2 Crônicas 14
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Crônicas 14
NJB (LXX versing) Asa Succeeds Abijah in Judah The Beginning of the Reign of Asa, and His Great Victory Over the Ethiopians King Asa Defeats the Ethiopians Peace Under Asa 13:23b-14:5 14:1 Asa Reigns in Judah 14:1-8 14:1-8 14:2-8 14:2-8 14:6 14:7 Invasion by Zerah 14:9-15 14:9-15 14:9-15 14:9-11 14:8-10 14:11-12a 14:12-15 14:12b-15 Etc.
2 Crônicas 14:1
14:1 "slept with his fathers" This is a Hebrew idiom for being buried with the family. It does not suggest "soul sleep." To the OT descendant of Abraham there was a conscious, but muted, afterlife. The theology of life after death is progressively revealed through Scriptures. It is not until the NT that a full understanding is revealed. SPECIAL TOPIC: WHERE ARE THE DEAD? SPECIAL TOPIC: RESURRECTION "the city of David" If the context is about David's lineage or birth, this refers to Bethlehem, but if it is about his reign, then it refers to Jerusalem. SPECIAL TOPIC: MORIAH, SALEM, JEBUS, ZION, JERUSALEM "The land was undisturbed for ten years" Contextually this could be because of Abijah's defeat of Israel (cf. 2 Chronicles 13) Asa's trust in YHWH and his reforms (cf. 2 Chr. 14:3-4) This is part of the covenant blessings of Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28. The Chronicler is very interested in how these Judean kings related to YHWH. Judah's history is viewed through Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28. The "two ways" of Deut. 30;15,19 and Psalm 1 are paradigms.
2 Crônicas 14:2-8
14:2 "Asa did good and right in the sight of the Lord" This is a recurrent theme in Deuteronomy (cf. Deut. 6:18; 12:28; 13:18). This chapter lists several things he did to merit this evaluation (cf. 2 Chr. 15:8-15,16-18). removed foreign altars, 2 Chr. 14:3 high places, 2 Chr. 14:3,5 (cf. 2 Chr. 15:17; see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, "High Places," pp. 284-288) incense altars, 2 Chr. 14:5 (associated with Ba'al worship, cf. Lev. 26:30; 2 Chr. 34:4,7) destroyed (cf. Deut. 12:2-3) sacred pillars (i.e., raised stone which was a symbol of the male deity, cf. Exod. 23:24) Asherim (i.e., a live tree or carved stake which was a symbol of the female deity, cf. Exod. 34:13; 2 Chr. 15:16) demanded his people to seek YHWH to observe His law The Chronicler expands (i.e., three chapters) the material on the life of Asa. Kings only has a few verses (i.e., 1 Kgs. 15:9-24). Chronicles is using another prophetic written source. positive ‒ 2 Chr. 14:1-15:19 negative ‒ 2 Chr. 16:1-14 Faithful at the beginning but faithless at the end becomes a terrible pattern. 14:4 "to seek the Lord God of their fathers" This VERB (BDB 205, KB 233, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT) is a recurrent theme in Chronicles (cf. 1 Chr. 22:19; 28:9; 2 Chr. 12:14; 14:4,7; 15:2,12,13; 16:12; 26:5; 30:19; 31:12; 34:3). It illustrates the human volitional side of the conditional covenant of YHWH. Deity initiates but humans must respond. This is called "the two ways" in the OT (cf. Deut. 30:15,19; Psalm 1). The title "Lord" is YHWH, the covenant name for Israel's Deity. See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. The title "God" is Eloah, the SINGULAR of Elohim, the title of Deity as creator, provider, and sustainer of all life. See: SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C, D "to observe the law and the commandment" Obedience is crucial in a performance-based covenant like the Mosaic covenant. SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION 14:5 This seems to be a repeat of 2 Chr. 14:3. It may reveal the use of two written sources combined. The Chronicler used several prophetic sources. 14:6-8 These verses show YHWH's blessings on Asa (i.e., "because the Lord had given him rest," cf. 2 Chr. 14:7). It is surely possible these fortifications were to prevent another Egyptian attack like Shishak in 2 Chr. 12:1-12. Many commentators link the Cushite invasion of 2 Chr. 14:9-15 with a Cushite Egyptian general under Shishak's son, Osorkon I a group of Bedouins left by Shishak as a buffer zone SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF EGYPT
2 Crônicas 14:9-15
14:9-15 These verses describe one attempted military invasion by a superior force. The invader was completely crushed and despoiled. Shishak of Egypt (cf. 2 Chr. 12:1-12) was successful in his attack on Judah because of Rehoboam's sin but Asa's faithfulness is honored by YHWH. 14:9 "Zerah the Ethiopian" This person seems to be the leader of a bedouin, Arabian group (cf. Hab. 3:7), but not a ruler of the nation of Cush or Ethiopia. His name is known only from this text. Some commentators see this person as a general of Shishak's successor, who was trying to repeat the Egyptian victory over Rehoboam. The use of "chariots" (2 Ch. 14:9) supports Egyptian mercenaries but the mentioning of "camels" (14:15) would support bedouin. "an army of a million men and 300 chariots" This number is simply unrealistic. The high number of men does not correspond to the number of chariots (the Peshitta has "36,000 chariots"). Literally, the MT has "a thousand thousands," so again, what is the intended meaning of eleph? Josephus, Antiq. 8.11.1., says there were 900,000 footmen 100,000 horsemen 300 chariots Josephus obviously is following the Chronicler's account; where he got this specific additional information is uncertain. If this number is literal, the invader must be Egypt. For a defense of the literal numbers, see Gleason Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pp. 129-134. SPECIAL TOPIC: THOUSAND (eleph) 14:10 "valley of Zephathah at Mareshah" These are very specific locations which show the historicity of the account. Zephathah was possibly one of the southern cities fortified by Rehoboam (cf. 2 Chr. 11:6-10). Its location is uncertain. The name Mareshah is also a city fortified by Rehoboam (cf. Josh. 15:44; 2 Chr. 11:8). The MacMillan Bible Atlas, map #122, separates Zephathah and Mareshah as about 20 miles north of Gerar. Gerar (cf. Gen. 20:1) is about 25 miles southwest of Beersheba. It may refer to a region and not a city. We know of this military conflict only from 2 Chronicles 14. It is not mentioned in Kings or outside the Bible. SPECIAL TOPIC: OLD TESTAMENT HISTORIOGRAPHY COMPARED WITH CONTEMPORARY NEAR EASTERN CULTURES SPECIAL TOPIC: GENRE AND INTERPRETATION: OLD TESTAMENT NARRATIVE 14:11 This is Asa's prayer and faith affirmation. there is no one beside You to help for we (i.e., Judah) trust in You (BDB 1043, KB 1612; see note at 2 Chr. 13:18) we come against this multitude in Your name You are our God (i.e., covenant language) let not man prevail against You (i.e., an attack on Judah was an attack on YHWH) SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT PROMISES TO THE PATRIARCHS 14:12 Notice the victory was YHWH's victory (cf. 2 Chr. 13:16). 14:13 These verses describe the defeat and plunder of this large invading army.