2 Chronicles 22:4

2Ch 22:4 Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction.

Ver. 4. Wherefore he did evil.] See 2Ki 8:27, where he is said to be the son-in-law to the house of Ahab. So that what by his mother’s command, and what by his wife’s importunity, he was utterly marred.

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.

He showeth that it must needs follow that the rulers are such as their counselors be, and that there cannot be a good King, that suffereth wicked counselors.

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

(4) Wherefore.—And he did the evil. So 2Ki_8:27.

For they were his counsellors.—Or, became.

To his destruction.—Literally, to destruction to him, the same peculiar expression being used which occurred in 2Ch_20:23. This last half of the verse is evidently the chronicler’s own free expansion or interpretation of the words of Kings, “for he was son-in-law of the house of Ahab.”

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

4. after the death of his father] This phrase suggests that he acted as regent in his father’s lifetime during his father’s two years’ illness.

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.

Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the Lord, like the house of Ahab,.... See Kg2 8:27.

for they were his counsellors, after the death of his father, to his destruction; both of soul and body; for they gave him bad advice, both in religious and civil things; these were some of the family or court of the king of Israel, that his mother sent for after his father's death to be of his council.

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

After the death of his father; who, whilst he lived, seduced his son by his counsel and authority, and made other evil counsellors then unnecessary.

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

The counsel that destroys, and that which saves.

counsellors to his destruction." The counsel we receive has much to do with the character we form and the life we live; much, therefore, with the destiny we are weaving.

I THE URGENT NEED FOR COUNSEL IN A CRITICAL PERIOD OF OUR LIFE. In our earliest years the river of our life flows between high and narrow banks. We are well fenced in, and must move according to our surroundings. But later on the banks are lower, the restrictions are weaker, and we may overflow, may cut a new channel for ourselves. At first we are under commandment from hour to hour; we do that which is prescribed for us; we shun that which is interdicted. Then comes a time when we disengage ourselves from this position; it has become bondage; we demand to enter upon the rights of maturity, to form our own judgment, to act according to our own choice. It is at this point, when the father"s authority is no longer paramount, that we need to act under counsel. We urgently need the help of those who will advise, though they do not assume to direct us. We want the guidance of those who will say to us, not, You shall, but, You should. We require the advantage of the experience of men who have gone through the ways that now lie before us; of men whose wisdom will equip us for the new duties that have to be discharged, for the new burdens that have to be borne, for the new dangers and difficulties that have to be faced and fought, for the new teen, rations that have to be met and mastered. But there are two kinds of counsel, and everything depends on which we shall adopt.

II THE COUNSEL THAT DESTROYS; Viz. the counsel that kills all that is best in our nature, and brings us down to spiritual if not, indeed, to material ruin.

1. The counsel of a degrading selfishness, which speaks on this wise: "Take care of number one;" "Every man for himself," etc.; that would impress the opening mind of young manhood with the miserable falsehood that, so long as we can secure what we crave for ourselves, it is of little consequence what becomes of our neighbours or of our fellow-men.

2. The counsel of shameful indulgence, which speaks in this strain: "Youth comes but once in a lifetime;" "A short life and a merry one;" counsel that would recommend the young to consume all that is pure and sound in their nature in the fires of unholy passion, to drown all that is worthiest, all sense of what is becoming, and all self-respect, in the turgid waters of unrestrained or ill-restrained indulgence.

3. The counsel of financial exaggeration, which says, "Get money by all means, honestly if possible, but get money;" this is counsel which would "sacrifice life for the sake of the means of living," which would lead to the loss of that which is most sacred and precious for the sake of that which, at best, can only supply the outward conditions of well-being. It makes mere pecuniary possession the goal of human life a very common but an utter and pitiable mistake.

4. The counsel of a shallow materialism; that which lays great stress on temporal success and on human favour, and makes little or nothing of spiritual worth and the favour of God. Such counsels as these are truly destructive; they kill faith, love, purity, hope, spirituality everything, indeed, which makes our manhood, which constitutes our true heritage. Under such counsellors we may gain the world, but we lose our soul; they are "counsellors to our destruction.

III THE COUNSEL WHICH SAVES. There is One of whom, many centuries before he came, it was said, "His name shall be called Counsellor;" of whom, when he was with us, it was said, "Whence hath this Man this wisdom?" who came to be to us "the Wisdom of God". (1Co_1:24) If we will learn of him, we shall know what is the truth indeed respecting human life, worldly wealth, the honour which comes from man and that which is of God, what constitutes eternal life below, and what it is that leads on to the heavenly life beyond the grave C. (see Mat_6:19, Mat_6:20, 33 10:37-39; Luk_4:4 Luk_12:15; Joh_5:44 Joh_14:23 Joh_17:24)

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

His father - Who, while he lived, seduced his son himself, and made other evil counsellors unnecessary.

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

in the sight of Yahweh

The sight of Yahweh represents his judgment or evaluation. AT: "as Yahweh judged" (See: Metaphor)

the house of Ahab was doing

The word "house" is a metonym for the family that lives in the house. In this case it refers to the descendants of Ahab. See how you translated this in 2 Chronicles 21:6. AT: "the descendants of Ahab were doing" (See: Metonymy)

they were his advisors

"descendants of Ahab advised him"

to his destruction

"and this caused his destruction"

He also followed their advice; he went

"He also followed their advice and went" or "He also followed their advice to go"

to fight against Hazael, king of Aram

The reader should understand that Hazael did not fight alone, but that he took his army with him. AT: "to fight against Hazael, king of Aram, and his army" (See: Synecdoche)

Hazael

This is a man's name. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

Yahweh

die

Joram

Israel

Aram

Ramoth

Gilead

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