2 Chronicles 17:12

2Ch 17:12 And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store.

Ver. 12. And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly.] Heb., He was going and growing. "By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life." {Pro 22:4}

And he built in Judah castles.] Bironeoth, πυργους, turres. So did the Burgundians, and thence had their names

And cities of store.] Granaries; in the Hebrew they have their name from their utility or usefulness.

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.

17:12-19 Jehoshaphat’s international status, building enterprises, and army characterized his great rule. Archaeological excavations have revealed a line of highway forts in the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea dating to his time. • The number of troops in his army—totaling more than a million in Jerusalem—seems unreasonably high. Because the leaders were based on tribal divisions (17:14), it is possible that the term translated as “thousand” (’elep) should instead be translated as “squad” or “platoon,” a much smaller military unit. The totals might also include reserve divisions that served on rotation (see 1 Chr 27:1-15). The number of troops credited to Jehoshaphat is approximately triple those of Abijah (2 Chr 13:3), Asa (14:8), Amaziah (25:5), and Uzziah (26:11-15). It is comparable to the number of warriors at the time of David’s census (1 Chr 21:5), when soldiers from the northern tribes were counted. A large army was an indication of God’s blessing.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(12) And Jehoshaphat waxed great.—Literally, And Jehoshaphat was going on and waxing great, i.e., became greater and greater. (Comp. 1Ch_11:9.)

Exceedingly.—‘Ad lĕmà’lah. This phrase occurs again in 2Ch_16:12; 2Ch_26:8, and nowhere else in the Old Testament. (See on 1Ch_14:2.)

And he built.—Like his predecessors—Solomon, Rehoboam, Asa—he displayed his wealth and power in great public works. The records of the Assyrian and Babylonian sovereigns are largely taken up with similar accounts of temple and palace building.

Castles.—Biranîyôth, a derivative from birah (1Ch_29:1; 1Ch_29:19; comp. Syriac here, birôthô). It only recurs at 2Ch_27:4. It is an Aramaic term. (Comp. bîranyâthâ, which in the Targums means “palaces.”)

Cities of stores.—Comp. 2Ch_8:4; 2Ch_16:4; Exo_1:11.

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

12. castles] Heb. bîrâniyyôth; cp. 2Ch_27:4 (same word); and 2Ch_26:10 (“towers”). Such small castles or towers lie scattered along the pilgrim-road from Damascus to Mecca at the present day to make the way safe.

cities of store] Cp. 2Ch_11:11-12.

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.

And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly,.... In wealth and riches, power and authority, in his forces and fortifications:

and he built in Judah castles, and cities of stores; castles for the defence of his kingdom, and store cities to lay up corn, and wine, and all provisions, in case of an invasion, or against a time of war.

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

Houses. Prot. "castles." Heb. biraniyoth. Birah is properly a Chaldean word, and is added after susan, to imply that it was a royal castle, (C.) or palace. (H.) Esdras i. 1. --- Sept. often use baris in the same sense. C. --- It became a provincial word in Palestine, for a place shut up on all sides and built like a tower. S. Jerom ad Princep. --- David calls the temple a palace (habbirah) for God, 1 Paralipomenon xxix. 1. C. --- Josaphat employed his immense riches in beautifying the country, and erecting storehouses, v. 5. --- Walled. Prot. "cities of store." H. See C. xv. 4.

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).

Castles. This rendering, better than palaces" (margin), wound bear improving to the rather stronger word "fortresses," Hebrew, twOYniryBi, found only here and in 2Ch_27:4, plur. of tyniryBi connected with the Chaldee and later Hebrew, hryBi, of Ezr_6:2; Neh_1:1; Est_1:2; Dan_8:2, Cities of store (see note 2Ch_8:4; see also 1Ki_9:19; Exo_1:11)

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

He built fortresses and store cities

Jehoshaphat did not build these things himself, rather he commanded his workers to build them. AT: "His workers built fortresses and store cities" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

power

stronghold

Jerusalem

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

was becoming greater - Heb. וְגָדֵל. Scripture uses] a similar expression in reference to three people: Isaac, Samuel, and Jehoshaphat, but concerning Moses, David, and Mordecai, it says וְגָדוֹל. Concerning Isaac, Samuel, and Jehoshaphat, it says, וְגָדֵל because it is not proper to say וְגָדוֹל, great [in the context in which the word appears in the verse]. In regards to Samuel, it says, (I Sam. 2: 21): “And the lad Samuel grew up with the Lord.” God forbid that it should say, גָדוֹל עִם ה', he was great with the Lord. Here too, he [Jehoshaphat] became great to an unusual degree, גָדֵל עַד לְמָעְלָה. It is therefore improper to say וְגָדוֹל, great. The same applies to Isaac.

towers בִּירָנִיוֹת, derived from בִּירָה, huge towers for strength.

and store cities storage cities, to put in them wheat, wine and grain.

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.