God’s Word Translation
2 Chronicles 24:20
20God’s Spirit gave Zechariah, son of the priest Jehoiada, strength. Zechariah stood in front of the people and said to them, “This is what God says: Why are you breaking the Lord’s commands? You won’t prosper that way! The Lord has abandoned you because you have abandoned him.”
2 Chronicles 24:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, "Thus says God, 'Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you.’ ”
Context of 2 Chronicles 24:20
18They abandoned the temple of the Lord God of their ancestors and worshiped idols and the poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. This offense of theirs brought God’s anger upon Judah and Jerusalem. 19The Lord sent them prophets to bring them back to himself. The prophets warned them, but they wouldn’t listen. God’s Spirit gave Zechariah, son of the priest Jehoiada, strength. Zechariah stood in front of the people and said to them, “This is what God says: Why are you breaking the Lord’s commands? You won’t prosper that way! The Lord has abandoned you because you have abandoned him.” 21But they plotted against Zechariah, and by the king’s order they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. 22King Joash did not remember how kind Zechariah’s father, Jehoiada, had been to him. Instead, he killed Jehoiada’s son. As Zechariah died, he said, “May the Lord see ⌞this⌟ and get revenge!”
Read all of 2 Chronicles 242 Chronicles 24:20 word by word
וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֗ים לָֽבְשָׁה֙ אֶת־זְכַרְיָה֙ בֶּן־יְהוֹיָדָ֣ע הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד מֵעַ֣ל לָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים לָמָה֩ אַתֶּ֨ם עֹבְרִ֜ים אֶת־מִצְוֹ֤ת יְהוָה֙ וְלֹ֣א תַצְלִ֔יחוּ כִּֽי־עֲזַבְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֥ב אֶתְכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- cameלָבֵשׁlâbash lâbêsh · to clotheH3847
- upon Zechariahזְכַרְיָהוּzekaryâh zekaryâhû · ZechariahH2148
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Jehoiadaיְהוֹיָדָעyehôyâdâ‛ · JehoiadaH3077
- the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- which stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- above the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Why transgressעָבַר‛âbar · to pass: trespassH5674
- ye the commandmentsמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- that ye cannot prosperצָלֵחַtsâlach tsâlêach · to prosperH6743
- because ye have forsakenעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 24:20
- 2 Chronicles 15:1God’s Spirit came to Azariah, son of Oded.
- 2 Chronicles 20:14Then the Lord’s Spirit came to Jahaziel. (He was the son of Zechariah, grandson of Benaiah, great-grandson of Jeiel, whose father was Mattaniah, a Levite descended from Asaph.)
- Judges 6:34Then the Lord’s Spirit gave Gideon strength. So Gideon blew the ram’s horn to summon Abiezer’s family to follow him.
- 1 Chronicles 12:18Then the Spirit gave Amasai, the leader of the thirty, the strength ⌞to say⌟, “We are yours, David. We are with you, son of Jesse. Success, success to you! Success to those who help you, because your God is helping you.” So David welcomed them and made them officers over his troops.
- 2 Chronicles 23:11Then they brought out the king’s son, gave him the crown and the religious instructions, and Jehoiada and his sons made him king by anointing him. They said, “Long live the king!”
- Numbers 14:41But Moses asked, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? Your plan won’t work!
- 1 Samuel 13:13“You did a foolish thing,” Samuel told Saul. “You didn’t follow the command of the Lord your God. ⌞If you had,⌟ the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel permanently.
- 2 Samuel 12:9Why did you despise my word by doing what I considered evil? You had Uriah the Hittite killed in battle. You took his wife as your wife. You used the Ammonites to kill him.
- Zechariah 7:11“But people refused to pay attention. They shrugged their shoulders at me and shut their ears so that they couldn’t hear.
- 2 Chronicles 15:2Azariah went to Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all you men from Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you will dedicate your lives to serving him, he will accept you. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you.
- Deuteronomy 29:25The answer will be, “Because they abandoned the promise of the Lord God of their ancestors. He made this promise to them when he brought them out of Egypt.
- 1 Chronicles 28:9“And you, my son Solomon, learn to know your father’s God. Serve the Lord wholeheartedly and willingly because he searches every heart and understands every thought ⌞we have⌟. If you dedicate your life to serving him, he will accept you. But if you abandon him, he will reject you from then on.
- Jeremiah 2:19Your own wickedness will correct you, and your unfaithful ways will punish you. You should know and see how evil and bitter it is for you if you abandon the Lord your God and do not fear me,” declares the Almighty Lord of Armies.
- Jeremiah 4:18“You brought this on yourself. This is your punishment. It is bitter. It breaks your heart.”
- Jeremiah 5:19They will ask, “Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?” Answer them, “You have abandoned me and served foreign gods in your land. So you will serve foreigners in a land that isn’t yours.”
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 24:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah - "When he saw the transgression of the king and of the people, burning incense to an idol in the house of the sanctuary of the Lord, on the day of expiation; and preventing the priests of the Lord from offering the burnt-offerings, sacrifices, daily oblations, and services, as written in the book of the law of Moses; he stood above the people, and said." - Targum.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Stood above the people - Zechariah, the high priest, took up an elevated position, perhaps on the steps of the inner court, which was elevated above the outer court, where the people would be.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-27Verses 15-27 See what a great judgment on any prince or people, the death of godly, zealous, useful men is. See how necessary it is that we act in religion from inward principle. Then the loss of a parent, a minister, or a friend, will not be losing our religion. Often both princes and inferior people have been flattered to their ruin. True grace alone will enable a man to bring forth fruit unto the end. Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, being filled with…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-22Jehoiada carefully protected the Lord’s temple courtyard from bloodshed and preserved David's dynasty. Ironically, Zechariah, his son, was murdered there by King Joash, whom Jehoiada had protected during the coup. Jesus mentioned this murder when criticizing religious leaders (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51). “May the LORD see this and call you to account”: This prayer for vengeance was similar to those King David prayed against Saul's injustices (compare…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2217-22. Now came the princes of Judah, and make obeisance to the king--Hitherto, while Joash occupied the throne, his uncle had held the reins of sovereign power, and by his excellent counsels had directed the young king to such measures as were calculated to promote both the civil and religious interests of the country. The fervent piety, practical wisdom, and inflexible firmness of that sage counsellor exerted immense influence over all classes. But now…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Chronicles 24:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 24
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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