---
title: "John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible"
author: "John Wesley"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 105 of 398
url: https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/105/
cite: "John Wesley, John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible, section 105. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/105/"
---

# John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible

*John Wesley*

Wesley's short, plain notes on the Old and New Testaments, verse by verse.

## 105. 2 Chronicles · 3 of 7

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/105/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/105/#p-N

[¶0] Into covenant - The matter of this covenant was nothing but what they were before obliged to. And tho' no promise could lay any higher obligation upon them, than they were already under, yet it would help to increase their sense of the obligation, and to arm them against temptations. And by joining all together in this, they strengthened the hands of each other

[¶1] Rejoiced at the oath - The times of renewing our covenant with God, should be times of rejoicing. It is an honour and happiness to be in bonds with God. And the closer, the better.

[¶2] Of the reign - Or, of the kingdom of Asa, that is, of the kingdom of Judah, which was now Asa's kingdom; or from the time of the division of the two kingdoms. Rehoboam reigned seventeen years, Abijah three years, Asa had now reigned fifteen years, all which put together, make up the thirty five years mentioned chap.15:19, and in the next year Baasha wars against him; and the ground of the war was the defection of many of his subjects to Asa, chap.15:9.

[¶3] Escaped - And so reserved to be a scourge to thy kingdom and posterity: whereas if he had joined with Baasha against thee, thou shouldst have overthrown them both, and prevented all that mischief which that monarch will do to thy family.

[¶4] Lubims - Either, the Lybians in Africa; or another people, possibly descended from them, but now seated in some part of Arabia.

[¶5] Done foolishly - It is a foolish thing to lean on a broken reed, when we have the rock of ages to rely upon. Perfect - Upright and sincere, as thine is not. He was sincere in the general course of his life, but some particulars, whereof this is one, his heart did not perfectly cleave to God.

[¶6] Sought not - He did not humble himself before God, but put his confidence in the skill and faithfulness of his physicians. His making use of physicians was his duty, but his trusting in them, and expecting that from them, which was to be had from God only, was his sin and folly. The help of every creature must be used, with an eye to the creator, and in dependence on him, who makes every creature that to us which it is, without whom the most skilful and faithful are physicians of no value.

[¶7] Burning - Of precious spices; thereby testifying their respect to him notwithstanding his miscarriages.

[¶8] Sought not, &c. - It is true, he recovered from that fall. "Yet perhaps, says Mr. Henry, he never, while he lived, fully retrieved the spiritual strength he lost by it."

[¶9] Brought presents - As subjects in those times used to do to their kings, as a token of their respect and subjection to them.

[¶10] Lifted up - Above all discouragements, and fears. He was valiant and resolute for God and his ways. Groves - Those wherein idols were worshipped, and though Asa had done this before, yet either he did not do it thoroughly; or the Jews (who were many of them mad upon their idols) had secretly made new ones, in the latter part of his reign, when he grew more infirm in body, and more remiss in God's cause.

[¶11] To teach - To inform the people of their duty, and of the king's pleasure, as judges teach or instruct the people in the laws of the land, when they deliver their charges upon the bench; so did these princes in the king's name admonish and require the people to observe and obey the laws of God, which were the municipal laws of that land: the particular explication and enforcement whereof, they left to the Levites and priests here following, who were sent for this end, and accordingly taught the people, ver.9.

[¶12] And they taught, &c. - And these itinerant judges and itinerant preachers together, Mr. Henry observes were instrumental to diffuse a blessed light throughout the cities of Judah.

[¶13] Fear fell - Justly concluding from his singular piety that God would eminently appear for him, for even the Heathens could not but observe, that the kings of Judah were either prosperous or unhappy, according as they served God or forsook him.

[¶14] Business - To repair and fortify them, and furnish them with provisions: and to purge out all their relicks of idolatry and injustice.

[¶15] Waited - These above - mentioned were the trained bands or auxiliaries: whose chief officers waited on the king to receive his commands, and to raise, and bring in all, or part of their forces, to the service of the king as need required. A vast number for so small a compass of ground, to furnish out and maintain. But we may consider, that God had promised to make the seed of Abraham like the sand of the sea for number; that there had now been a long peace; that many were come to them from the kingdom of Israel and that Jehoshaphat was under a special blessing of God. They were doubtless dispersed all the country over, every one residing on his own land: only they were ready at call, whenever there was occasion.

[¶16] With Ahab - For Joram's eldest son married Athaliah, Ahab's daughter.

[¶17] Enquire, &c. - This we should do, whatever we undertake, by particular, believing prayer, by an unbiased consulting of the scriptures and our own consciences, and by a close regard to the hints of providence.

[¶18] Lying spirit, &c. - See the power of Satan! One lying spirit can make four hundred lying prophets. And thus he frequently becomes a murderer by being a liar, and destroys men by deceiving them.

[¶19] This fellow, &c. - How frequently has this been the lot of faithful ministers, to be hated and ill treated, merely for being true to God: and just and kind to the souls of men! But that day will declare who is in the right, and who is in the wrong, when Christ appears to the unspeakable consolation of the persecuted, and the everlasting confusion of their persecutors.

[¶20] Cried out - He cried out, either to his friends to help, or to his enemies, to let them know, he was not the king of Israel: or to God, and not in vain; for he moved the captains to depart from him. Many are moved in a manner unaccountable both to themselves and others; but an invisible power moves them.

[¶21] He died - What can hurt those whom God will protect? And what can shelter those whom God will destroy? Jehoshaphat is saved in his robes; Ahab is killed in his armour!

[¶22] Therefore - Therefore God will chastise thee for this miscarriage. Which he did partly by stirring up the Moabites, and others to invade him, chap.20:1, partly by permitting his eldest son Jehoram to kill all his brethren, chap.21:4, and principally by bringing that almost general destruction upon his grand - children by Jehu, 2Kings 9:27 10:13,14, which was the fruit of his alliance with Ahab.

[¶23] Good things - Good marks proceeding from an honest heart; which God more regards than this particular error: and therefore though he will chasten thee, yet he will not utterly destroy thee.

[¶24] Through - Through the whole kingdom, whereof these were the two bounds. And brought - Such of them as had revolted from God to idols, he reclaimed by his counsel and example, and by the instructions of the Levites and priests, whom he carried with him. Many, probably, had revolted to idolatry, when they saw their king so intimate with idolaters. Therefore he thought himself doubly obliged to do all he could to reduce them. If we truly repent of sin, we shall do our utmost to repair the damage we have done to religion, or the souls of others.

[¶25] The Lord - You represent God's person to whom judgment belongeth, you have your commission from God, and not from man only; and your administration of justice is not only for man's good, but also for God's honour and service. With you - Both to observe your carriage, and to defend you against all those enemies whom the impartial exercise of justice may provoke.

[¶26] Wherefore - And therefore you who are in God's stead, and do his work, and must give an account to him, must imitate God herein.

[¶27] The fathers - Persons of other tribes eminent for their dignity, ability and integrity. But whether these persons made up one court, called the Sanhedrim, by which all causes ecclesiastical and civil were decided; or there were two distinct courts, the one ecclesiastical, consisting of the priests and Levites; the other civil, consisting of the chief of the fathers of Israel, it is not easy to determine. The Lord - For matters concerning the laws and worship, of God. Controversies - For matters of difference between man and man. When - When Jehoshaphat and his company were returned to Jerusalem, he made this order concerning establishing judges there.

[¶28] Blood - This refers to Deut 17:8, between the blood of the person slain, and the blood of the man - slayer. All the cities of refuge, except Hebron, now belonged to the kingdom of Israel, so that the man - slayer now usually fled to the courts of the temple, or the horns of the altar. And therefore the trial of these, was reserved for the court at Jerusalem. Law, &c. - When any debates shall arise about the meaning of any of God's laws. Warn - Ye shall not only give a righteous sentence for what is past, but ye shall admonish the offender, and others, to take better heed for the future.

[¶29] Over you - Shall be your president. Matters of the Lord - In Spiritual, or ecclesiastical matters. Ruler - The prince, or chief ruler, under the king, of the tribe of Judah. The king's matters - For civil causes, or controversies either between the king and his people; or between subject and subject, which may be called the king's matters, because it was a principal part of his office to see them justly decided. The Levites - Shall be at your command to see your just sentences executed; which work was fitly committed to the Levites, as persons who might add their instructions to the corrections, and might work the guilty to an acknowledgement of their fault and a submission to their punishment. The Lord - Shall protect and bless good judges.

[¶30] The sea - The dead sea, beyond which mount Seir lay. Syria - Largely so called, and so it includes the Moabites and Ammonites. And it may be thus expressed, to intimate that they came by the instigation of the Syrians, to revenge themselves of Jehoshaphat for joining with Ahab against them.

[¶31] The house - Largely so called, in the court of the people, upon that brazen scaffold which Solomon had erected. New court - Before the priests court: which is called the new court, because it had lately been renewed when the altar was renewed.

[¶32] Abraham - To whom thou hast engaged thyself by covenant to be his friend, and the friend of his seed for ever.

[¶33] The sword - Or rather, the sword of judgement or of vengeance, that is, war, whereby thou punisheth thy people for their sins.

[¶34] Wilt thou not judge - Wilt thou not give sentence against them, and execute it upon them? The justice of God is the refuge of those that are wronged. No might - Though he had great armies, yet he seems to have been surprized by these men, before his forces were in readiness to oppose them.

[¶35] Little ones - Whom they used to present before the Lord in times of great distress, to stir up themselves to more fervent prayers, their eyes being upon their harmless and tender children, and to move God to compassion, because God hath declared, that he will be prevailed with, by such methods as these.

[¶36] But God's - God will fight for you, and he alone will do the work, you need not strike a stroke.

[¶37] Go down - From Jerusalem, where he and his army now were; which stood upon high ground.

[¶38] Stood up - By Jehoshaphat's appointment. On high - With heart and voice lifted up: whereby they shewed their full assurance of the victory.

[¶39] Believe - God's promise delivered to us by this prophet, and consequently all other predictions of the prophet.

[¶40] Consulted - Jehoshaphat called a counsel of war, and it was resolved, to appoint singers to go out before the army, who had nothing to do, but to praise God, to praise his holiness, which is his beauty, to praise him as they did in the temple, that beauty of holiness. By this strange advance to the field of battle, Jehoshaphat shewed his firm reliance on the word of God, which enabled him to triumph before the battle, to animate his own men and confound the enemy.

[¶41] To sing - So acceptable are the fervent prayers of God's people to God, and so terrible to their enemies. Ambushments - Or, liers in wait, either the holy angels, who appeared in the shape of men, and possibly put on the appearances and visages of the Moabites or Ammonites, and in that shape slew the rest, who supposing this slaughter to be done by a part of their own army, fell upon them, and so broke forth into mutual slaughters. Or, God raised jealousies and animosities among themselves, which broke forth, first into secret ambushments, which one party laid for another, and then into open hostilities to their utter destruction. So vain are all mens attempts against God, who needs none to destroy his enemies but themselves, and their own mistakes, and passions, which he can, when he pleaseth, arm against them.

[¶42] The watch tower - Which stood upon the cliff of Ziz, mentioned ver.16, and looked toward the wilderness, where their enemies lay encamped, whose numbers, and order, and condition, they could descry from thence.

[¶43] Jewels - Which they brought with them to corrupt any of Jehoshaphat's officers as they saw occasion: to procure necessaries for their vast army from time to time: and because they came as to triumph rather than to fight, being confident of the victory because of their numbers, and especially because they thought to surprize Jehoshaphat ere he could make any considerable preparations against them; God also permitting them to be puffed up to their own destruction.

[¶44] Berachah - Heb. of blessing; so called from their solemn blessings and praises given to God in it upon this occasion.