2 Chronicles 20:6

2Ch 20:6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, [art] not thou God in heaven? and rulest [not] thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand [is there not] power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

Ver. 6. Art not thou God in heaven? &c.] The choice of fit attributes, whereby to represent God to the soul in prayer, doth notably help faith and cause fervency.

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.

Jehoshaphat’s appeal is threefold:

(1) to God omnipotent 2Ch 20:6;

(2) to “our God;”

(3) the God especially “of this house” the temple.

2Ch 20:7

Abraham thy friend - Historically, this is the first use of this remarkable expression, afterward repeated (marginal references). The ground of the expression is to be found principally in Gen 18:23-33, where Abraham spoke with God as a man with his friend (compare Exo 33:11).

2Ch 20:8, 2Ch 20:9

The appeal recalls Solomon’s prayer (marginal references), which God had formally accepted by sending down fire from heaven to consume the accompanying offering.

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

2Ch 20:6-7. And said, O Lord God, &c. — Jehoshaphat himself was the mouth of the congregation to God, and did not devolve the work upon his chaplains. For though the kings were forbidden to burn incense, they were allowed to pray and preach. Art thou not God in heaven, &c. — Which none of the gods of the heathen are. Is not thy dominion supreme, over kingdoms themselves, and universal, over all kingdoms, even those of the heathen, that know thee not? Art thou not our God? — In covenant with us? To whom should we seek, to whom should we trust for relief, but to him whom we have chosen for our God, and who has chosen us for his people? Who gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend — To whom thou didst engage thyself to be his friend, and the friend of his seed for ever, and therefore we trust thou wilt not forsake us, his posterity.

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

And said, O Lord God of our fathers--This earnest and impressive prayer embraces every topic and argument which, as king and representative of the chosen people, he could urge. Then it concludes with an earnest appeal to the justice of God to protect those who, without provocation, were attacked and who were unable to defend themselves against overwhelming numbers.

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 6. Jehoshaphat stood] What an instructive sight was this! The king who proclaimed the fast was foremost to observe it, and was on this occasion the priest of the people; offering in the congregation, without form or any premeditation, one of the most sensible, pious, correct, and as to its composition one of the most elegant prayers ever offered under the Old Testament dispensation.

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

(6) Art not thou God in heaven.—So Psa_115:2-3. Jehovah, the Worship of Israel, is no limited local or tribal deity, but God over all. (Comp. also the first clause of the Lord’s Prayer.)

And rulest not thou over all the kingdoms?—Comp. 1Ch_29:12 (David’s prayer), “and Thou reignest (rulest) over all; and in Thine hand is power and might.” This and next sentence should be rendered affirmatively, as in that place. (Comp. also Psa_47:8 : “God reigneth over the heathen.”)

So that none is able to withstand thee.—Vulg., “nec quisquam tibi potest resistere;” LXX., καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν πρὸς σὲ ἀντιστῆναι. Literally, and there is none against thee to stand up. For this construction, comp. Psa_94:16 : “Who will stand up for me with (i.e., against) workers of wickedness. (Comp. also Psa_2:2; and the last words of Asa’s Prayer, 2Ch_14:11.) Syr. and Arab., “and I am standing and praying before thee.”

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

6. O Lord God] R.V. O LORD, the God; cp. 2Ch_21:10; 2Ch_21:12.

art not thou God] cp. Jos_2:11.

rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen?] R.V. art not thou ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Cp. Psa_22:28.

is there not power] R.V. is power. Cp. 2Ch_14:11 (Asa’s prayer).

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 said, O Lord God of our fathers,.... Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whose covenant God he was:

art not thou God in heaven? that dwellest and rulest there, and dost whatever thou pleasest in the armies of it:

and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the Heathens? being King of kings, and Lord of lords, all the world over:

and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? his power being infinite, unlimited, and uncontrollable, and so not resistible by finite creatures, at least not so as to be stopped and overcome.

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

6-12. This prayer should be compared with that of Asa, (2Ch_14:11,) and parts of Solomon’s at the dedication of the temple. 2Ch_6:28-31.

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

Vers. 6-12. The recorded prayers of Scripture are indeed what they might be expected to be, model prayers, and the present a model instance of the same (see homiletics). The prayer before us invokes the one God "in heaven;" claims him the God "of our fathers;" recites his universal authority above, below; pleads his former conduct of.the "people Israel," in especial his stablishing of that people in their present land; most touchingly recalls his covenant of condescending, everlasting "friendship" with Abraham, the grand original of the people (Gen_18:17-19, Gen_18:33; Exo_33:11) makes mention of the consecration of the land by the sanctuary, and in particular of the very service of consecration and the special foreseeing provision in that service for a crisis like the present (1Ki_8:33-45; 2Ch_6:24-35 2Ch_7:1) and then (vers. 10, 11) states pointedly the case and complaint with its aggravations Deu_2:4, Deu_2:8, Deu_2:9, Deu_2:19; Num_20:21; and (Jud_1:11:18) with a parting appeal, confession of their own weakness, ignorance, and dependence unfeigned, commits the cause of the alarmed people to God. Our eyes are upon thee. So, with a multitude of other passages, that supreme pattern one, (Psa_123:2.

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

The prayer which Jehoshaphat directed to Jahve the God of the fathers, as the almighty Ruler over all kingdoms, consists of a short representation of the circumstances of the case. Jahve had given the land to His people Israel for an everlasting possession, and Israel had built a sanctuary to His name therein (Ch2 20:7 and Ch2 20:8); but they had in no way provoked the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites to fall upon them, and to drive them out of their land (Ch2 20:10 and Ch2 20:11). On these two facts Jehoshaphat founds his prayer for help, in a twofold manner: in respect to the first, calling to mind the divine promise to hear the prayers offered up to God in the temple (Ch2 20:9); and in reference to the second, laying emphasis upon the inability of Israel to fight against so numerous an enemy (Ch2 20:12). In his manner of addressing Jahve, "God of our fathers," there is contained a reason why God should protect His people in their present distress. Upon Him, who had given the land to the fathers for a possession, it was incumbent to maintain the children in the enjoyment of it, if they had not forfeited it by their sins. Now Jahve as a covenant God was bound to do this, and also as God and ruler of heaven and earth He had the requisite power and might; cf. Psa 115:3. להתיצּב עמּך אין, there is none with Thee who could set himself, i.e., could withstand Thee: cf. the similar phrase, Ch2 14:10; and for the thought, see Ch1 29:12. - On Ch2 20:7, cf. Jos 23:9; Jos 24:12; Exo 23:20., etc.; on Ch2 20:7, cf. Gen 13:15., Ch2 15:18, etc.; on אהבך, Isa 41:8.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

and that You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations and in Your hand is strength and might to conduct Your rule over them; therefore, we beseech You to save us from them.

and in Your hand is strength and might in wars and might, hardiess in French, boldness.

and no one can stand with You No creature can stand against You of all the kingdoms of the nations, and an example of this is (Josh. 1:5): “No man shall stand before You.” (Rabbi Menahem the son of Helbo explained it in this manner.)

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.