2 Chronicles 17:2

And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) And he placed forces.—Comp. 2Chronicles 11:12.

The fenced cities.—‘Arê ha-bĕtsûrôth. (Comp. 2Chronicles 11:5 sqq., 2Chronicles 14:6-7.)

And set garrisons.—Placed military posts or prefects (netsîbîm). (1Chronicles 11:16; 2Chronicles 11:11.) Syriac, “appointed rulers.”

The cities of Ephraim . . . had taken.—See on 2Chronicles 15:8.

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 17:2. And set garrisons in the cities which Asa had taken — We do not read of any cities which Asa took; but Abijah his father possessed himself of several, which Asa kept and took for his own, 2 Chronicles 13:19. And, it appears, Jehoshaphat put such forces in them as might secure them to himself.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

17:1-19 Jehoshaphat promotes religion in Judah, His prosperity. - Jehoshaphat found his people generally very ignorant, and therefore endeavoured to have them well taught. The public teaching of the word of God forms, in all ages, the great method of promoting the power of godliness. Thereby the understanding is informed, the conscience is awakened and directed. We have a particular account of Jehoshaphat's prosperity. But it was not his formidable army that restrained the neighbouring nations from attempting any thing against Israel, but the fear of God which fell upon them, when Jehoshaphat reformed his country, and set up a preaching ministry in it. The ordinances of God are more the strength and safety of a kingdom, than soldiers and weapons of war. The Bible requires use to notice the hand of God in every event, yet this is little regarded. But let all employ the talents they have: be faithful, even in that which is little. Set up the worship of God in your houses. The charge of a family is important. Why should you not instruct them as Jehoshaphat did his subjects, in the book of the law of the Lord. But be consistent. Do not recommend one thing, and practise another. Begin with yourselves. Seek to the Lord God of Israel, then call upon children and servants to follow your example.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Jehoshaphat ascended the throne in the fourth year of Ahab 1 Kings 22:41, probably after that monarch had contracted his alliance with the royal family of Sidon, and before he was engaged in war with Syria. It was thus not unnatural that Jehoshaphat should begin his reign by strengthening himself against a possible attack on the part of his northern neighbor.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 17

2Ch 17:1-6. Jehoshaphat Reigns Well and Prospers.

1. Jehoshaphat … strengthened himself against Israel—The temper and proceedings of the kings of Israel rendered it necessary for him to prepare vigorous measures of defense on the northern frontier of his kingdom. These consisted in filling all the fortresses with their full complement of troops and establishing military stations in various parts of the country, as well as in the cities of Mount Ephraim, which belonged to Jehoshaphat (2Ch 15:8).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah,.... A considerable number of soldiers, to defend them should they be attacked:

and set garrisons in the land of Judah: on the frontiers and borders of it, to protect it:

and in the cities of Ephraim; soldiers to keep garrison there:

which Asa his father had taken; see 2 Chronicles 15:8.

Geneva Study Bible

And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. the cities of Ephraim] Cp. 2 Chronicles 15:8.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - He placed forces; literally, he gave (Genesis 1:17) forces, or a force, or host, or army: חַיִל (Exodus 14:28; 2 Samuel 24:2). And set garrisons; again literally, he gave garrisons (נְאִיבִים); i.e. either the persons "set over," prefects or officers (1 Kings 4:19), or the military garrison itself "stationed" (1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Samuel 13:3). A village in Judah also had the name Nezeb (Joshua 15:45). In the cities of Ephraim (see 2 Chronicles 15:8). 2 Chronicles 17:2

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

He placed forces (חיל) in all the fenced cities of Judah, and garrisons (נציבים, military posts; cf. 1 Chronicles 11:16) in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which is father Asa had taken; cf. 2 Chronicles 15:8. God blessed these undertakings. Jahve was with him, because he walked in the ways of David his ancestor, the former ways, and sought not the Baals. The former ways of David are his ways in the earlier years of his reign, in contrast to the later years, in which his adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11) and the sin of numbering the people (1 Chronicles 21) fall. הבּעלים are all false gods, in contrast to Jahve, the one God of Israel; and here the word designates not only the Baal-worship properly so called, but also the worship of Jahve by means of images, by which Jahve is brought down to the level of the Baals; cf. Judges 2:11. The ל before בּעלים stands, according to the later usage, as a sign of the accusative. In the last clause of 2 Chronicles 17:4, "and not after the doings of Israel" (of the ten tribes), הלך, "he walked," is to be repeated. The doing of Israel is the worship of Jahve through the images of the golden calves, which the author of the Chronicle includes in the לבּעלים דּרשׁ.