2 Chronicles 24:20

2Ch 24:20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

Ver. 20. Zechariah the son of Jehoiada.] Called, say some, elsewhere Barachias, that is, the blessed of the Lord; which title he might have given him, as Jedediah was to Solomon, for honour’s sake.

Which stood above the people.] And earnestly inveighed against the evil manners of king, princes, and people, who thereupon taxed him as a traitor, likely, and a trumpet of rebellion, as the Papists did Luther, and gave him his passport out of the world.

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 24:20. The Spirit of God came upon Zechariah, who stood above the people — He was moved by the Holy Spirit to address the people publicly, and to reprove them for their idolatries, and their departure from the worship of God, which that he might do, so as to be heard by all, he stood upon a high place, where they might both see and hear him, and from thence both testified against their sin, and warned them of the consequences of it. And said, Why transgress ye, &c. — It is remarkable, that, though he spake by the spirit of prophecy, yet he only applied the general prediction of Moses, Deu 31:16-17, unto the present time; that they might all learn to pay a greater regard to Moses, and to make themselves better acquainted with his law; unto which, if they had attended, they would have easily discerned who were true prophets and who were false. Because ye have forsaken the Lord, he also hath forsaken you — This, it is likely, he spake with great vehemence, and even enlarged upon the subject so long, that it raised their indignation.

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

24:20-22 Jehoiada had scrupulously preserved the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple from bloodshed and the dynasty of David from extinction. Yet ironically, Zechariah his son was murdered in the very place and by the very king, Joash, who was protected during the coup. Jesus made reference to this murder when he was criticizing the religious leaders (Matt 23:35; Luke 11:51). • “May the Lord . . . avenge my death!” This prayer for vengeance was similar to those that King David himself had prayed against the injustices done to him by Saul (cp. Pss 5:10; 7:9; 9:19-20; 28:4; 56:7; 139:19; see also “Prayers for Vengeance” Theme Note).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

In a place above the people, to the intent that he might be heard.

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

the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada--probably a younger son, for his name does not occur in the list of Aaron's successors (1Ch. 6:4-47).

stood above the people--Being of the priestly order, he spoke from the inner court, which was considerably higher than that of the people.

and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper, &c.--His near relationship to the king might have created a feeling of delicacy and reluctance to interfere; but at length he, too, was prompted by an irresistible impulse to protest against the prevailing impiety. The bold freedom and energy of [Zechariah's] remonstrance, as well as his denunciation of the national calamities that would certainly follow, were most unpalatable to the king; while they so roused the fierce passions of the multitude that a band of miscreants, at the secret instigation of Joash, stoned him to death. This deed of violence involved complicated criminality on the part of the king. It was a horrid outrage on a prophet of the Lord--base ingratitude to a family who had preserved his life--atrocious treatment of a true Hebrew patriot--an illegal and unrighteous exercise of his power and authority as a king.

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 20. And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah] "When he saw the transgression of the king and of the people, burning incense to an idol in the house of the sanctuary of the Lord, on the day of expiation; and preventing the priests of the Lord from offering the burnt-offerings, sacrifices, daily oblations, and services, as written in the book of the law of Moses; he stood above the people, and said." - Targum.

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

(20) And the Spirit of God came upon.—Literally, clothed, invested. (See Note on 1Ch_12:18.)

Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest.—“The priest,” i.e., the high priest, is an epithet of Jehoiada, not of Zechariah.

Which stood above the people.—Probably on the steps of the inner court of the Temple, facing the people who were assembled in the outer court.

Why transgress.—Wherefore are ye transgressing?

That ye cannot prosper.—Literally, and will not prosper.

Because ye have forsaken . . .—Rather, for ye have forsaken the Lord, and He hath forsaken you. (Comp. the similar language ascribed to the prophets Shemaiah and Azariah ben Oded, 2Ch_12:5; 2Ch_15:2).

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

20. came upon] Heb. “clothed itself with”; cp. Jdg_6:34; 1Ch_12:18.

stood above the people] Cp. Jer_36:10 (Baruch reads Jeremiah’s words from the window of an upper chamber to the people assembled in the court below); Neh_8:4 (Ezra reads the Law from a pulpit of wood).

they conspired against him] Perhaps the proceedings were the same as in the case of Naboth (1Ki_21:9-10), viz., a mock trial and a formal execution (“at the commandment of the king”).

in the court] An aggravation of the murder; cp. 2Ch_23:14. The altar of burnt-offering stood in the court (cp. 2Ch_8:12) and the execution (Luk_11:51) took place between this altar and the Temple itself.

20–22 (no parallel in 2 Kin.). The Martyrdom of Zechariah

This martyrdom is referred to by our Lord in Luk_11:51, “from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah who perished between the altar and the house,” i.e. “the temple” (cp. Mat_23:35). As Chronicles is reckoned last in the Jewish Canon, “From Abel to Zachariah” practically includes the whole Old Testament. In the text of Matt. Zachariah is called “son of Barachiah” by a confusion with Zechariah the contemporary of Haggai.

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.

Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him,.... In preserving him in his infancy, and nourishing him; in settling him on the throne, and assisting him with his advice and counsel:

but slew his son; who also assisted at his coronation, and with his father and brethren anointed him king, as is probable, Ch2 23:11,

and when he died, he said, the Lord look upon it, and requite it; meaning his blood; this he said, not from a private spirit of revenge, but with a view to the glory of divine justice, and which he delivered not as a wish, or by way of imprecation, that so it might be, but as a prophecy that so it would be.

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

Stood above the people - Zechariah, the high priest, took up an elevated position, perhaps on the steps of the inner court, which was elevated above the outer court, where the people would be.

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

CHAPTER XXIV.

Priest, refers to Zacharias. Sept. "Azarias." H. --- It is not certain whether this was the person whom Jesus Christ speaks, (Matthew xxiii. 35.; C.) as S. Jerom believes; (Matthew xxiii. 35.) or our Saviour alludes to one of the minor prophets, (T.) or to the father of John the Baptist. Baronius) H. --- Sight. Heb. "above," perhaps on the steps between the two courts. C. --- To make. Heb. "therefore hath he forsaken you."

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).

Above the people; in a higher place, that his voice and message might be the better heard.

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

20. Zechariah the son of Jehoiada — The son and successor of the aged priest nobly stood above the people, (that is, took a bold and elevated position before them,) and rebuked their evil ways, and so became a martyr. The memory of this dark crime became fixed in Jewish tradition, and according to the Talmud, the martyrs’ blood continued to bubble, like blood yet warm, upon the pavement of the court, until the temple was destroyed by Nebuzaradan, who, it is said, slew eighty thousand young priests to avenge the blood of Zechariah. This legend shows what a hold the martyrdom of the high priest took upon the Jewish mind. The “Zacharias, son of Barachias,” to whom our Lord referred, is to be identified with this Zechariah. See Mat_23:35, note. His blood, crying from the ground like that of Abel, was heard yet in Messiah’s day, as if repeating, “The Lord look upon it, and require it.” 2Ch_24:22.

The writer proceeds to show that Joash and his people were speedily punished for their sins by the Syrian invasion, and the king himself soon after fell by the hand of assassins. The remainder of the chapter is to be compared with 2Ki_12:17-21. One writer supplements the other, though both accounts are brief. The difference in the names of the conspirators (2Ch_24:26) is doubtless owing to a corruption of the text.

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

Came upon; margin, clothed; Revised Version margin, clothed itself with. (1Ch_12:18) Compare the beautiful expression of Rev_1:10, I was in the Spirit;" it was not merely that the Spirit deigned to visit St. John in Patmos, but so possessed him that he was in the Spirit. The son of Jehoiada; i.e. very possibly grandson of Jehoiada (Jehoiada"s great age the rather countenancing this interpretation) and son of Barachias". (Mat_23:35) That ye cannot prosper. The Hebrew text says, "and ye will not prosper." This clause may read all the more forcibly if kept under the dominance of the why of the former, reminding us of such appeals as "Why will ye die?" etc. (2Ch_15:2 De 18, throughout) Reading these two clauses in the preterite or present tense will make them neither less forcible nor less correct, so indicating that they, the princes and the nation, were already beginning to eat the fruit of their ways, and "rumours of war," if not war itself, were on them.

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

Who stood - The people were assembled in the court of the temple, which they had not quite forsook, when Zechariah stood up in some of the desks that were in the court of the priests, and plainly told them their sin, and the consequences of it.

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

The Spirit of God came on Zechariah

This is an idiom which means that the Spirit of God influenced Zechariah and enabled him to prophesy. See how you translated a similar phrase in 2 Chronicles 15:1. (See: Idiom)

Zechariah son of Jehoiada

This was not the same man as Zechariah son of Berechiah who wrote the Book of Zechariah.

Why do you transgress the commandments of Yahweh, so that you cannot prosper?

Zechariah asked this rhetorical question to rebuke the people. It can be translated as a statement. AT: "You are transgressing the commandments of Yahweh, so that is why you cannot prosper." (See: Rhetorical Question)

ignored the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had done to him

Joash did not pay attention to the way that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had been kind to Joash.

call you to account

"make you pay for the wrong you have done"

translationWords

Holy Spirit

transgress

command

forsake

stone

court

Joash

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

above the people Higher than the people, in order to make his voice heard. In Lamentations Rabbah (Proem 23), it is interpreted as meaning that he relied on himself; he was a prince higher than all the people, a prophet and a priest, and it was Yom Kippur, and he was the king’s son-in-law, and he was not afraid to say the prophecy. Concerning this incident, it was stated (Lam. 2:20): “shall priest and prophet be slain in the Sanctuary of the Lord?”

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.