2 Chronicles 25:16

2Ch 25:16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that [the king] said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.

Ver. 16. Forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten?] Desine, vel dabis poenas ;

“ An expectas ut Quintilianus ametur? ”

I Know that God hath determined.] Heb., Counselled. Uncounsellable people have God’s marks upon them.

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 25:16. The king said, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? — Who art thou, that presumest to direct my affairs without my commission? Forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? — Provoke me no further, lest I cause thee to be killed for thy impudence. The prophet’s reproof was too just to be answered, and the king could say nothing in excuse for his own folly; but he fell into a passion with the reprover. To the prophet who directed him to send back the army of Israel, he hearkened, though that prophet both contradicted his politics, and lost him a hundred talents of silver: but with this prophet, who only dissuaded him from worshipping the gods of the Edomites, he had no patience, but instantly fell upon him with an unaccountable rage; which must be attributed to the witchcraft of idolatry. Then the prophet forbare — He ceased to advise or reprove him any further, but only denounced the divine sentence passed upon him, for this contempt of God’s message to him, and his other sins, which came to pass, 2Ch 25:20-27. The secure sinner, perhaps, values himself on his having silenced his reprovers and monitors. But what comes of it? I know that God has determined to destroy thee — It is a plain indication that thou art marked for ruin; because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to the divine counsel — They that are deaf to reproof, are ripening apace for destruction.

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

So hard it is, for the carnal man to be admonished of his fault, that he contemneth, mocketh, and threateneth him that warneth him: yea, imprisoneth him and putteth him to death, 2 Chron. 16:10 and 18:26 and 24:21.

Meaning, the King.

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

as he talked with him, &c.--Those who were invested with the prophetic character were entitled to counsel kings. Amaziah, had he not been offended by unwelcome truths, would have admitted the claim of this prophet, who was probably the same that had given him counsel previous to the war with Edom. But victory had elated and blinded him.

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 16. Art thou made of the king's counsel?] How darest thou give advice to, or reprove, a king?

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

(16) As he talked with him.—When he spake unto him.

Art thou made of the king’s counsel?—Literally, A counsellor to the king have we appointed thee?

Why shouldest thou be smitten?—Wherefore should they smite thee?

Hath determined.—Hath counselled. The prophet appropriates the king’s own word, and implies his participation in Divine, if not in royal, counsels.

Because.—The conduct of Amaziah was proof that God had “counselled to destroy him.”

Thou hast done this.—Spurned my warning. Others say: because thou hast adopted the Edomite gods.

Unto my counsel.—Again repeating the king’s expression.

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

16. Art thou made] R.V. Have we made thee.

of the king’s counsel] Lit., “counsellor to the king.”

hath determined] Lit., “hath counselled” (with a play on the king’s word).

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.

Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice,.... Not of God, nor of his prophets, but of some of his nobles like himself:

and sent to Joash--king of Israel; of his message to him here, and his answer in the two following verses, see the following notes: See Gill on Kg2 14:8. See Gill on Kg2 14:9. See Gill on Kg2 14:10.

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

Art thou made of the king’s counsel? - A subtle irony: “Have I made thee one of my council? If not what entitles thee to offer thy advice?”

For the fulfillment of the prophecy, see 2Ch 25:22-24, 2Ch 25:27.

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

Art thou. Heb. adds, "appointed." H. --- The very character of prophet, authorized him to give counsel even to kings. Amasias had perhaps obeyed this prophet, (v. 7) but now his heart was puffed up with victory. --- Kill thee, sixteen years hence.

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).

Art thou made of the king’s counsel? who art thou that presumest to direct and govern my affairs, without my commission?

Why shouldest thou be smitten? provoke me no further, lest I cause thee to be killed for thy sauciness.

I know that God hath determined to destroy thee: this he might know, either by the plain and positive rules of God’s word, as Pro 29:1, or by the suggestion of God’s Spirit.

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

The chapter well keeps up in this verse its graphic character, though the culminating instances of it are yet to come. Forbear. The faithful prophet is "wise as the serpent, harmless as the dove." He does forbear, but not till the application of his speech, and all that was needful is most outspokenly (more so than before he had heard the usual coward fashion of the tyrant"s threat) pronounced. His forbearing, therefore, is open to no charge of moral cowardice and unprophet-like infidelity.

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

Art thou, &c. - Who art thou that presumest to direct my affairs, without my commission? The secure sinner perhaps values himself on having silenced his reprovers and monitors. But what comes of it? It is a plain indication he is marked out for ruin. They that are deaf to reproof, are ripening apace for destruction.

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

It came about that

This phrase is used here to mark the next important event in the story. If your language has a way for doing this, you could consider using it here.

Have we made you an advisor to the king? Stop! Why should you be killed?

The king used these rhetorical questions to rebuke the prophet for speaking against him. The questions can be translated as statements. AT: "We certainly did not appoint you to be one of my advisors. So stop talking! If you say anything more, I will tell my soldiers to kill you!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

you have done this deed

This refers back to Amaziah worshiping the gods of the Edomites in 2 Chronicles 25:14.

translationWords

works

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

that God has given counsel to destroy you i.e., If you do not hearken to My advice to follow the straight path, you should know, O king, that the Lord has given counsel to destroy you because you have done this, and have not hearkened to the counsel. Now what is the counsel? That he enticed you to provoke the king of Israel and to fall before him, as it is written: “And Amaziah the king of Judah took counsel, and he sent to Joash, 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.