King James Version

What Does 2 Chronicles 20:17 Mean?

“Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.”

Context

And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. cliff: Heb. ascent brook: or, valley

Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

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Topics in This Verse

Salvation Fear & Courage

Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(17) **Ye shall not need to fight.**—*It is not for you to fight.* (Comp. 1Chronicles 5:1; 1Chronicles 15:2.) **In this.**—*Herein, in this instance.* (Comp. for the phrase, 2Chronicles 19:2.) **Set yourselves** (*i.e.,* “withstand,” 2Chronicles 20:6).—*Station yourselves, take your stand.* Here the next verb, *stand ye still,* seems added as an explanation, and is, perhaps, a marginal gloss. “Fear not: take your stand, and see the salvation of the Lord,” was the command of Moses to Israel at the Red Sea, just before the Great Deliverance (Exodus 14:13). (Comp. also the words of Psalm 46:8, “Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.”) **The Lord with you.**—Some explain the connection thus: “The Lord (who is) with you.” *Iahveh ‘immdkhem* may, perhaps, be compared with *‘immānû êl, “*with us God” (Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 8:8); it will then be a Divine title, suited to the present emergency. But, more probably, the stop should be at *the Lord;* and *with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!* is an elliptic expression, meaning “He is, or will be with you,” &c, as in 2Chronicles 19:6. (Comp. the refrain of Psalms 46, “The Lord of hosts is with us! The God of Jacob is our refuge.”)

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 2 Chronicles. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

2 Chronicles 20:17 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.