2 Chronicles 20:3

2 Chronicles 20:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting.

Context of 2 Chronicles 20:3

1After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. 2Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. 5Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard

2 Chronicles 20:3 word by word

וַיִּרָ֕א וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהוֹשָׁפָ֛ט אֶת־פָּנָ֖יו לִדְר֣וֹשׁ לַיהוָ֑ה וַיִּקְרָא־צ֖וֹם עַל־כָּל־יְהוּדָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Jehoshaphatיְהוֹשָׁפָטyehôshâphâţ · JehoshaphatH3092
• fearedיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• and setנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• himselfפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• to seekדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and proclaimedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
• a fastצוֹםtsôm tsôm · fastH6685
• throughoutעַל‛al · uponH5921
• all Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063

Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 20:3

• Genesis 32:7In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well.
• Psalms 56:3When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
• Isaiah 37:3They told him, “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.
• Jonah 1:16At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.
• Matthew 10:28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
• 2 Chronicles 11:16Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
• 2 Chronicles 19:3There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.”
• Judges 20:26Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 7:6When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.
• Ezra 8:21There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.
• Esther 4:16“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
• Jeremiah 36:9In the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, a time of fasting before the Lord was proclaimed for all the people in Jerusalem and those who had come from the towns of Judah.
• Daniel 9:3So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
• Joel 1:14Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.
• Joel 2:12“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
• Jonah 3:5The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 20:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Jehoshaphat feared - He found that he could not possibly stand against such a numerous army, and therefore could not expect to be delivered except by the strong arm of God. To get this assistance, it was necessary to seek it; and to get such extraordinary help, they should seek it in an extraordinary way; hence he proclaimed a universal fast, and all the people came up to Jerusalem to seek the Lord.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3General fasts had been previously observed by the Israelites (e. g. Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 7:6); but we do not hear of any fast having been “proclaimed” by authority before this.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-12Jehoshaphat reacted to the news of war with nearby nations by praying in sorrow, following Solomon's prayer ideals (2 Chronicles 6:24–40).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. Jehoshaphat ... proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah--Alarmed by the intelligence and conscious of his total inability to repel this host of invaders, Jehoshaphat felt his only refuge was at the horns of the altar. He resolved to employ the aid of his God, and, in conformity with this resolution, he summoned all his subjects to observe a solemn fast at the sanctuary. It was customary with the Hebrew kings to proclaim fasts in perilous…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Chronicles 20:3

• Battle
• Faithfulness
• Fasting
• Fear of God
• Jehoshaphat
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Jehoshaphat
• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Fast
• Sanctuary
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Ben-Ammi
• Chronicles, Books of
• Dead Sea, the

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