2 Chronicles 19:3

2Ch 19:3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.

Ver. 3. Nevertheless there are good things found in thee.] Therefore God, rewarding his own graces in thee, will not suffer his whole wrath to arise against thee, but even in judgment remember mercy. Thus God "spareth" his people, "as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." {Mal 3:17} {See Trapp on "Mal 3:17"} As for the good works we do, Certum est nos facere quod facimus, sed Deus facit ut faciamus; He doeth all.

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.

(3) Nevertheless.—Yet the Divine wrath will not pursue thee to destruction, for there are good things found in thee. (So 2Ch_12:12; comp. also 1Ki_14:13.)

Thou hast taken away the groves.—Thou hast consumed (or exterminated ) the Ashçrahs. (Deu_13:6; 2Ki_23:24.) So Asa had done (2Ch_17:4). (Ashçrôth, as equivalent to Ashçrîm, recurs in 2Ch_33:3 and in Jdg_3:7 only.)

And hast prepared.—Or, directed. The contrary was said of Rehoboam (2Ch_12:14.)

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

3. good things] Cp. 2Ch_12:12 (note).

taken away the groves] R.V. put away the Asheroth (plur. of “Asherah”); cp. 2Ch_17:6 (note).

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.

Nevertheless, there are good things found in thee,.... Principles of grace, righteousness, and holiness, faith, love, zeal, and other graces, true and genuine, from whence sprung many good works done by him:

in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land; cut down the groves of trees, and destroyed the idols and images in them:

and hast prepared thine heart to seek God; through the grace of God his heart was disposed to serve and worship the Lord, and to seek his honour and glory.

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

Works. Sept. "words." Prot. "things." H. --- The merit of Josaphat screened him from punishment. T. --- Prepared. Sept. "directed." M. --- Syriac, "disposed." Faith teaches that we can do no good of ourselves, but that we have free will to choose either good or evil.

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).

There are good things found in thee, i.e. good works proceeding from an honest heart; which God more regards than this particular error; and therefore though he will chasten thee, yet he will not utterly destroy thee. Or, directed or set thy heart, i.e. thou hast sought and served God with all thy heart, and not feignedly, as many others do. And this work of preparing or directing his heart is here ascribed to Jehoshaphat, as elsewhere it is attributed to God, Pro 16:1; Phi 2:13, because it is man’s action, but performed by God’s grace, preventing, enabling, and inclining him to it.

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

3. Nevertheless — The seer has for Jehoshaphat words of encouragement as well as words of blame, and reminds the king that in taking away the groves [the Asherah images, 1Ki_14:15, note] he had shown the true theocratic spirit, which would not fail to be recognized and blessed of God. And this oracle of blame and of praise inspired the king to attempt further reforms.

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

Nevertheless; Hebrew, lka one of the few particles that were affirmative in the earlier Hebrew, (Gen_42:21) but adversative in the later (2Ch_1:4; Dan_10:7, Dan_10:21) It may be well rendered, "on the other hand." The expression here recalls the less favourable "notwithstanding" of Rev_2:20. There are good things found in thee. (see 2Ch_17:1-9)

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

Good things - Good marks proceeding from an honest heart; which God more regards than this particular error: and therefore though he will chasten thee, yet he will not utterly destroy thee.

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

groves

(See Scofield "Deu 16:21"). See Scofield "Jdg 3:7".

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

for you have abolished the asheroth as above (17:6), “and he removed the high places [and the asherim], etc.”

to seek God as above (17:4): “but he inquired of the God of his father, 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.