2 Chronicles 14:6

HAVING PEACE, HE STRENGTHENS HIS KINGDOM WITH FORTS AND ARMIES. (Ch2 14:6-8)

he built fenced cities in Judah--(See on Kg1 15:22).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Ch 14:6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.

Ver. 6. And he built fenced cities.] Though he had no war, yet he provided for it. So did our Queen Elizabeth; and so must every Christian soldier.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch 14:6-7. He built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest — He wisely provided for war in the time of peace. The Lord had given him rest — Those have rest indeed to whom God gives rest; peace indeed to whom Christ gives peace. Asa takes notice of the rest they had as the gift of God, and the happy consequence of their seeking the Lord. Because we have sought the Lord, he hath given us rest on every side — Whatever rest we enjoy, whether of body or mind, of our family or country, God ought to be acknowledged with thankfulness as the author of it. For as the frowns and rebukes of Providence should be observed as a check to us in an evil way, so the smiles of Providence should be taken notice of for our encouragement in that which is good. We find by experience that it is good to seek the Lord; it gives us rest. While we pursue the world, we meet with nothing but vexation.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 6. Fenced cities] To preserve his territories from invasion, and strengthen the frontiers of his kingdom, see 2Ch 14:7.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(6) And he built fenced cities.—See 2Ch_11:5; 2Ch_12:4; and for the expression “had given him rest,” 2Sa_7:1.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. in those years] Cp. 2Ch_14:1.

6–8 (cp. 1Ki_15:17-22). The Defensive Measures of Asa

According to 1 Kin., Asa being threatened by Baasha, king of Israel, secured himself a respite by inducing Ben-hadad of Syria with a heavy bribe to invade Baasha’s dominions. On the retirement of Israel Asa built himself two fortresses on his northern frontier to secure himself against Baasha. The Chronicler seems to be referring to the same occasion, but he says nothing of Baasha, nor of the intervention of Ben-hadad, and speaks of Asa building fortresses without mentioning their number.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Therefore he said unto Judah,.... To the nobles and principal men of the kingdom:

let us build these cities; which he, no doubt, particularly mentioned by name, and pointed at; that is, repair and fortify them, and put them into a better condition of defence:

and make about them walls and towers, gates and bars; which are always made to fortified places, to protect the inhabitants, and keep out an enemy:

while the land is yet before us; in our power, no enemy in it, nor any to hinder or molest:

because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side; had set up his pure worship, reformed abuses in it, and removed idolatry from it, and closely attended to the service of the sanctuary, which was well pleasing to God; the happy effect of which they experienced, rest from all their enemies round about them:

so that they built, and prospered; they began, and went on, and finished, there being nothing to hinder them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Time, as yet. (Tirinus) --- Admirable lesson for all to prepare for war in time of quite! (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

6. Built fenced cities in Judah — He probably restored the fortresses which Shishak had taken and dismantled. Compare 2Ch_12:4. The kingdom of Judah had probably been tributary to Egypt since the time of Shishak’s invasion, (2Ch_12:8-9;) but now Asa discerned a favourable time to throw off this foreign yoke, and “while the land was yet before” them, (2Ch_14:7, that is, unoccupied and unguarded by the Egyptians, so that they could move about in it at pleasure,) he improved his opportunity to fortify his kingdom. 2Ch_14:8 shows also that the number of valiant warriors in Judah and Benjamin was now much greater than it was in Abijah’s reign. Comp. 2Ch_13:3.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He built fenced cities in Judah. Though it is not said so here, it is very probable that Asa did again the work of Rehoboam (2Ch_11:5-12) which Shishak had done so much to undo. (2Ch_12:4, 2Ch_12:5, 2Ch_12:8)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The land had rest - Those have rest indeed, to whom God gives rest; peace indeed, to whom Christ gives peace. We find by experience, it is good to seek the Lord. While we pursue the world, we meet with nothing but vexation.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

as long as the land is before us As long as the kingdom is established before us, so that if we need them, they will be a refuge for us. And all this happened in the ten years about which it is written (above 13:23): “in his time the land was tranquil.” But after those ten years, there was a war between him and Baasha all their lives, for in the third year of Asa, Baasha reigned, and seven years there was peace between them, and so it is proven here as well (verse 5): “and there was no war with him in these years.” But in the other years there was war with him, and below (15:19) it is written: “And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.” We can, however, explain that the war that he had with the Cushites was not until the thirty-fifth year of his reign, but this is difficult to me, for it is written below (16:1): “In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha...advanced,” until (verse 9): “you have dealt foolishly concerning this, for from now on there will be wars with you.” It appears from here that prior to this, he did not have wars, and he lived after that only five years, and in I Kings 15:32, it is written: “And there was war between Asa and Baasha, etc. all their lives.” In Seder Olam (ch. 16) it is explained clearly.

for we sought the Lord our God; we sought [Him] Since we sought Him, He gave us peace from round about.

So they built cities.

and prospered And a similar instance is (above 12:7): “And when the Lord saw that they had humbled themselves, etc.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.