2 Chronicles 20:21

2 Chronicles 20:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.
• New International Version (NIV)After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, "Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.”

Context of 2 Chronicles 20:21

19Then the Levites from the sons of the Kohathites and the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel shouting loudly. 20In the morning they got up early and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were about to go out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.” Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of his holiness. When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing: Give thanks to the Lord, for his faithful love endures forever. 22The moment they began their shouts and praises, the Lord set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated. 23The Ammonites and Moabites turned against the inhabitants of Mount Seir and completely annihilated them. When they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped destroy each other.

2 Chronicles 20:21 word by word

וַיִּוָּעַץ֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם וַיַּעֲמֵ֤ד מְשֹֽׁרֲרִים֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וּֽמְהַֽלְלִ֖ים לְהַדְרַת־קֹ֑דֶשׁ בְּצֵאת֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הֶֽחָל֔וּץ וְאֹֽמְרִים֙ הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י לְעוֹלָ֖ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when he had consultedיָעַץyâ‛ats · to adviseH3289
• with the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• he appointedעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: appointH5975
• singersשִׁירshîyr shûr · to singH7891
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and that should praiseהָלַלhâlal · to boast: praiseH1984
• the beautyהֲדָרָהhădârâh · adornmentH1927
• of holinessקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• as they went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the armyחָלַץchâlats · to armH2502
• and to sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Praiseיָדָהyâdâh · to give thanksH3034
• for his mercyחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
• for everעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769

Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 20:21

• 1 Chronicles 13:1David consulted with all his leaders, the commanders of hundreds and of thousands.
• Proverbs 11:14Without guidance, a people will fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance.
• 2 Chronicles 29:25Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and the prophet Nathan. For the command was from the Lord through his prophets.
• 2 Chronicles 30:21The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day after day with loud instruments.
• Ezra 3:10When the builders had laid the foundation of the Lord’s temple, the priests, dressed in their robes and holding trumpets, and the Levites descended from Asaph, holding cymbals, took their positions to praise the Lord, as King David of Israel had instructed.
• Nehemiah 12:27At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sent for the Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.
• 1 Chronicles 16:29Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
• Psalms 29:2Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
• Psalms 50:2From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God appears in radiance.
• Psalms 90:17Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands — establish the work of our hands!
• Psalms 96:9Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him.
• 2 Chronicles 5:13The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the Lord with one voice. They raised their voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments, in praise to the Lord: For he is good; his faithful love endures forever. The temple, the Lord’s temple, was filled with a cloud.
• 2 Chronicles 7:3All the Israelites were watching when the fire descended and the glory of the Lord came on the temple. They bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground. They worshiped and praised the Lord: For he is good, for his faithful love endures forever.
• 1 Chronicles 16:34Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever.
• Ezra 3:11They sang with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord: “For he is good; his faithful love to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s house had been laid.
• Psalms 106:1Hallelujah! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever.

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 20:21

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Praise the beauty of holiness - Some render, “in the beauty of holiness” - i. e. in rich apparel and ornaments suitable to a holy occasion. Compare Psalm 29:2.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-30Verses 20-30 Jehoshaphat exhorted his troops to firm faith in God. Faith inspires a man with true courage; nor will any thing help more to the establishing of the heart in shaking times, than a firm belief of the power, and mercy, and promise of God. In all our trust in the Lord, and our praises of him, let us especially look at his everlasting mercy to sinners through Jesus Christ. Never was an army so destroyed as that of the enemy. Thus God often makes…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21The appointed singers' song replaced the battle cry. The prophets were Jahaziel (2 Chronicles 20:14–17) and the Levitical musicians (20:21). Their musical praise during the battle march was a prophecy, declaring that God led the army.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood ... Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem--probably in the gate of Jerusalem, the place of general rendezvous; and as the people were on the eve of setting out, he exhorted them to repose implicit trust in the Lord and His prophet, not to be timid or desponding at sight of the enemy, but to remain firm in the confident assurance of a miraculous deliverance, without their striking a single stroke.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Chronicles 20:21

• Armies
• Faithfulness
• Harp
• Jehoshaphat
• King
• Music
• Prayer
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Jehoshaphat
• Sanctuary
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Ben-Ammi
• Chronicles, Books of
• Dead Sea, the
• Jehoshaphat (2)
• Judah, Territory of
• Moab; Moabites
• Prophecy; Prophets

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings