2 Chronicles 15:4
WEB
But when in their distress they turned to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.
BSB
But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them.
KJV
But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H7725
v — turn, return, retreat, again
Derivation: a primitive root;
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
KJV: ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) × again, (cause to) answer ( again), × in any case (wise), × at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, × certainly, come again (back), × consider, continually, convert, deliver (again), deny, draw back, fetch home again, × fro, get (oneself) (back) again, × give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, × needs, be past, × pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, × surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.
vb — turn back
שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return
Qal 683;—turn back, return:
1. turn back
2. return, come or go back
3. esp. return unto
4.
a. of dying
b. of revival from death
5. fig. of human relations:
a. return to leader, king
b. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)
c. turn, i.e. resort to
d. return to a physical condition
e. abs. = change course of action
6. fig., specif. of spiritual relations:
a. turn back from God = apostatize
b. of י׳, turn away
c. turn back to God (= seek penitently)
d. abs. repent
e. turn back from evil
f. of י׳
g. of י׳, return (to shew favour)
7. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):
8. denoting repetition, etc.
9. trans.
Pō‛l.
1. bring back
2.
a. fig. restore, refresh
b. restore, repair
3. lead away (enticingly)
4. shew turning = apostatize
Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back
1.
a. bring back into bondage
b. put back
c. = draw back
d. = give back, restore
e. = relinguish
f. = give in payment, requital
g. bring one back (from dead)
2.
a. bring back heart
b. = refresh
3. bring back words of people
4.
a. bring back (in retribution) upon
b. pay as recompense
5. turn back, backward = repel, defeat
6.
a. turn away face
b. late, turn toward, acc. face
7. turn against
8. bring back to mind, take into consideration
9.
10. = shew a turning away from your idols (i.e. turn away)
11. reverse, revoke = repel, defeat
Hoph. my money has been returned
H6862
a n-m — narrow, tight, trouble, pebble, opponent, crowding
Derivation: or צָר; from 6887;
narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble (as in 6864); (transitive) an opponent (as crowding)
KJV: adversary, afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe, narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.
n.[m.] — straits
צַר n.[m.] straits, distress
n.m — adversary
צַר 68 n.m. adversary, foe
adj — narrow
צַר adj. narrow, tight
H5921
prep — above, over, upon, against
Derivation: properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following);
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, × as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, × both and, by (reason of), × had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, × with.
forasmuch as
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
subst — above
עַל, עָ֑ל
I. subst. height
II. As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1. Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
a. —
(a). of clothing, etc., which any one wears
(b). With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
b. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
c. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
d. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
e. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
f. Of the ground or basis, on which a thing is done
2. It expresses excess
3. It denotes elevation or pre-eminence
4. It expresses addition
5. It expresses the idea of being extended, or suspended over anything, without however being in contact with it, above, over
6. From the sense of inclining or impending over, על comes to denote contiguity or proximity, Engl. by (or sts. on)
7. In connection with verbs of motion (actual or fig.)
8. By writers of the silver age, על is sts. used with the force of a dative
9. With other particles:
III. As conj.
a. עַל אֲשֶׁר because that
b. עַל כִּי similar in meaning, but less frequent
c. עַל alone:
(a). because
(b). notwithstanding that, although
IV. Compounds:
1. with כְּ (rare and late)
a. as concerning, as upon
b. the like of their deeds is the like of (that which) he will repay
2. מֵעַל from upon, from over, from by
H3068
n-pr — Existent, Jeho-vah
Derivation: from 1961;
(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God
KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
n.pr.dei — God
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
I. יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
II.
1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
2. the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
3. יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
H430
n-m — gods, God, magistrates
Derivation: plural of 433;
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
KJV: angels, × exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), × (very) great, judges, × mighty.
n.m.pl — gods
אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.
1. pl. in number.
a. rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
b. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
c. angels
d. gods
2. pl. intensive
a. god or goddess
b. godlike one
c. works of God, or things belongng to him
d. God
3. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
4. אֱלֹהִים = God
H3478
n-pr-m — he will rule as God, Jisraël
Derivation: from 8280 and 410;
he will rule as God; Jisraël, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
KJV: Israel.
n.pr.m — Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵל 2507 n.pr.m. et gent. Israel (Ēl persisteth, persevereth)
1. n.pr.m. second name of Jacob
2. n.pr.gent. name of Hebrew nation
H1245
v — search, strive after
Derivation: a primitive root;
to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after
KJV: ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).
vb — seek
[בָּקַשׁ] 224 vb. seek
Pi.
1. seek to find
2. seek to secure
3. seek the face
4. desire, demand
5.
a. require, exact
b. exact equivalent or penalty for
6. (late) ask, request
Pu. be sought
H4672
v — come, appear, exist, attain, find, acquire, occur, meet, be present
Derivation: a primitive root;
properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
KJV: be able, befall, being, catch, × certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), × have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), × occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
vb — attain to
מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find
Qal
1. find
2. find out
3. = come upon, light upon
4. noteworthy phrases
Niph. pass. of Qal, be found
Hiph.
1. cause to find, attain
2. cause to light upon, come upon, come
3. cause to encounter
4. present unto
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Verses 1–7
2 Chronicles 15:1–7
It was a great happiness to Israel that they had prophets among them; yet, while they were thus blessed, they were strangely addicted to idolatry, whereas, when the spirit of prophecy had ceased under the second temple, and the canon of the Old Temple was completed (which was constantly read in their synagogues), they were pure from idolatry; for the scriptures are of all other the most sure word of prophecy, and most effectual, and the church could not be so easily imposed upon by a counterfeit Bible as by a counterfeit prophet. Here was a prophet sent to Asa and his army, when they returned victorious from the war with the Ethiopians, not to compliment them and congratulate them on their success, but to quicken them to their duty; this is the proper business of God's ministers, even with princes and the greatest men. The Spirit of God came upon the prophet (Ch2 15:1), both to instruct him what he should say and to enable him to say it with clearness and boldness.
I. He told them plainly upon what terms they stood with God. Let them not think that, having obtained this victory, all was their own for ever; no, he must let them know they were upon their good behaviour. Let them do well, and it will be well with them, otherwise not. 1. The Lord is with you while you are with him. This is both a word of comfort, that those who keep close to God shall always have his presence with them, and also a word of caution: "He is with you, while you are with him, but no longer; you have now a signal token of his favourable presence with you, but the continuance of it depends upon your perseverance in the way of your duty." 2. "If you seek him, he will be found of you. Sincerely desire his favour, and aim at it, and you shall obtain it. Pray, and you shall prevail. He never said, nor ever will, Seek you me in vain." See Heb 11:6. But, 3. "If you forsake him and his ordinances, he is not tied to you, but will certainly forsake you, and then you are undone, your present triumphs will be no security to you; woe to you when God departs."
II. He set before them the dangerous consequence of forsaking God and his ordinances, and that there was no way of having grievances redressed, but by repenting, and returning unto God. When Israel forsook their duty they were over-run with a deluge of atheism, impiety, irreligion, and all irregularity (Ch2 15:3), and were continually embarrassed with vexatious and destroying wars, foreign and domestic, Ch2 15:5, Ch2 15:6. But when their troubles drove them to God they found it not in vain to seek him, Ch2 15:4. But the question is, What time does this refer to? 1. Some think it looks as far back as the days of the Judges. A long season ago Israel was without the true God, for they worshipped false gods; it was a time of ignorance, for, though they had priests, they had no teaching priests, though they had elders, yet no law to any purpose, v. 3. These were sad times, when they were frequently oppressed by one enemy or other and grievously harassed by Moabites, Midianites, Ammonites, and other nations. They were vexed with all adversity (v. 6), yet when, in their perplexity, they turned to God by repentance, prayer, and reformation, he raised up deliverers for them. Then was that maxim often verified, that God is with us while we are with him. Whatsoever things of this kind were written aforetime were written for our admonition. 2. Others think it describes the state of the ten tribes (who were now properly called Israel) in the days of Asa. "Now, since Jeroboam set up the calves, though he pretended to honour the God that brought them out of Egypt, yet his idolatry has brought them to downright infidelity; they are without the true God," and no marvel when they were without teaching priests. Jeroboam's priests were not teachers, and thus they came to be without law. It is next to impossible that any thing of religion should be kept up without a preaching ministry. In those times there was no peace, Ch2 15:5. Their war with Judah gave them frequent alarms; so did the late insurrection of Baasha and other occasions not mentioned. They provoked God with all iniquity, and then he vexed them with all adversity; yet, when they turned to God, he was entreated for them. Let Judah take notice of this; let their neighbours' harms be their warnings. Give no countenance to graven images for you see what mischiefs they produce. 3. Others think the whole passage may be read in the future tense, and that it looks forward: Hereafter Israel will be without the true God and a teaching priest, and they will be destroyed by one judgment after another till they return to God and seek him. See Hos 3:4.
III. Upon this he grounded his exhortation to prosecute the work of reformation with vigour (Ch2 15:7): Be strong, for your work shall be rewarded. Note, 1. God's work should be done with diligence and cheerfulness, but will not be done without resolution. 2. This should quicken us to the work of religion, that we shall be sure not to lose by it ultimately. It will not go unrewarded. How should it, when the work is its own reward?
Cross-references: 2Chr 15:1 · Heb 11:6 · 2Chr 15:3 · 2Chr 15:5 · 2Chr 15:6 · 2Chr 15:4 · Hos 3:4 · 2Chr 15:7