Biblion Bible Commentary
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The Singers Sent Out Before the Army
2 Chronicles 20:1-30
1 After this, the children of Moab, the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. · WEB
A king who admits he does not know what to do puts singers at the head of the column, and the battle is over before Judah arrives.
The report is of an invasion already inside the country, and the king's first reaction is honest: he was alarmed 2 Chronicles 20:3. What he does with the alarm is the chapter.
He set himself to seek Yahweh, and proclaims a fast, and the whole country comes in — out of all the cities of Judah to seek Yahweh 2 Chronicles 20:4. The man who had sent teachers to those towns now finds them arriving in Jerusalem.
His prayer is built as an argument rather than a plea. It begins with jurisdiction: are you not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? 2 Chronicles 20:6. It moves to history: you drove out the inhabitants and gave the land to the offspring of Abraham your friend forever 2 Chronicles 20:7. It then cites the dedication prayer back to God — we said that if evil came we would stand before this house and cry, and you will hear and save 2 Chronicles 20:9. Solomon's petition is being invoked as the terms of an agreement, which is precisely what it was.
The complaint has a specific edge. These nations were the ones Israel had been forbidden to attack on the way out of Egypt and had spared 2 Chronicles 20:10. Behold, how they reward us.
And the ending is the most quoted sentence in the reign because it is the most usable: we have no might against this great company that comes against us. We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on you 2 Chronicles 20:12.
He does not propose a strategy and then ask for blessing on it. He states that he has none.
The assembly standing there is described in a detail that is easy to pass over: with their little ones, their wives, and their children 2 Chronicles 20:13. The whole population, including everyone who could not fight, is in the courtyard.
The answer comes through a Levite of the singers' guild 2 Chronicles 20:14, and its content is a reversal of ownership: the battle is not yours, but God's 2 Chronicles 20:15. The instructions are specific — a route, a place, a day — and then: you will not need to fight this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see 2 Chronicles 20:17.
What Jehoshaphat does with that is the boldest act of his reign. He appoints singers to sing to Yahweh and give praise in holy array as they go out before the army 2 Chronicles 20:21, with the words used at the dedication of the temple. Unarmed men walk in front.
And the timing is stated exactly: when they began to sing and to praise, the ambush was set and the invaders turned on each other 2 Chronicles 20:22. Judah arrives to find the work done and spends three days collecting what is left 2 Chronicles 20:25.
The charge given that morning is the reign's summary, and it names two things to trust: believe in Yahweh your God, so you will be established! Believe his prophets, so you will prosper 2 Chronicles 20:20.
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