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

19The Levites, descendants of Kohath and Korah, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with very loud songs. 20They got up early in the morning and went to the desert of Tekoa. As they were leaving, Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem. Trust the Lord your God, and believe. Believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” After he had advised the people, he appointed people to sing to the Lord and praise him for the beauty of his holiness. As they went in front of the troops, they sang, “Thank the Lord because his mercy endures forever!” 22As they started to sing praises, the Lord set ambushes against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the people of Mount Seir who had come into Judah. They were defeated. 23Then the Ammonites and Moabites attacked the people from Mount Seir and annihilated them. After they had finished off the people of Seir, they helped destroy one another.

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 every officer who commanded a regiment or battalion.
• Proverbs 11:14A nation will fall when there is no direction, but with many advisers there is victory.
• 2 Chronicles 29:25He had the Levites stand in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres as David, the king’s seer Gad, and the prophet Nathan had ordered. This command came from the Lord through his prophets.
• 2 Chronicles 30:21So the Israelites in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. Each day the Levites and priests praised the Lord in song. They played the Lord’s instruments loudly.
• Ezra 3:10The builders laid the foundation of the Lord’s temple. Then the priests who were dressed in their robes took their places with trumpets, and the Levites who were Asaph’s descendants took their places with cymbals to praise the Lord according to the instructions of King David of Israel.
• Nehemiah 12:27When the wall of Jerusalem was going to be dedicated, they went to wherever the Levites lived and had them come to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication joyfully with hymns of thanksgiving, with songs and cymbals, and with harps and lyres.
• 1 Chronicles 16:29Give to the Lord the glory his name deserves. Bring an offering, and come to him. Worship the Lord in ⌞his⌟ holy splendor.
• Psalms 29:2Give to the Lord the glory his name deserves. Worship the Lord in ⌞his⌟ holy splendor.
• Psalms 50:2God shines from Zion, the perfection of beauty.
• Psalms 90:17Let the kindness of the Lord our God be with us. Make us successful in everything we do. Yes, make us successful in everything we do.
• Psalms 96:9Worship the Lord in ⌞his⌟ holy splendor. Tremble in his presence, all the earth!
• 2 Chronicles 5:13the trumpeters and singers praised and thanked the Lord in unison. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other musical instruments, they sang in praise to the Lord: “He is good; his mercy endures forever.” Then the Lord’s temple was filled with a cloud.
• 2 Chronicles 7:3When all the Israelites saw the fire come down and the Lord’s glory on the temple, they knelt down with their faces on the pavement. They worshiped and praised the Lord, ⌞by saying,⌟ “He is good; his mercy endures forever.”
• 1 Chronicles 16:34“Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.
• Ezra 3:11As they praised and gave thanks to the Lord, they sang antiphonally: “He is good; his mercy toward Israel endures forever.” Then all the people shouted, “Praise the Lord,” because the foundation for the house of the Lord had been laid.
• Psalms 106:1Hallelujah! Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his mercy 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