2 Chronicles 25:7

2Ch 25:7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD [is] not with Israel, [to wit, with] all the children of Ephraim.

Ver. 7. But there came a man of God to him.] This was, say the Hebrews, {a} Amos, the father of the prophet Isaiah, being brother to Amaziah; but that is but a conjecture.

Let not the army.] What marvel that Christians prevail so little against the Turks, considering what soldiers they make use of!

{a} Sedar Olam.

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 25:7-8. Let not the army of Israel go with thee — It is comfortable to employ those who, we have reason to hope, have an interest in heaven; but dangerous associating with those from whom the Lord is departed. For the Lord is not with Israel — He hath forsaken them; and prosperity shall not attend thy counsels and undertakings, if thou joinest thyself with them. But if thou wilt go, do it — It is an ironical concession, like that of Micaiah to Ahab, Go and prosper.

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

25:7-8 The phrase a man of God was a way to refer to a prophet (as in Deut 33:1; 1 Sam 2:27; 9:6-10; 1 Kgs 13:1-31). • The kingdom of Israel was politically foreign and spiritually apostate. Relying on Israel’s troops for military strength would bring spiritual compromise and God’s opposition.

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

And therefore to think to have help of them, whom the Lord favoreth not, is to cast off the help of the Lord.

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

there came a man of God--sent to dissuade Amaziah from the course he was following, on the ground that "the Lord is not with Israel." This statement was perfectly intelligible to the king. But the historian, writing long after, thought it might require explanation, and therefore added the comment, "with all the children of Ephraim." Idolatry had long been the prevailing religion in that kingdom, and Ephraim its headquarters. As to the other part of the prophet's advice (Ch2 25:8), considerable obscurity hangs over it, as the text stands; and hence some able critics have suggested the insertion of "not" in the middle clause, so that the verse will be thus: "But if thou wilt go [alone], do, be strong for the battle; God shall not make thee fall before the enemy."

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 7. The Lord is not with Israel] "The WORD of the Lord is not the helper of the Israelites, nor of the kingdom of the tribe of Ephraim." - Targum.

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

(7) The Lord is not with Israel.—Comp. 2Ch_19:2; 2Ch_20:37; also 2Ch_16:7.

To wit, with all the children of Ephraim.—Added as an explanation of the term Israel. Ephraim was the name of the northern kingdom (Hos_5:11; Hos_5:14; Hos_6:4, and passim).

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

7. the Lord is not with Israel] Cp. 2Ch_13:8-12.

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.

But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle,.... An ironical expression; if thou wilt not be advised, take them with thee, and try what thou canst do; exert all thy courage, and use thy military skill, and mark the issue:

God shall make thee fall before the enemy; notwithstanding the number of thy troops, and those of thy auxiliaries; though some take them to be spoken seriously, and read the words, "but go thou"; that is, alone, without the hired troops, and fight boldly and courageously; or otherwise "God shall make thee fall", &c.

for God hath power to help and to cast down; to help with a few, and to cast down with many; to help without the hired Israelites, and to cast down with them.

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

The Lord is not with Israel; he hath forsaken them, and for their sakes will curse thy forces, if thou joinest thyself with them.

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

(See foregoing chapter, ver. 19.) The name of this man of God does not transpire. To wit, with. These three words, all in italic type, if entirely omitted, and not even the preposition adopted, as in the Revised Version, into the ordinary type, will leave the intention of the writer clearer rather than less clear.

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

Let not, &c. - It is comfortable to employ those, who we have reason to hope, have an interest in heaven, but dangerous associating with those from whom the Lord is departed.

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

Ephraim

Used in a collective sense for the northern ten-tribe kingdom, called also "Israel."

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

a man of God

"a prophet of God"

Israel ... the people of Ephraim

These are two names for the same group people.

throw you down before the enemy ... throw down

Here the prophet speaks of military defeat as if the king would be thrown down on the ground. AT: "enable your enemy to defeat you ... defeat" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

God

Ephraim

power

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

for God is not with Israel, all the sons of Ephraim because Jeroboam was of the tribe of Ephraim, and he was the first to cause Israel to sin. And in every generation thereafter he remained a stumbling block for them, for they worshipped the golden calves of Jeroboam.

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.