2 Chronicles 17:3

2 Chronicles 17:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;
• English Standard Version (ESV)The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the former ways of his father David; he did not seek the Baals,
• New Living Translation (NLT)The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father’s early years and did not worship the images of Baal.

Context of 2 Chronicles 17:3

1Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. 2He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured. The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals 4but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. 5The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor.

2 Chronicles 17:3 word by word

וַיְהִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה עִם־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֑ט כִּ֣י הָלַ֗ךְ בְּדַרְכֵ֞י דָּוִ֤יד אָבִיו֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א דָרַ֖שׁ לַבְּעָלִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• was with Jehoshaphatיְהוֹשָׁפָטyehôshâphâţ · JehoshaphatH3092
• because he walkedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• in the firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · first: previousH7223
• waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• of his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• and soughtדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
• not unto Baalimבַּעַלba‛al · BaalH1168

Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 17:3

• 2 Chronicles 15:2He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
• Genesis 39:2The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
• Exodus 3:12And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
• Exodus 4:12Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
• Joshua 1:5No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
• Judges 2:18Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them.
• Judges 6:12When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
• 2 Samuel 5:10And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.
• 1 Chronicles 22:18He said to them, “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to the Lord and to his people.
• Psalms 46:7The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
• Isaiah 8:10Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us.
• Isaiah 41:10So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
• Matthew 1:23“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
• Matthew 18:20For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
• Matthew 28:20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
• 2 Timothy 4:22The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 17:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The Lord was with Jehoshaphat - "The Word of the Lord was Jehoshaphat's Helper." - Targum.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The first ways of his father David - The Septuagint and several Hebrew manuscripts omit “David,” which has probably crept in from the margin, for David‘s “first ways” are nowhere else contrasted with his later ways. The real meaning of the writer is, that Jehoshaphat followed the example set by his father Asa in his earlier years 2 Chronicles 14:1-15; 15. Baalim - On the plural form, see 1 Kings 18:18 note.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4For the first time, the Chronicler compares Judah's practices with those of northern Israel. He shows awareness that the Baal cult from Tyre had been introduced into northern worship (see 1 Kings 16:31–32).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-53-5. he walked in the first ways of his father David--He imitated the piety of his great ancestor in the early part of his reign before he made those unhappy lapses which dishonored his character. and sought not unto Baalim--a term used for idols generally in contradistinction to the Lord God of his father.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Chronicles 17:3

• Blessing
• Children
• Jehoshaphat
• Obedience
• Religion
• Rulers
• Seekers

In the dictionaries

• David
• Jehoshaphat
• Chronicles, Books of
• Jehoshaphat (2)
• Priests and Levites

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 17

• 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