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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.”
• 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.”

Context of 2 Chronicles 20:21

19And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise Yhwh God of Israel with a loud voice on high. 20And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in Yhwh your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto Yhwh, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise Yhwh; for his mercy endureth for ever. 22And when they began to sing and to praise, Yhwh set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy 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

• And when he had consultedיָעַץyâ‛ats · to adviseH3289
• with the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• he appointedעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: appointH5975
• singersשִׁירshîyr shûr · to singH7891
• unto Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · 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 13:1And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.
• Proverbs 11:14Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
• 2 Chronicles 29:25And he set the Levites in the house of Yhwh with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of Yhwh by his prophets.
• 2 Chronicles 30:21And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised Yhwh day by day, singing with loud instruments unto Yhwh.
• Ezra 3:10And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yhwh, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise Yhwh, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
• Nehemiah 12:27And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
• 1 Chronicles 16:29Give unto Yhwh the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship Yhwh in the beauty of holiness.
• Psalms 29:2Give unto Yhwh the glory due unto his name; worship Yhwh in the beauty of holiness.
• Psalms 50:2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
• Psalms 90:17And let the beauty of Yhwh our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
• Psalms 96:9O worship Yhwh in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
• 2 Chronicles 5:13It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yhwh; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised Yhwh, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of Yhwh;
• 2 Chronicles 7:3And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of Yhwh upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised Yhwh, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
• 1 Chronicles 16:34O give thanks unto Yhwh; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
• Ezra 3:11And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto Yhwh; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Yhwh, because the foundation of the house of Yhwh was laid.
• Psalms 106:1Praise Yah. O give thanks unto Yhwh; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

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