God’s Word Translation
2 Chronicles 35:21
21But Neco sent messengers to Josiah to say, “What’s your quarrel with me, king of Judah? I’m not attacking you. I’ve come to fight those who are at war with me. God told me to hurry. God is with me, so stop now or else he will destroy you.”
2 Chronicles 35:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.
- New International Version (NIV)But Necho sent messengers to him, saying, “What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But he sent envoys to him, saying, "What have we to do with each other, king of Judah? I am not coming against you this day, but against the house with which I am at war. And God has commanded me to hurry. Cease opposing God, who is with me, lest he destroy you."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But he sent messengers to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; for God commanded me to make haste. Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you.”
Context of 2 Chronicles 35:21
19In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was celebrated. 20After all this, when Josiah had repaired the temple, King Neco of Egypt came to fight a battle at Carchemish at the Euphrates River. Josiah went to attack him. But Neco sent messengers to Josiah to say, “What’s your quarrel with me, king of Judah? I’m not attacking you. I’ve come to fight those who are at war with me. God told me to hurry. God is with me, so stop now or else he will destroy you.” 22But Josiah would not stop his attack. He disguised himself as he went into battle. He refused to listen to Neco’s words, which came from God, and he went to fight in the valley of Megiddo. 23Some archers shot King Josiah. The king told his officers, “Take me away because I’m badly wounded.”
Read all of 2 Chronicles 352 Chronicles 35:21 word by word
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח אֵלָ֣יו מַלְאָכִ֣ים׀ לֵאמֹר֩׀ מַה־לִּ֨י וָלָ֜ךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה לֹא־עָלֶ֨יךָ אַתָּ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ כִּ֚י אֶל־בֵּ֣ית מִלְחַמְתִּ֔י וֵאלֹהִ֖ים אָמַ֣ר לְבַֽהֲלֵ֑נִי חֲדַל־לְךָ֛ מֵאֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־עִמִּ֖י וְאַל־יַשְׁחִיתֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But he sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- ambassadorsמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- to him, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- What have I to do with thee, thou kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- not against thee this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
- but against the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- wherewith I have warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- for Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- me to make hasteבָּהַלbâhal · to dismayH926
- forbearחָדַלchâdal · to ceaseH2308
- with me, that he destroyשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 35:21
- 2 Samuel 16:10But the king said, “You don’t think like me at all, sons of Zeruiah. Let him curse. If the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ should anyone ask, ‘Why do you do that?’ ”
- Matthew 8:29They shouted, “Why are you bothering us now, Son of God? Did you come here to torture us before it is time?”
- John 2:4Jesus said to her, “Why did you come to me? My time has not yet come.”
- 2 Kings 18:25“Have I come to destroy this place without the Lord on my side? The Lord said to me, ‘Attack this country, and destroy it.’ ”
- Isaiah 36:10“Have I come to destroy this country without the Lord on my side? The Lord said to me, ‘Attack this country, and destroy it.’ ”
- 2 Chronicles 25:19You say you defeated Edom, and now you’ve become arrogant enough to look for more fame. Stay home! Why must you invite disaster and your own defeat and take Judah with you?”
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 35:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21God commanded me to make haste - The Targum gives a curious turn to this and the following verse: "My idol commanded me to make haste; refrain therefore from me and my idol which is with me, that he betray thee not. When he heard him mention his idol, he would not go back; and he hearkened not unto the words of Necho, which he spake concerning his idol." Here is the rabbinical excuse for the conduct of Josiah.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21The house wherewith I have war - Necho viewed Babylon as the successor and representative of Assyria - the hereditary enemy of Egypt - and he means that he is merely continuing an old hostility with which Josiah has nothing to do. No doubt the Assyrian and Egyptian armies had often passed up and down Syria by the coast route, without approaching Jerusalem, or even touching the soil of Judaea. God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-27Verses 20-27 The Scripture does not condemn Josiah's conduct in opposing Pharaoh. Yet Josiah seems to deserve blame for not inquiring of the Lord after he was warned; his death might be a rebuke for his rashness, but it was a judgment on a hypocritical and wicked people. He that lives a life of repentance, faith, and obedience, cannot be affected by the sudden manner in which he is removed. The people lamented him. Many mourn over sufferings, who will not…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-24The story skips from Josiah’s eighteenth year in 622 BC to the year he died in 609 BC. As the Assyrian Empire weakened, Egypt and Babylon, once under Assyrian control, clashed. King Neco of Egypt, who had allied with Assyria to resist Babylon's growth, asked Josiah to let his army pass freely. Josiah's decision to block them might have been due to an alliance with Babylon or his own effort to gain independence from Egypt. Josiah died because he ignored a…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2221-22. But he sent ambassadors ... What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah?--Not wishing to spend time, or strength in vain, Necho informed the king of Judah that he had no intention of molesting the Jews; that his expedition was directed solely against his old Assyrian enemy; and that he had undertaken it by an express commission from God. Commentators are not agreed whether it was really a divine commission given him through Jeremiah, or whether…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Chronicles 35:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 35
- 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
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