2 Chronicles 17:9

2Ch 17:9 And they taught in Judah, and [had] the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.

Ver. 9. And had the book of the law of the Lord with them.] They taught not traditions, human inventions, or unwritten verities. All their doctrines came cum privilegio, and were Scripture proof.

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 17:9. And they taught in Judah, &c. — The Levites and priests were teachers by office, Deu 33:10. It was a part of the work for which they had their maintenance, and indeed had little else to do. But, it seems, they had neglected it, pretending, probably, that they could not get the people to hear them. Jehoshaphat, therefore, sends them with the princes, who, by their authority, might require the people to assemble together to receive instruction in the laws of God and their duty. “What a great deal of good,” says Henry, “may be done, when Moses and Aaron thus go hand in hand in the doing of it; when princes with their power, and priests and Levites with their Scripture-learning, agree to teach the people the good knowledge of God, and their duty. These itinerant judges, and itinerant preachers together, were instrumental to diffuse a blessed light throughout the cities of Judah.” And had the book of the law of the Lord with them — 1st, For their own guidance, that from thence they might draw all the instructions they gave to the people, and not teach for doctrines the commandments of men. 2d, For the conviction or the people, that they might see these priests and Levites had a divine warrant for what they said, and delivered to them only that which they had received from the Lord.

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

the book of the law--that is, either the whole Pentateuch or only the book of Deuteronomy, which contains an abridgment of it.

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 9. 2Ch 17:7.

Ver. 9. Had the book of the law of the Lord with them] This was their text book: it was the book of God; they taught it as such, and as such the people received it. Its laws were God's laws, and the people felt their obligation, and their consciences were bound. Thus they were obedient to the laws of the land, on the principle of religion. In this they were encouraged and confirmed by the example of all, both in Church and state. The princes were not only pious, but were teachers of piety; the Levites showed them the worth and excellence of their ritual institutions; and the priests showed them the moral use they were to make of the whole: and thus the people became obedient to God as well as to the king, and kept all the civil ordinances, not merely for the sake of a good king, but for the sake of a good and gracious God. By these means the nation enjoyed peace and prosperity; and all insurrections, seditions, and popular commotions, were prevented. The surrounding nations, perceiving this, saw that there was no hope of subduing such a people, so they made no war with Jehoshaphat, 2Ch 17:10. And they took care not to provoke such a people to fall on them; therefore, it is said, The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms and lands that were round about Judah. Such an itinerant ministry established in these kingdoms for upwards of fourscore years, teaching the pure, unadulterated doctrines of the Gospel, with the propriety and necessity of obedience to the laws, has been the principal means, in the hand of God, of preserving these lands from those convulsions and revolutions that have ruined and nearly dissolved the European continent. The itinerant ministry, to which this refers, is that which was established in these lands by the late truly reverend, highly learned and cultivated, deeply pious and loyal JOHN WESLEY, A.M., formerly a fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, whose followers are known by the name of METHODISTS; a people who are an honour to their country, and a blessing to the government under which they live.

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

9. and had the book] R.V. having the book. The Chronicler no doubt means by this the Pentateuch as we have it, but in the source from which he drew the account one of the earlier codes embedded in our present Pentateuch may have been meant. It is improbable that the five books of Moses existed in the time of Jehoshaphat in the form in which we now have them.

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 they taught in Judah,.... The people their duty to God and man:

and had the book of the law of the Lord with them; as the rule of their instruction, and the people's obedience; out of this they taught them, and by it confirmed what they taught, and enforced it with the divine authority:

and went about throughout all the cities of Judah; not only their own cities, the Levitical ones, but all others:

and taught the people; the law of the Lord, the fear and worship of God.

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

There is no reasonable doubt that this “book of the law” was the Pentateuch - nearly, if not quite, in the shape in which we now have it. Copies of the whole Law were, no doubt, scarce; and therefore Jehoshaphat’s commission took care to carry a copy with them.

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

Book. The Pentateuch, or its abridgment, the book of Deut., (M.) which they read and explained. C. --- People. It was not sufficient to destroy idolatry, (M.) unless the people were taught how to serve the true God. 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).

9. The book of the law — Our Pentateuch, in substantially its present form. “Copies of the whole law were, no doubt, scarce; and therefore Jehoshaphat’s commission took care to carry a copy with them.” — Rawlinson.

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

And they taught, &c. - And these itinerant Judges and itinerant preachers together, Mr. Henry observes were instrumental to diffuse a blessed light throughout the cities of Judah.

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