2 Chronicles 19

This chapter is part of the account of King Jehoshaphat that spans 2 Chronicles 17–20. In 2 Chronicles 18, Jehoshaphat went to war alongside Ahab, king of northern Israel, and escaped with his life; this chapter covers the events following his return to Jerusalem. The account of his appointment of judges does not appear in 1 Kings and is found only in Chronicles.

Outline

• Verses 1–3 When Jehoshaphat returns in peace, the seer Jehu son of Hanani goes out to meet him, rebukes him for helping the wicked and loving those who hate the LORD, and announces that wrath is coming. At the same time, Jehu acknowledges that good things are found in the king, for he removed the Asherah poles and sought God.
• Verse 4 Jehoshaphat goes out among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brings them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
• Verses 5–7 He appoints judges in every fortified city of Judah and charges them that they judge not for man but for the LORD, and must therefore judge without injustice, partiality, or bribery.
• Verses 8–11 In Jerusalem he establishes a judicial body of Levites, priests, and heads of families, placing Amariah the chief priest over all matters of the LORD and Zebadiah over all the king's matters.

Key Verses

• 2 Chronicles 19:2 "Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD?" — This reveals God's assessment of the alliance with Ahab.
• 2 Chronicles 19:6 "For ye judge not for man, but for the LORD" — This grounds public judgment in God.
• 2 Chronicles 19:7 "For there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts" — This locates the standard for judgment in the character of God.

People and Places

• Jehoshaphat: King of Judah.
• Jehu (son of Hanani): A seer (one who perceives and declares the will of God). His father, Hanani, rebuked King Asa in 2 Chronicles 16.
• Amariah: The chief priest at this time.
• Zebadiah: Son of Ishmael and a leader of the tribe of Judah.
• Ahab: The king of northern Israel referred to as "the ungodly" in verse 2.
• Hill country of Ephraim: The region along Judah's northern border.

Points for Reflection

• The name Jehoshaphat is commonly interpreted as "the LORD judges," and many interpreters connect it with the judicial reforms of this chapter.
• The arrangement of local judges and a central judicial body is frequently compared with the regulations in Deuteronomy 16 and Deuteronomy 17.
• Some interpreters read the distinction in verse 11 between "matters of the LORD" and "the king's matters" as a distinction between the religious and civil spheres, but the text does not explain the principle behind the arrangement.
• Verse 3 states that Jehoshaphat removed the Asherah poles, while 2 Chronicles 20:33 records that the high places were not taken away; the two passages are worth considering together.
• In preaching, verse 2 is sometimes read alongside 2 Corinthians 6:14. The portrayal of God as impartial in verse 7 connects with Romans 2:11 and with the prohibition of favoritism in James 2:1–4.