2 Chronicles 25:7

But there came a man of God to him,.... Who the Jews say (f) was the brother of the king, Amos, the father of Isaiah, but without foundation: saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; to war against Edom; meaning the 100,000 men he had hired, and suggesting that to have them with him would not be to his advantage, but his detriment, for the following reason: for the Lord is not with Israel, to wit: with all the children of Ephraim; they being idolaters, worshippers of the calves; and as they had forsaken the Lord, he had forsaken them; therefore no help could be expected from them; the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord is not their help.'' (f) Seder Olam Rabba, c. 20. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 11. 2.

25:1-13 Amaziah was no enemy to religion, but cool and indifferent friend. Many do what is good, but not with a perfect heart. Rashness makes work for repentance. But Amaziah's obedience to the command of God was to his honour. A firm belief of God's all-sufficiency to bear us out in our duty, and to make up all the loss and damage was sustain in his service, will make his yoke very easy, and his burden very light. When we are called to part with any thing for God and our religion, it should satisfy us, that God is able to give us much more than this. Convinced sinners, who have not true faith, always object to self-denying obedience. They are like Amaziah; they say, But what shall we do for the hundred talents? What shall we do if by keeping the sabbath holy we lose so many good customers? What shall we do without this gain? What shall we do if we lose the friendship of the world? Many endeavour to quiet their consciences by the pretence that forbidden practices are necessary. The answer is, as here, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. He makes up, even in this world, for all that is given up for his sake.

2 Chronicles 25:7-8 . Let not the army of Israel go with thee — It is comfortable to employ those who, we have reason to hope, have an interest in heaven; but dangerous associating with those from whom the Lord is departed. For the Lord is not with Israel — He hath forsaken them; and prosperity shall not attend thy counsels and undertakings, if thou joinest thyself with them. But if thou wilt go, do it — It is an ironical concession, like that of Micaiah to Ahab, Go and prosper.

Verse 7. - (See foregoing chapter, ver. 19.) The name of this man of God does not transpire. To wit , with. These three words, all in italic type, if entirely omitted, and not even the preposition adopted, as in the Revised Version, into the ordinary type, will leave the intention of the writer clearer rather than less clear. 2 Chronicles 25:7

But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not {e} with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim. (e) Therefore to think to have help from them, whom the Lord does not favour, is to cast off the help of the Lord.

(7) The Lord is not with Israel. —Comp. 2Chronicles 19:2 ; 2Chronicles 20:37 ; also 2Chronicles 16:7 . To wit, with all the children of Ephraim.—Added as an explanation of the term Israel. Ephraim was the name of the northern kingdom (Hosea 5:11; Hosea 5:14; Hosea 6:4, and passim).

7, 8. there came a man of God—sent to dissuade Amaziah from the course he was following, on the ground that "the Lord is not with Israel." This statement was perfectly intelligible to the king. But the historian, writing long after, thought it might require explanation, and therefore added the comment, "with all the children of Ephraim." Idolatry had long been the prevailing religion in that kingdom, and Ephraim its headquarters. As to the other part of the prophet's advice (2Ch 25:8), considerable obscurity hangs over it, as the text stands; and hence some able critics have suggested the insertion of "not" in the middle clause, so that the verse will be thus: "But if thou wilt go [alone], do, be strong for the battle; God shall not make thee fall before the enemy."

The succeeding section, 2 Chronicles 25:5-16 , enlarges upon Amaziah's preparations for war with Edom, which had revolted under Joram of Judah, 2 Kings 8:22 ; upon the victory over the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and on the results of this war; - on all which we have in 2 Kings 14:7 only this short note: "he smote Edom in the valley of Salt 10,000 men, and took Selah in war, and called its name Joktheel unto this day." But the more exact statements of the Chronicle as to the preparations and the results of this war and victory are important for Amaziah's later war with Kings Joash of Israel, which is narrated in 2 Chronicles 25:17 . of our chapter, because in them lie the causes of that war, so fatal to Amaziah; so that the history of Amaziah is essentially supplemented by those statements of the Chronicle which are not found in 2Kings. 2 Chronicles 25:5-7 The preparations for the war against Edom, and the victory over the Edomites in the Valley of Salt. - 2 Chronicles 25:5. Amaziah assembled Judah, i.e., the men in his kingdom capable of bearing arms, and set them up (ordered them) according to the princes of thousands and hundreds, of all Judah and Benjamin, and passed them in review, i.e., caused a census to be taken of the men liable to military service from twenty years old and upward.

They found 300,000 warriors "bearing spear and target" (cf. 2 Chronicles 14:7); a relatively small number, not merely in comparison with the numbers under Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 17:14., which are manifestly too large, but also with the numberings made by other kings, e.g., Asa, 2 Chronicles 14:7. By Joram's unfortunate wars, 2 Chronicles 21:17, those of Ahaziah, and especially by the defeat which Joash sustained from the Syrians, 2 Chronicles 24:23, the number of men in Judah fit for war may have been very much reduced. Amaziah accordingly sought to strengthen his army against the Edomites, according to 2 Chronicles 25:6, by having an auxiliary corps of 100,000 men from Israel (of the ten tribes) for 100 talents of silver, i.e., he took them into his pay. But a prophet advised him not to take the Israelitish host with him, because Jahve was not with Israel, viz., on account of their defection from Jahve by the introduction of the calf-worship. To Israel there is added, (with) all the sons of Ephraim, to guard against any misunderstanding.