On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day. On the fourth dayThe phrase "on the fourth day" signifies a period of completion and divine order in biblical numerology. The number four often represents the world, creation, and completeness. In this context, it marks the culmination of God's deliverance and the people's response of gratitude. The Israelites had just experienced a miraculous victory over their enemies, and the fourth day symbolizes the fullness of God's intervention and the people's acknowledgment of His sovereignty. they assembled
The act of assembling is significant in the Hebrew tradition, as it often denotes a gathering for worship, decision-making, or celebration. The Hebrew root word "קהל" (qahal) implies a purposeful gathering, often for a sacred or communal purpose. This assembly was not just a casual meeting but a deliberate act of coming together to honor God collectively, reflecting the unity and shared faith of the people. in the Valley of Beracah
The "Valley of Beracah" is a place of profound significance. The Hebrew word "ברכה" (berakah) means "blessing." This valley became a physical and spiritual landmark of God's blessing and favor. Historically, valleys were often sites of battles, but this valley was transformed into a place of blessing, symbolizing God's ability to turn places of potential despair into sites of divine favor and thanksgiving. where they blessed the LORD
To "bless the LORD" is to offer praise and thanksgiving to God. The Hebrew word "ברך" (barak) means to kneel or to bless, indicating an act of worship and reverence. This blessing was a response to God's faithfulness and deliverance. It highlights the importance of gratitude and worship in the life of believers, acknowledging God's hand in their victories and daily lives. Therefore that place is called
The naming of a place in biblical times was significant, often reflecting an event or divine encounter. By naming the valley "Beracah," the people ensured that future generations would remember God's intervention and the collective gratitude of His people. It serves as a lasting testimony to God's faithfulness and the importance of remembering His deeds. the Valley of Beracah to this day
The phrase "to this day" emphasizes the enduring legacy of God's actions and the people's response. It suggests that the memory of God's deliverance and the subsequent blessing remained a part of the community's identity. This continuity underscores the importance of remembering and retelling God's works, ensuring that His faithfulness is not forgotten but celebrated across generations. Persons / Places / Events 1. JehoshaphatThe king of Judah who led the people in seeking the Lord's guidance and deliverance from their enemies. 2. The Valley of BeracahThe location where the people of Judah gathered to bless the Lord after their victory. The name "Beracah" means "blessing" in Hebrew. 3. The AssemblyThe gathering of the people of Judah to give thanks and praise to God for their deliverance. 4. The EnemiesThe Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites who came to make war against Jehoshaphat and Judah. 5. The LORDThe central figure in the account, whose intervention and deliverance are celebrated by the people. Teaching Points The Power of PraisePraise is a powerful response to God's deliverance. Just as the people of Judah gathered to bless the Lord, we too should make praise a central part of our lives, especially after experiencing God's intervention. Remembering God's FaithfulnessNaming the place "Valley of Beracah" served as a lasting reminder of God's faithfulness. We should also create reminders of God's work in our lives to encourage us and others. Community in WorshipThe assembly in the Valley of Beracah highlights the importance of communal worship and thanksgiving. Gathering with fellow believers to praise God strengthens our faith and unity. Trust in God's DeliveranceJehoshaphat's account teaches us to trust in God's deliverance, even when faced with overwhelming odds. Our response should be one of faith and reliance on God's power. Gratitude as a LifestyleThe act of blessing the Lord in the Valley of Beracah underscores the importance of gratitude. Cultivating a lifestyle of thankfulness can transform our perspective and deepen our relationship with God. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the account of Jehoshaphat and the Valley of Beracah encourage you to respond to challenges in your life? 2. In what ways can you create reminders of God's faithfulness in your own life, similar to the naming of the Valley of Beracah? 3. How can you incorporate communal worship and thanksgiving into your spiritual practice, and what benefits might this bring? 4. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's deliverance. How did you respond, and how might you respond differently in the future? 5. How can you cultivate a lifestyle of gratitude, and what impact might this have on your relationship with God and others? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 34:1-3This passage emphasizes blessing the Lord at all times, similar to how the people of Judah blessed the Lord in the Valley of Beracah. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18Encourages believers to rejoice always and give thanks in all circumstances, reflecting the spirit of gratitude shown by Jehoshaphat and his people. Exodus 15:1-21The song of Moses and Miriam after the crossing of the Red Sea parallels the celebration and thanksgiving in the Valley of Beracah. Hebrews 13:15Speaks of offering a sacrifice of praise to God, which aligns with the actions of the people in the Valley of Beracah. Psalm 103:1-2Calls believers to bless the Lord and remember His benefits, echoing the purpose of the assembly in the Valley of Beracah. People Ahaziah, Ammonites, Aram, Asa, Asaph, Azubah, Benaiah, Berachah, Dodavah, Eliezer, Geber, Hanani, Jahaziel, Jehoshaphat, Jehu, Jeiel, Kohathites, Korahites, Korhites, Levites, Maonites, Mattaniah, Meunim, Meunites, Moabites, Seir, Shilhi, Tamar, Tarshish, ZechariahPlaces Ammon, Edom, Egypt, Engedi, Ezion-geber, Hazazon-tamar, Jeruel, Jerusalem, Mareshah, Moab, Mount Seir, Seir, Tarshish, Tekoa, ZizTopics Assembled, Beracah, Bera'cah, Berachah, Blessed, Blessing, Cause, Fourth, Named, Praised, Themselves, ValleyDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Chronicles 20:22-26 1416 miracles, nature of 2 Chronicles 20:25-26 4290 valleys Library A Strange Battle
'We have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee.'--2 CHRON xx. 12. A formidable combination of neighbouring nations, of which Moab and Ammon, the ancestral enemies of Judah, were the chief, was threatening Judah. Jehoshaphat, the king, was panic-stricken when he heard of the heavy war-cloud that was rolling on, ready to burst in thunder on his little kingdom. His first act was to muster the nation, not as a military levy …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureHolding Fast and Held Fast
'As they went forth Jehoshaphat stood and said, Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established.'--2 CHRON. xx. 20. Certainly no stronger army ever went forth to victory than these Jews, who poured out of Jerusalem that morning with no weapon in all their ranks, and having for their van, not their picked men, but singers who 'praised the beauty of holiness,' and chanted the old hymn, 'Give thanks unto the Lord, for His mercy endureth for ever.' That was all that men had to do in the battle, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Of the Public Fast.
A public fast is when, by the authority of the magistrate (Jonah iii. 7; 2 Chron. xx. 3; Ezra viii. 21), either the whole church within his dominion, or some special congregation, whom it concerneth, assemble themselves together, to perform the fore-mentioned duties of humiliation; either for the removing of some public calamity threatened or already inflicted upon them, as the sword, invasion, famine, pestilence, or other fearful sickness (1 Sam. vii. 5, 6; Joel ii. 15; 2 Chron. xx.; Jonah iii. …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety The Coast of the Asphaltites, the Essenes. En-Gedi.
"On the western shore" (of the Asphaltites) "dwell the Essenes; whom persons, guilty of any crimes, fly from on every side. A nation it is that lives alone, and of all other nations in the whole world, most to be admired; they are without any woman; all lust banished, &c. Below these, was the town Engadda, the next to Jerusalem for fruitfulness, and groves of palm-trees, now another burying-place. From thence stands Massada, a castle in a rock, and this castle not far from the Asphaltites." Solinus, …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica "Thou Shall Keep Him in Perfect Peace, Whose Mind is Stayed on Thee, Because He Trusteth in Thee. "
Isaiah xxvi. 3.--"Thou shall keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee." Christ hath left us his peace, as the great and comprehensive legacy, "My peace I leave you," John xiv. 27. And this was not peace in the world that he enjoyed; you know what his life was, a continual warfare; but a peace above the world, that passeth understanding. "In the world you shall have trouble, but in me you shall have peace," saith Christ,--a peace that shall make trouble …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning That the Employing Of, and Associating with the Malignant Party, According as is Contained in the Public Resolutions, is Sinful and Unlawful.
That The Employing Of, And Associating With The Malignant Party, According As Is Contained In The Public Resolutions, Is Sinful And Unlawful. If there be in the land a malignant party of power and policy, and the exceptions contained in the Act of Levy do comprehend but few of that party, then there need be no more difficulty to prove, that the present public resolutions and proceedings do import an association and conjunction with a malignant party, than to gather a conclusion from clear premises. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Commerce
The remarkable change which we have noticed in the views of Jewish authorities, from contempt to almost affectation of manual labour, could certainly not have been arbitrary. But as we fail to discover here any religious motive, we can only account for it on the score of altered political and social circumstances. So long as the people were, at least nominally, independent, and in possession of their own land, constant engagement in a trade would probably mark an inferior social stage, and imply …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Concerning Peaceableness
Blessed are the peacemakers. Matthew 5:9 This is the seventh step of the golden ladder which leads to blessedness. The name of peace is sweet, and the work of peace is a blessed work. Blessed are the peacemakers'. Observe the connection. The Scripture links these two together, pureness of heart and peaceableness of spirit. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable' (James 3:17). Follow peace and holiness' (Hebrews 12:14). And here Christ joins them together pure in heart, and peacemakers', …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 2 Chronicles 20:26 NIV2 Chronicles 20:26 NLT2 Chronicles 20:26 ESV2 Chronicles 20:26 NASB2 Chronicles 20:26 KJV
2 Chronicles 20:26 Commentaries
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