2 Chronicles 16 9

2 Chronicles 16:9 kjv

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

2 Chronicles 16:9 nkjv

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars."

2 Chronicles 16:9 niv

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war."

2 Chronicles 16:9 esv

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars."

2 Chronicles 16:9 nlt

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war."

2 Chronicles 16 verses

2 Chronicles 16 9 Meaning

This verse proclaims the Lord's active, penetrating watchfulness over all the earth, not as a passive observer, but as one who intensely seeks out and empowers those who exhibit wholehearted devotion to Him. It then directly applies this divine principle to King Asa's actions, rebuking his foolish reliance on human alliances rather than God's unfailing strength, and pronouncing the future consequence of perpetual conflict as a result of his disloyalty.

2 Chronicles 16 9 Context

Chapter 16 of 2 Chronicles details the latter part of King Asa's reign. Asa initially distinguished himself as a righteous king who diligently sought the Lord, evidenced by his powerful prayer and miraculous victory against Zerah the Cushite (2 Chr 14). However, in his old age, when confronted by King Baasha of Israel, Asa chose to rely on a political and military alliance with Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, rather than seeking the Lord's help. This action, a significant departure from his earlier faith, drew the rebuke of Hanani the seer, as recorded in verse 7. Verse 9 serves as the core principle underpinning Hanani's indictment, explaining why Asa's chosen strategy was not only wrong but also foolish in the eyes of God, contrasting God's willingness to strengthen with Asa's chosen path of human reliance. Asa's subsequent imprisonment of Hanani and oppression of his people further illustrated his hardening heart.

2 Chronicles 16 9 Word analysis

• For the eyes of the Lord: Implies God's omniscient observation, but more profoundly, His active scrutiny and intentional focus. It signifies not merely seeing, but observing with a purpose.
• range throughout (שׁוֹטְטִים - shôṭṭîm): Derived from a root meaning to 'rove, walk about, scour.' This indicates an active, investigative movement, not static observation. It's a proactive seeking out, a patrolling gaze, demonstrating God's dynamic involvement in the world.
• the earth (בְּכָל-הָאָרֶץ - bəḵol-hā’āreṣ): Emphasizes the universal scope of God's awareness and reach. No part of creation, and no human action, escapes His notice.
• to strengthen (לְהִתְחַזֵּק - ləhiṯḥazzêq): From חָזַק (chazaq), meaning 'to be strong, firm, resolute.' In the Hithpael stem (as used here), it suggests God enabling or empowering someone to show themselves strong, to be courageous, or to stand firm. It's divine enablement for human action, not mere moral support.
• those whose hearts (לְבָבָם - ləḇāḇām): The "heart" in Hebrew thought refers to the whole inner being – intellect, will, emotion, conscience. It's the core of a person's moral and spiritual life, the seat of intention and commitment.
• are fully committed (שָׁלֵם אֵלָיו - shālēm ’ēlāw): Shalem means 'complete, perfect, whole, undivided.' Elaiw means 'unto Him.' Thus, it signifies a heart that is completely devoted, loyal, without compromise, wholly oriented towards God. This is the opposite of a 'divided heart' or a heart partially devoted to other allegiances. It implies integrity and singular loyalty.
• You have acted foolishly (הִסְכַּלְתָּ - hiskaltā): From סָכַל (sakhal), meaning 'to be foolish, senseless, perverse.' This is stronger than merely making a mistake; it implies a moral and spiritual folly, acting contrary to wisdom, especially divine wisdom. Asa's error was a deliberate turning away from reliance on God, a path that ultimately proved nonsensical given God's demonstrated power.
• in this: Refers specifically to Asa's alliance with Ben-Hadad, trusting human strength instead of God.
• hereafter you will have wars (כִּי-לֹא תִהְיֶה-לְּךָ עוֹד מִלְחָמוֹת - kî-lō’ tihye-l·ḵā ‘ôḏ milḥāmôṯ): This is a prophetic pronouncement of consequence. It doesn't mean Asa will never have peace, but that wars will be a recurrent and persistent feature of his remaining reign, in stark contrast to the divine peace experienced when he previously trusted God. This is the result of rejecting divine protection.

2 Chronicles 16 9 Bonus section

The concept of God's "eyes" being actively involved in the world is a consistent biblical theme, often emphasizing His comprehensive knowledge and purposeful intervention. Here, it is portrayed as God actively "scouting" for those whose disposition of heart allows Him to display His strength through them. This implies a synergistic relationship where God's power is unlocked by human faith and commitment. The warning to Asa highlights that previous fidelity does not grant immunity from current accountability for present unfaithfulness. The shift from "eyes ranging...to strengthen" to "you will have wars" underscores a key spiritual principle: seeking worldly alliances or strength instead of God invites conflict, whereas dependence on God invites divine peace and victory. It speaks to the ongoing necessity of a consistent walk of faith, not merely a past record of devotion.

2 Chronicles 16 9 Commentary

This profound verse reveals a vital aspect of God's character and His engagement with humanity. God is not distant or apathetic; His "eyes range throughout the earth" with intentionality, actively seeking those through whom He can manifest His power. This is a divine searching, an eager watchfulness, specifically to find individuals to strengthen. The criteria for receiving this divine enablement is a "heart fully committed to Him." This "whole heart" (Hebrew: shalem) signifies undivided loyalty, complete trust, and singular devotion to God alone, encompassing one's thoughts, affections, and will. It is a state of spiritual integrity.

King Asa, though beginning well, deviated from this principle. When faced with a threat, he chose the expedient human path of alliance with Aram rather than relying on the same God who previously delivered him from an infinitely greater army. Hanani the seer exposes this as "foolishness"—not merely an intellectual error, but a moral and spiritual failure, betraying a lack of trust in God's sufficiency. The consequence pronounced is not an arbitrary punishment, but the natural outcome of forsaking divine protection for human strategy: "hereafter you will have wars." The peace and security experienced under God's blessing are withdrawn, replaced by constant strife, because Asa's heart was no longer shalem towards God in that instance. The verse powerfully contrasts God's boundless readiness to strengthen His faithful with the painful, self-inflicted consequences of spiritual compromise and distrust. It serves as a timeless reminder that true security and strength are found only in wholehearted devotion to the Lord.