2 Chronicles 19:10

2Ch 19:10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and [so] wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.

Ver. 10. Of your brethren,] q.d., They are your brethren by race, place, and grace; therefore see that right be done them; else your father will be angry.

Between blood and blood.] Between an innocent and one culpable of death: as also between murders, whether wilful or casual.

Between law and commandments, &c.] To find out the true sense of the law, when it is pleaded by both parties; and to resolve the seeming ambiguities and contradictions: for not the letter but the mind of the law is law; and this you must fish out.

That they trespass not against the Lord.] By misinterpreting the law; making it a nose of wax; writhing it from the right sense.

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 19:10. Between blood and blood — Between the blood of the person slain, and the blood of the manslayer. See the note on Deu 17:8. All the cities of refuge, except Hebron, now belonged to the kingdom of Israel, so that the manslayer now usually fled to the courts of the temple, or the horns of the altar; and therefore the trial of these was reserved for the court at Jerusalem. Between law and commandment, &c. — When any debates shall arise about the meaning of any of God’s laws. Ye shall even warn them — Ye shall not only give a righteous sentence for what is past, but ye shall admonish the offender, and others, to take better heed for the future. This do, and ye shall not trespass — Thus you shall not bring guilt and wrath upon yourselves and others, which otherwise you certainly would do.

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

Meaning, that God would punish them most sharply, if they would not execute justice aright.

That is, to try whether the murder was done at unawares, or else on set purpose, Num. 35:11; Deut. 4:41.

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

Verse 10. Between blood and blood] Cases of man-slaughter or accidental murder, or cases of consanguinity, the settlement of inheritance, family claims, &c.

Between law and commandment] Whatsoever concerns the moral precepts, rites, and ceremonies, of the law, or whatsoever belongs to civil affairs.

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

(10) And.—To wit.

Cause.—Rîbh, “controversy” (2Ch_19:8).

Shall come to you.—i.e., be referred to you as the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Of.—From your brethren—i.e., not your judicial brethren, but your fellow-countrymen.

That dwell in their cities.—In the various country towns, as opposed to the capital.

Between blood and blood.—See Deu_17:8. Questions growing out of cases of homicide—e.g., whether a given crime were murder or manslaughter.

Between law and commandment, statutes and judgments.—That is, questions about the interpretation and application of the different legal rules and principles. The phrase “commandment, statutes, and judgments,” is a sort of summary of the various kinds of law.

Ye shall even warn them that they trespass not.—Then ye shall instruct them, in order that, &.100

Warn.—Teach (Exo_18:20) them the true sense and bearing of the law in the particular case.

Trespass.—Incur guilt; by giving false judgment.

And so wrath (2Ch_19:2) . . . brethren.—The miscarriage of justice would involve not only the immediate agents, but the whole people, in guilt and its penal consequences.

This do . . . trespass.—Thus shall ye do (2Ch_19:9), that ye may not incur guilt.

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

10. And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren] R.V. And whensoever any controversy shall come to you from your brethren.

between blood and blood] To decide between one kind of blood-shedding and another, i.e. between manslaughter and murder. Deu_17:8.

between law and commandment] To decide what particular ordinance applies to a particular case.

ye shall even warn them] R.V. ye shall warn them. Cp. Eze_3:17-21.

that they trespass not against] R.V. that they be not guilty towards. Cp. Isa_24:6 (“found guilty” R.V.).

wrath] Heb. qeçeph; see note on 2Ch_19:2.

ye shall not trespass] R.V. ye stall not be guilty.

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, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord,.... He being high priest, presided in this court in all things sacred, or which respected the worship of God; and was present to give his advice, and direct in the determination of all such matters that should come before them, according to the laws and statutes provided in such cases; though it may be he was only a common priest that was chief over them, or the president of this court:

and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah; the prince of the tribe of Judah:

for all the king's matters; such as related to civil government, and which were not so clearly determined by positive laws:

also the Levites shall be officers before you; to execute the sentences that should be passed by them:

deal courageously; fear not the faces of any, but judge righteously and faithfully:

and the Lord shall be with the good; with good men that do good, to bestow all needful good upon them, to protect and defend them; the Targum is,"the Word of the Lord shall be for your help, who is good.''

Next: 2 Chronicles Chapter 20

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

The Jews who “dwelt in the cities,” if dissatisfied with the decision given by the provincial judges, might therefore remove the cause to Jerusalem, as to a court of appeal.

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

Cities. He addressed the judges of the capital, to whom appeals might be made. C. M. --- Kindred, with respect to inheritances and matrimonial cases. Heb. "blood," or murder, whither casual or wilful.

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).

Between blood and blood; of which See Poole "Deu 17:8".

Between law and commandment, statutes and judgments; when any debates or differences shall arise about the meaning of any of God’s laws, one party possibly putting this, and the other a quite differing sense upon the same place, or one alleging one place, and the offer another place, which may seem to clash with it.

Ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the Lord; ye shall not only give a righteous sentence for what is past, but ye shall admonish the offender, and others, to take better heed to themselves and their ways for the future.

This do, and ye shall not trespass; so you shall not bring guilt and wrath upon yourselves and others, which otherwise you will certainly do.

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

10. Between law and commandment, statutes and judgments — “That is, in cases where the matter concerns the interpretation and application of the law, and its individual commands, statutes, and judgments, to particular crimes; wherever, in short, there is any doubt by what particular provision of the law the case in hand should be decided.” — Keil.

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

Come of your brethren in their cities. These words confirm our foregoing note, and point to the appeal character of the Jerusalem court. Note also the clear connection of the verse with Deu_17:8, Deu_17:10, Deu_17:11; Exo_21:12-27. Law commandment, statutes judgments. It might sometimes need to be shown how the particular commandment flowed from main and essential law; and the written statute is easily distinguishable from those judgments, which were more like "judge-made" law. Ye shall not trespass; Revised Version, more correctly, ye shall not be guilty.

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

Blood - This refers to Deut. xvii, 8, between the blood of the person slain, and the blood of the man-slayer. All the cities of refuge, except Hebron, now belonged to the kingdom of Israel, so that the man-slayer now usually fled to the courts of the temple, or the horns of the altar. And therefore the trial of these, was reserved for the court at Jerusalem. Law, &c. - When any debates shall arise about the meaning of any of God's laws. Warn - Ye shall not only give a righteous sentence for what is past, but ye shall admonish the offender, and others, to take better heed for the future.

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

Connecting Statement:

Jehoshaphat continues to instruct some of the Levites and the priests, and some of the heads of the ancestral houses of Israel, who he appointed to be judges.

General Information:

The words "you" and "your" in this verse refers to those persons Jehoshaphat appointed to be judges.

Whenever any dispute comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities

This can be stated in active form. AT: "Whenever your brothers who live in their cities bring you a dispute" (See: Active or Passive)

from your brothers

Here "brothers" is a general reference to fellow Israelites.

bloodshed

Here the killing of people is spoken of as shedding their blood, where "blood" represents their lives. AT: "the killing of people" or "murder" (See: Metonymy)

anger will come toward you and toward your brothers

The abstract noun "anger" can be expressed as the adjective "angry." This can be stated in active form. AT: "God will be angry with you and your brothers" (See: Abstract Nouns and Active or Passive)

translationWords

brother

bloodshed

law, laws

command

statute

decree

guilt

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

between blood[shed] and blood[shed] between the bloodshed of an unintentional murder and an intentional one.

you shall admonish them your brethren.

and there be wrath upon you and upon your brethren Therefore so shall you do You shall admonish your brethren.

and you will not be guilty In any case, you [will not be guilty], for if you accept the admonition, there will be no wrath upon you, and there will also be no guilt upon you in anything since you performed the duty which was incumbent upon you to perform.

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.