife commenced when the Hebrew procession setout from Jerusalem, the work of destruction was completed beforeJehoshaphat and his people arrived at the battlefield. Thus easy isit for God to make the wrath of man to praise Him, to confound thecounsels of His enemies and employ their own passions in defeatingthe machinations they have devised for the overthrow of His Churchand people.<\/P><\/p>\n And when they began to sing and to praise<\/strong>,…. They sung more or less all the way they went, from the time they set out, but when they came nearer the enemy, they sung louder and louder:<\/p>\n the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, which came against Judah<\/strong>; some take them to be their own ambushments, which they set for the destruction of Judah; but the Lord turned them against their own confederates, mistaking them for Jews; so the Vulgate Latin version,<\/p>\n “the Lord turned their ambushments against themselves;”<\/p>\n or rather these were angels, who appeared in the form of the Edomites, and so fell upon the Ammonites and Moabites:<\/p>\n and they were smitten<\/strong>; by them, many of them were destroyed; hence it follows,<\/p>\n And at the time when they (having come into the neighbourhood of the hostile camp) began with singing and praising, Jahve directed liers in wait against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who were come against Judah, and they were smitten. denotes liers in wait, men hidden in ambush and lying in wait (Jdg 9:25<\/span>). Who are here meant cannot be ascertained with certainty. Some of the older commentators, Ew. and Berth., think it refers to powers, angels sent by God, who are called insidiatores <\/em>, because of the work they had to do in the army of the hostile peoples. But the passages where the interposition of heavenly powers is spoken of are different (cf. 2Ki 6:17<\/span>; 2Ki 19:35<\/span>), and it is not probable that heavenly powers would be called . Most probably earthly liers in wait are meant, who unexpectedly rushed forth from their ambush upon the hostile army, and raised a panic terror among them; so that, as is narrated in 2Ch 20:23<\/span>., the Ammonites and Moabites first turned their weapons against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, and after they had exterminated them, began to exterminate each other. But the ambush cannot have been composed of men of Judah, because they were, according to 2Ch 20:15<\/span> and 2Ch 20:17<\/span>, not to fight, but only to behold the deliverance wrought by the Lord. Probably it was liers in wait of the Seirites, greedy of spoil, who from an ambush made an attack upon the Ammonites and Moabites, and by the divine leading put the attacked in such fear and confusion, that they turned furiously upon the inhabitants of Mount Seir, who marched with them, and then fell to fighting with each other; just as, in Jdg 7:22<\/span>., the Midianites were, under divine influence, so terrified by the unexpected attack of the small band led by Gideon, that they turned their swords against and mutually destroyed each other. , and when they had come to an end (were finished) among the inhabitants of Seir, when they had massacred these, they helped the one against the other to destruction ( is a substantive, as 2Ch 22:4<\/span>; Eze 5:16<\/span>, etc.).<\/p>\n (22) And when they began.<\/strong>Literally, And at the. time when they began with shouting and praise.<\/em> (Comp. Deu. 16:9<\/span>, to begin with.<\/em>) They had now reached the neighbourhood of the enemy; and their joyful pan was the signal for a Divine interposition. (Comp. Jos. 6:16<\/span>; Jos. 6:20<\/span>, and Psa. 46:6<\/span>.)<\/p>\n The Lord set ambushments.<\/strong>Jehovah placed liers in wait<\/em> (Jdg. 9:25<\/span>). (nthan<\/em> here is equivalent in meaning to sm<\/em> there.)<\/p>\n Come against.<\/strong>Come into, i.e.,<\/em> invade (2Ch. 20:10<\/span>).<\/p>\n They were smitten.<\/strong>Right, according to the ordinary usage. (See 1Ch. 19:16<\/span>; 1Ch. 19:19<\/span>, put to the worse.) This statement anticipates what follows. The ancient translators felt a difficulty here, as is evident from their versions. Thus the LXX. has, The Lord made the sons of Ammon to war upon Moab and Mount Seir, who came out against Judah; and they were routed. The Vulg., The Lord turned their ambushment against themselves, viz., that of the sons of Amnion and Moab and Mount Seir, who had gone forth to fight against Judah, and they were smitten.<\/p>\n The Syriac (and Arabic) travesty 2Ch. 20:21<\/span> and the first clause of 2Ch. 20:22<\/span> thus: And he stood in the middle of the people, and said, Come, let us give thanks unto the Lord, and let us laud the splendour of his holiness, when he goeth out before our hosts, and maketh war for us with our foes: and be saying, Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, and his goodness endureth for ever. The hills began praising, and the mountains began rejoicing.They then continue as in 2Ch. 20:24<\/span>, omitting The Lord set ambushments . . . they were smitten.<\/p>\n The self-destruction of the allied hordes was undoubtedly providential, but it need not have been miraculous. How was it brought about? The answer depends on the meaning of the term liers in wait. Were angels<\/em> meant, as some have thought (Ewalds bser Geister<\/em>),<\/em> a more appropriate and less ambiguous term would have been employed to express their agency. Nor is it likely that a Judean<\/em> ambuscade is thus obscurely mentioned without any further reference or explanation: indeed it is evident from 2Ch. 20:15<\/span>; 2Ch. 20:17<\/span>; 2Ch. 20:24<\/span>, that the part of the Judeans was that of mere spectators of an accomplished fact. Nor, finally, must we suppose that the waylaying was done by a section of the confederates themselves, probably certain of the Maonites.<\/p>\n The truth appears to be that some portion of the unwieldy and straggling host was suddenly attacked by a lurking band of Bedawi freebooters. In the providence of God the partial confusion which thus originated speedily became a universal panic. The Ammonites and Moabites instantly suspected their less civilised allies, the Maonites, of treachery, and fell upon them in a frenzy of revenge; after which, maddened by slaughter and mutual suspicion, and the memory of ancient feuds, they turned their reeking swords against each other, and the strife only ended with the self-annihilation of the allies. The occurrence is thus to some extent parallel with the self-destruction of the Midianite hordes, when thrown into confusion by the stratagem of Gideon (Jdg. 7:22<\/span>).<\/p>\n The marvellous result, marvellously predicted, was brought to pass by a perfectly natural sequence of events, just as was Elishas prophecy of plenty to famine-stricken Samaria, though at the time when it was uttered fulfilment seemed impossible, unless the Lord were to make windows in heaven, and pour down supplies from thence by a visible miracle. In neither case was the course of events foreseen by the prophet, but only their issue. (See 2 Kings 7<\/span>)<\/p>\n 22<\/strong>. <\/strong> The Lord set ambushments against Ammon, Moab mount Seir <\/strong> The word rendered ambushments <\/em> is , liers in wait. <\/em> Compare Jdg 9:29<\/span>. A measure of uncertainty must ever rest upon the question, Who were these liers in wait? They were not men of Judah, for these were not to fight. 2Ch 20:15<\/span>; 2Ch 20:17<\/span>. Nor were they portions of the invading army, who, by mistake, fell to fighting one another, for such could not be properly called liers in wait. <\/em> Many expositors, ancient and modern, think that they were angels sent by God to confuse and overthrow the enemies of his people. But it would be very strange for the sacred writer to call angels “liers in wait.” Had he meant angels he would most likely have said so. More probably the ambush was composed of a band of daring marauders, not belonging to either army, who, greedy for spoil, attacked the combined army unexpectedly and with such fury as to put them all in confusion, and “every man’s sword was turned against his fellow.” Compare Jdg 7:22<\/span>, and 1Sa 14:20<\/span>. Perhaps these marauders themselves perished in the general fray. In all this the sacred writer saw the hand of Jehovah.<\/p>\n 2Ch 20:22<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>The Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, <\/em><\/strong>&c.<\/strong> The Lord set against the children of Ammon and Moab ambushments of<\/em> those who came from mount Seir against Judah; and the children of Ammon and Moab were smitten: <\/em>2Ch 20:23<\/span>. But they afterwards rose up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, and utterly destroyed them; who being destroyed, they rose up one against another, and mutually destroyed each other. <\/em>Houbigant. <\/p>\n REFLECTIONS.<\/strong>1st, Little did Jehoshaphat apprehend, in the midst of the pious and useful establishments in which he was engaged, the threatening storm that hung over him. Note; <\/em>When we are most faithful, we may be involved in uncommon difficulties, God permitting our faith to be tried, that it may appear to praise, and honour, and glory.<\/em> <\/p>\n 1. The Moabites, Ammonites, and their confederates, assemble their forces, and march to the borders of Judah, before intelligence is brought of their designs; so sudden and unexpected was the attack. Note; <\/em>While we are on this side the grave, we are never safe. <\/p>\n 2. Terrified at the danger; and fearing, lest the wrath he had deserved, chap. 2Ch 19:2<\/span> was about to overtake him, in deep humiliation the king set himself earnestly to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout Judah, that they might together mourn over the sins which had provoked their God: and, at his command, all Judah assembled; not so much as warriors, to oppose their enemies, but as penitents, to avert the divine displeasure, without which every effort would be vain; and with their wives and children, as in deep distress, appeared at the temple, before the new court, <\/em>probably the court of the priests lately repaired, to ask help of the Lord. Note; <\/em>(1.) In national calamities, national fasts are highly expedient, that a sinful people, humbled before a holy God, may find mercy in his sight. (2.) The danger which drives us to God, will not destroy us. (3.) While we have a God of mercy to flee to, let us never despair. (4.) The cries of the distressed will enter into the ears of the righteous Judge. Woe to those who provoke him. (5.) The more entirely we are taken off from every self-dependance in the view of our wants and wretchedness, the surer we are to find mercy in every time of need. (6.) While the eye of faith and hope looks upwards, underneath us will be the everlasting arms. <\/p>\n 2nd, Swift is the answer sent from God. Jahaziel, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, filled with the spirit of prophesy, in the midst of the congregation foretels the approaching victory. 2. The message was received by the king and people with humble thankfulness and adoration. They doubted not the promise; and shouted, as sure of victory. Note;<\/em> <\/p>\n Faith realizes the unseen things, and can enable us to rejoice in future promises, as equally secure with present possessions. 2. The event exceeded their expectations. No sooner was the song of praise begun, than the Lord set ambushments; either the angelic hosts his ministers, say some; or their own ambushments, say others, who, infatuated of God, fell upon their army; which created such confusion, and apprehension of treachery, that each man’s sword was against his fellow; the Moabites and Ammonites against the Edomites, and then against each other. Note; <\/em>(1.) Though the enemies of God’s people assemble themselves, they shall be broken to pieces. (2.) God can make those the instruments of mutual destruction, who are leagued against his people. (3.) Division produces ruin, wherever it arises. <\/p>\n 3. On the approach of Jehoshaphat’s army towards the watch-tower, which probably stood on the cliff of Ziz, and overlooked the plain beneath, behold, it was covered with carcases, and not a living foe remained. Immense spoils loaded the people: three days they were employed in collecting them; on the fourth, the whole army assembled, with the king at their head, and kept a day of solemn thanksgiving on the field of victory, giving it a name to perpetuate the memorial of the mercy; and returned to Jerusalem, as they had come from thence, with increasing joy, and with louder songs of praise, for the amazing interposition of God which they had experienced. Note: <\/em>(1.) Praise is all the tribute that we poor worms can pay; and God accepts our gratitude as a more welcome sacrifice than a hecatomb. (2.) The memory of past mercies ought to be preserved for the encouragement of future generations. <\/p>\n 4. The effect of this glorious victory was, peace in their borders. Their neighbours heard and trembled, nor dared provoke those for whom God so eminently appeared; and all was quiet at home, under Jehoshaphat’s happy government. Note; <\/em>They who have God for their protector, will be kept in peace, and no evil shall come nigh their dwellings. <\/p>\n 4thly, Jehoshaphat’s conduct in general was excellent and exemplary; but the sacred historian spares not his faults: two of them are here recorded. <\/p>\n 1. The suffering the high places to remain, where sacrifices to God had been offered before the temple was built, and to which the people still resorted, in opposition to the divine command, Deu 12:5-7<\/span>. <\/p>\n 2. That, after the danger he had run, and the reproof he had received for his connection with Ahab, he joined in league with Ahaziah his son, taking him in as a partner in a voyage to Tarshish. But he suffered for it. A prophet was sent to rebuke him for his folly and perverseness, and to predict the storm which destroyed their navy in the port. We find, 1Ki 22:49<\/span> that these warnings had their desired effect, and broke off the evil alliance. Note; <\/em>(1.) They who are connected with the wicked, will certainly fare the worse for them. (2.) It is a great gain, when our providential losses turn us from the path of evil. <\/p>\n How decidedly did the event testify that Judah should have no hand in the victory. How fully hath Jesus shown in his gospel, that salvation is wholly his own, and his right arm hath gotten himself the victory!<\/p>\n 2Ch 20:22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.<\/p>\n Ver. 22. And when they began to sing and to praise.<\/strong> ] So at the siege of Mountabon, the people of God using daily humiliation as their service would permit, did sing a psalm after and immediately before their sallying forth. With which practice the enemy coming acquainted, ever upon the singing of the psalm, after which they expected a sally, they would so quake and tremble, crying, “They come, they come,” as though the wrath of God and the rage of all the creatures had been breaking out upon them. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Lord set ambushments.<\/strong> ] Furor hostibus a Deo immissus ut in se invicem efferati saevire non desisterent, donec mutuis caedibus sese prostravissent.<\/em> The wrath of God wrought their ruin, as by an ambush, unexpectedly and irresistibly. Some understand this ambush of the holy angels, sent suddenly in upon them to slay them; whereupon they mistaking the matter, and supposing it had been their own companions, flew upon them, and so sheathed their swords in one another’s bowels.<\/p>\n the LORD. Some think the “Yod” (= J) was an abbreviation for “Judah”. <\/p>\n ambushments = liers in wait. The Targum interprets them of angelic powers. <\/p>\n when they: Heb. in the time that they, etc <\/p>\n to sing and to: Heb. in singing and. The Lord set ambushments. Houbigant’s version is, “the Lord set against the children of Amon and Moab ambushments of those who came from mount Seir against Judah; and the children of Ammon and Moab were smitten, but they afterwards rose up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, and utterly destroyed them; who being destroyed, they rose up one against one another, and mutually destroyed each other.” Jdg 7:22, 1Sa 14:16, 1Sa 14:20, 2Ki 6:17, Psa 35:5, Psa 35:6, Isa 19:2, Eze 38:21 <\/p>\n were smitten: or, smote one another <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Deu 28:7 – flee before Jos 6:5 – make a long Jos 6:16 – Shout Jos 8:2 – lay thee Jdg 9:20 – let fire come out 2Ch 13:13 – an ambushment 2Ch 14:12 – General 2Ch 20:17 – not need Eze 35:2 – mount Hag 2:22 – every Zec 14:13 – a great<\/p>\n 2Ch 20:22. When they began to sing and to praise So acceptable are the fervent prayers and praises of Gods people to him, and so terrible to their enemies! The Lord set ambushments Hebrew, , mearebim, insidiantes, persons lying in wait, or plotting, and laying snares. The meaning seems to be, as appears from the next verse, that God raised jealousies and animosities among their enemies themselves, which by degrees broke forth, first into secret plots, snares, and ambushments, which one party contrived and laid for another, against which they had conceived some grudge; and then into a general confusion, and open hostilities and outrages, to the destruction of one another throughout the whole army. So vain are all mens attempts against God, who needs none to destroy his enemies but themselves, and their own mistakes and passions, which he can, when he pleases, arm against them.<\/p>\n 20:22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and {o} mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.<\/p>\n (o) Meaning, the Idumeans who dwelt in mount Seir.<\/p>\n And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 22. the Lord set ambushments ] R.V. the LORD set liers in wait. All that is meant by this is that the Lord suggested … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 20:22”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11621"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11621\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
1. He bids them lift their drooping heads, and not be afraid: the cause is God’s, and he will appear for them. He fixes the time and place when and where they should meet the enemy, not to fight, but to be spectators of the glorious victory that God would give them. Note; <\/em>(1.) Unbelieving fear must be suppressed and opposed, as dishonourable to God. (2.) They who go forth at the word of God against their spiritual enemies, shall see the salvation of God. <\/p>\n
3rdly, The order of battle bespoke the temper of the combatants, and their confidence in God.
1. Jehoshaphat, as the army passed in review before him, encourages their trust in God, and the word of his prophet, with assurance of success; and, with the advice of his council, instead of the mighty men of valour, they appointed the singers to lead the van, and charged their foes, not with the arm of flesh, but with the sharp two-edged sword of God’s praises in their mouths, as if the victory was already gotten, and the triumphant song begun. Note; <\/em>(1.) Unshaken faith is certain victory. (2.) Praise is a mighty weapon to overcome our spiritual foes. <\/p>\nFuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"