2 Chronicles 17:3

2Ch 17:3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;

Ver. 3. Because he walked in the first ways of his father David.] Who during his trouble kept himself free from scandalous and reproachful practices, innocent from the great transgression. {Psa 19:13} David rectior fuit in servitio quam in regno, saith Gregory.

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 17:3-4. He walked in the first ways of his father David — His ways before he fell so foully, in the matter of Uriah, which were good ways. David, indeed, recovered from that fall, but, perhaps, never, while he lived, fully retrieved the spiritual strength and comfort which he had lost. Jehoshaphat followed David as far as he followed God, and no farther. St. Paul himself thus limits our imitation of him, 1Co 11:1, Follow me, as I follow Christ, and not otherwise. The first ways of many pious people have been their best ways, and their first love their strongest love: which, however, ought not to be the case: for the last ought to be more than the first, Rev 2:19. But in every copy we propose to write after, as we ought to single out that only which is good, so that chiefly which is best. The original words here are literally rendered, He walked in the ways of David his father, הראשׁונים, hareshonim, those first, or ancient ways. He proposed to himself, for his example, the primitive times of the royal family, those purest times, before the corruptions of the late reigns came in. See Jer 6:16. The LXX. leave out David, and so refer this to Asa: He walked in the first ways of his father Asa, and did not imitate him in what was amiss in him toward the latter end of his time. It is well to be cautious in following the best men, lest we step aside after them. And sought not unto Baalim — The neighbouring nations had their Baalim: one had one Baal, and another had another; but he abhorred them all, and had nothing to do with any of them. He sought the Lord God of his father, and him only; prayed to him only; and inquired of him only.

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

17:3-4 For the first time, the Chronicler compares Judah’s practices with those of northern Israel, showing his awareness that the Baal cult from Tyre had been introduced into northern worship (see 1 Kgs 16:31-32).

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

That is, his virtues: meaning before he had committed with Bathsheba, and against Uriah.

Sought not help at strange Gods.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

he walked in the first ways of his father David--He imitated the piety of his great ancestor in the early part of his reign before he made those unhappy lapses which dishonored his character.

and sought not unto Baalim--a term used for idols generally in contradistinction to the Lord God of his father.

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

Verse 3. The Lord was with Jehoshaphat] "The WORD of the Lord was Jehoshaphat's Helper." - Targum.

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

(3) He walked in the first ways.—The former or earlier ways of David, as contrasted with his later conduct—a tacit allusion to the adultery with Bathsheba and other sins of David committed in his later years (2 Samuel 11-24). A few MSS. and the LXX. omit David.

And sought not unto Baalim.—And sought not the Baals (dârash lĕ, a late construction). The Baals were different local aspects of the sun-god. Here the term no doubt includes the illegal worship of Jehovah under the form of a bullock, as instituted by Jeroboam, and practised in the northern kingdom (“the doing of Israel” 2Ch_17:4). Syriac, “and prayed not to images.”

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

3. in the first ways of his father David] Omit David (so LXX.), the person referred to being Asa (1Ki_22:43). Asa’s first ways (ch. 14, 15) were good, his latter ways (ch. 16), according to the Chronicler, were evil.

unto Baalim] R.V. unto the Baalim. Baal is not a proper name, but a title meaning “Lord,” which was generally given to false gods. Israel might not call Jehovah, “My Baal” (Baali), Hos_2:16-17.

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 the Lord was with Jehoshaphat,.... Guiding and directing, prospering and succeeding him in all things; he had, no doubt, his gracious presence in spiritual things, as well as his powerful and directing presence in things civil; the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord was for his help;"

because he walked in the first ways of his father David; which were his best; some of his last ways not being good, as in the affair of Uriah and Bathsheba, and his numbering of the people; Jehoshaphat followed him in the one, but not in the other: or, "in the ways of David and his father, the first"; the first of them both; for the latter ways of his father Asa were not so good as his first, as the preceding chapter shows; and the Septuagint version leaves out the word "David", and so restrains it to his own father:

and sought not unto Baalim; as did Ahab king of Israel, who now reigned there; Kg1 15:24.

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

The first ways of his father David - The Septuagint and several Hebrew manuscripts omit “David,” which has probably crept in from the margin, for David’s “first ways” are nowhere else contrasted with his later ways. The real meaning of the writer is, that Jehoshaphat followed the example set by his father Asa in his earlier years 2Ch 14:1-15; 15.

Baalim - On the plural form, see 1Ki 18:18 note.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

First. Before his fall: some copies add, "and last," (La Haye) as the Gothic MS. used by Mariana does, agreeably to the Scripture style. D. --- David began and ended well. H.

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).

In the first ways, which David walked in before he fell into those horrid sins of murder and adultery. Or, in the ways of David, and his father’s first ways. For the beginning of Asa’s reign was laudable, as we have seen, though he declined at last. For it seems more probable that this passage is a reflection upon Asa, whose last ways were much his worst, and of whose repentance we have no evidence, than upon David, who, though he fell dreadfully in the matter of Uriah, yet did manifestly repent of it, and return to his first and holy course of life, in which also he continued until death; having this character given him by the Holy Ghost after his death, that he did right in all things, saving that of Uriah, 1Ki 15:5.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. The first ways of his father David — The first or earlier ways of David are contrasted with his later ways “in the matter of Uriah,” and his sin in numbering the people. The Septuagint omits the word David, and some have therefore thought it an interpolation, and understand the earlier ways of Asa to be intended.

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

The first ways of his father David. Although there would be no difficulty in reconciling this statement with history, yet probably the name David should not stand here. It is not in the Septuagint. The most natural and sufficient reference is to Asa. And sought not unto Ballim; literally, to the Baalim; i.e. to the various false gods of surrounding peoples, (Jud_1:2:11) Baal-berith, (Jud_1:8:33 9:4, 46) Baal-, (2Ki_1:2) Baal-peor, (Num_23:28, etc.; Num_25:3) according to the places where the idolatrous worship was carried on. (For the preposition l, "to," after "sought," in this and following verse, see 1Ch_22:19)

Vers. 3-6.

The wise choice and the happy course.

We have before us here the king who made the wise choice, and who consequently ran through a very happy course. In him we have an example; in it a promise for ourselves.

I THE WISE CHOICE, WHICH IS AN EXAMPLE TO US. Jehoshaphat:

1. Preferred the true God to the false deities; he "sought to the Lord Godof his father," and he "sought not unto Baalim." Moreover, he set before him, as that which he should copy:

2. The best part of the best man"s life. Not the life of the less perfect Abijah or Rehoboam, or even Solomon, but David; and of his life, not the latter part, which was more luxurious and less pure, but the first ways of his father David," which were lees luxurious and more pure than the last. Herein he showed an excellent judgment. He could not have done a wiser thing, as he certainly could not have done anything more solemnly and stringently binding upon him, than resolve to cleave to the "God of his fathers the God who had called both king and kingdom into existence, to whom he and his people owed all that they were and had. There were certain fascinations connected with the worship of Baalim appealing to their lower nature; but what were these to the weighty and overwhelming considerations that bound him to Jehovah? And he could not have done better than choose for his exemplar the devout and faithful David; and, choosing him, to select the earlier and worthier part of his very checkered and somewhat uneven life. Before us is a similar choice, and we must make up our mind what we will decide upon.

(1) We have to choose what God we will serve; whether the Lord God of our fathers, whether the heavenly Father, the Divine Saviour and Friend of our souls, or whether this passing world with its lower interests, its fading honours, its transient joys.

(2) We have to determine in whose steps we will follow; whether those of the ambitious, or of the pleasure-seeking, or of the aimless man, or those of the reverent and earnest man; and again, if we choose the last, whether we will direct our eye to those elements in his character and to those portions of his life which are not the second-best, but the noblest and worthiest of all.

II THE HAPPY COURSE, WHICH IS A PROMISE FOR US. Jehoshaphat had all that a king could well wish for.

1. A sense of God"s favouring presence (ver. 3).

2. A sense of growing security throughout his kingdom (ver. 5).

3. The testimony of his people"s attachment to his person (ver. 5). Honour as well as abundance (ver. 5).

4. Elation of heart, great and continuous gladness in the service of Jehovah( ver. 6).

5. The expenditure of his power m further cleansing usefulness (ver. 6). What rewards of the king"s fidelity were due to his royal position we, of course, cannot look for. But if we make the wiser choice we may reckon upon a life of true and real blessedness. To us there will be secured

(1) all needful temporal good (Psa_37:25 Psa_34:22; Mat_6:33; 1Ti_4:8)

(2) the conscious and abiding presence of God (Joh_14:23 Joh_15:4; Rev_3:20)

(3) the peace which, not as the world gives, Christ gives to his own, and the joy which no man taketh from us;

(4) the spiritual conditions of holy usefulness, the means and opportunity of exerting a pure and elevating influence on many hearts, and thus of uplifting and ennobling many lives;

(5) the hope that maketh not ashamed. C.

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

Sought not, &c. - It is true, he recovered from that fall. "Yet perhaps, says Mr. Henry, he never, while he lived, fully retrieved the spiritual strength he lost by it."

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

father

After the Jewish custom of calling a family, or tribal head, father; e.g. Joh 8:53.

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat

Here "was with" is an idiom. AT: "God supported him" or "God helped him" (See: Idiom)

walked in the first ways of his father

Here the way a person lives and conducts himself is spoken of as if it were walking. For most of David's life he lived righteously and followed Yahweh closely. AT: "lived in the first ways of his father David" or "lived righteously as has father David had done in his earlier years" (See: Idiom and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

did not seek the Baals

This means that he did not worship the Baal idols in order to seek help from them. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

walked in

The word "walked" is used here as an idiom. AT: "followed" (See: Idiom)

not after the behavior of Israel

"and did not behave in the ways of the people of Israel." This refers to how most of the people of Israel did not follow Yahweh. AT: "and did not follow the evil practices that were common in Israel" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

Yahweh

walk

David

Baal

God

command

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

in the first ways of David, his father But not the last ways, when he sinned in the incident of Bathsheba, and when the Adversary enticed him to count Israel. This is the most accurate interpretation, but others explain “first” as meaning superior to Solomon and Rehoboam. Regarding Solomon, it is written (I Kings 11:4): “his wives turned away his heart” at the end of his days, and he built a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.” Regarding Rehoboam, it is written (above 12:1): “And when he became strong, he abandoned the Law of the Lord.” [Jehoshaphat was also not] like Abijam, about whom it is written (I Kings 15:2): “and his heart was not complete with the Lord, his God,” or like Asa, who did not rely on the Lord; [Jehoshaphat] resembled his father, David, who had only one heart for his Father in heaven.

and did not inquire of the baalim like the practice of Israel in his time, for Ahab, who was in his time, worshipped the baalim, as did Israel in his time.

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.