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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!”

Context of 2 Chronicles 20:21

19Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. 20Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 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.” 22As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to 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 conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
• Proverbs 11:14For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
• 2 Chronicles 29:25He stationed the Levites in the temple of the Lord with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David and Gad the king’s seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the Lord through his prophets.
• 2 Chronicles 30:21The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests praised the Lord every day with resounding instruments dedicated to the Lord.
• Ezra 3:10When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David king of Israel.
• Nehemiah 12:27At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres.
• 1 Chronicles 16:29Ascribe to the Lord the glory due 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, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.
• Psalms 90:17May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.
• Psalms 96:9Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.
• 2 Chronicles 5:13The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.” Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud,
• 2 Chronicles 7:3When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.”
• 1 Chronicles 16:34Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
• Ezra 3:11With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.
• Psalms 106:1Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his 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