2 Chronicles 20:5 kjv
And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
2 Chronicles 20:5 nkjv
Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
2 Chronicles 20:5 niv
Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard
2 Chronicles 20:5 esv
And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
2 Chronicles 20:5 nlt
Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 20 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Note) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Chr 20:3-4 | Then Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord... and Judah gathered... to seek help from the Lord. | Immediate call to prayer/fast. |
| 1 Kgs 8:22-53 | Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord... and spread out his hands toward heaven... and prayed. | King leading prayer in the Temple. |
| Neh 9:1-3 | Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled... confessing their sins. | Corporate assembly for repentance. |
| Joel 2:15-17 | Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly... let the priests... weep between the porch and the altar. | Solemn assembly for divine mercy. |
| Isa 37:14-20 | Hezekiah received the letter... and went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. | King praying in the Temple in crisis. |
| Ps 22:25 | From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. | Public praise and fulfillment of vows. |
| Acts 4:23-31 | When they were released, they went to their friends and reported... And when they heard this, they lifted their voices together... | Corporate prayer in distress. |
| Ps 74:2 | Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old, which you redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance! | Remembering the congregation. |
| Ps 95:6-7 | Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God... | Corporate worship posture. |
| 1 Tim 2:1-2 | First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings... | Prayers for rulers and nations. |
| Zeph 3:18 | "I will gather those of you who mourn for the appointed festivals..." | God gathers His people. |
| Ezra 10:1 | While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God... | Public prayer and lament. |
| Matt 18:20 | "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." | Presence of God in corporate gathering. |
| Ex 16:3 | The whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. | Concept of the "whole congregation." |
| Deut 31:12 | "Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner... that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God." | Corporate assembly for instruction. |
| Ps 84:1-2 | How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord... | Desire for God's house/courts. |
| Hab 2:20 | But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. | God's presence in the Temple. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God... | The church as God's spiritual temple. |
| Heb 10:24-25 | And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together... | Importance of communal gathering. |
| Isa 56:7 | These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer... | God's house as a house of prayer. |
| Zech 8:20-21 | "Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord." | Future corporate seeking of God. |
| Dan 6:10 | ...he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem... three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed... | Direction of prayer towards Jerusalem. |
2 Chronicles 20 verses
2 Chronicles 20 5 Meaning
2 Chronicles 20:5 describes King Jehoshaphat taking a decisive stand within the spiritual and physical heart of the kingdom to address a dire national crisis. He positioned himself prominently "in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem," gathering the collective nation, and critically, this took place "in the house of the Lord, before the new court." This act signifies a profound spiritual leadership, a public declaration of reliance upon the Sovereign Lord, and an appeal for divine intervention on behalf of an overwhelmed nation. It marks the commencement of a corporately expressed dependence on God amidst existential threat.
2 Chronicles 20 5 Context
The immediate context of 2 Chronicles 20:5 is a severe national crisis. Judah, under King Jehoshaphat, faces an overwhelming invasion from a vast coalition of enemies: the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites (v. 1). This posed an existential threat to the kingdom. Overcome with fear, Jehoshaphat, instead of resorting immediately to military strategy or forming political alliances (as was common in that era), demonstrated profound spiritual leadership by setting himself to seek the Lord (v. 3). He then proclaimed a fast throughout Judah, calling for a national response (v. 3). People from all cities of Judah subsequently gathered in Jerusalem to seek help from the Lord (v. 4). Verse 5, therefore, sets the physical and spiritual scene for Jehoshaphat's ensuing prayer, portraying his deliberate and public act of leading the people in collective supplication at the most sacred and central place of their worship. Historically, the Temple was built as a place where God's Name would dwell and where the people could come to present their prayers and offerings, particularly in times of distress, as detailed in Solomon's dedication prayer (1 Kgs 8; 2 Chr 6).
Word Analysis
- Then: This temporal conjunction signifies the sequence of events. Following the national fast proclamation and the gathering of people, Jehoshaphat takes the lead, moving into action.
- Jehoshaphat: King of Judah. His name, Yĕhôshāfāt, means "Yahweh has judged" or "Yahweh judges." He was a king known for seeking the Lord and implementing reforms, making his posture of leading national prayer consistent with his character and rule. His act here is a fulfillment of the trust he placed in God.
- stood (יַּעֲמֹד, ya'amod): The verb implies a dignified and reverent posture. In ancient Israelite worship and court settings, standing was a common posture for prayer, prophecy, or addressing an assembly. It conveys readiness, respect, and a public, authoritative stance taken by a leader on behalf of his people.
- in the assembly (בִּקְהַל, biq'hal): The Hebrew
qahalrefers to a formally summoned congregation or community, specifically the covenant people of Israel. This was not a chaotic mob but an organized body. Its use emphasizes the collective nature of their distress and their collective turning to God, reflecting the concept of Israel as a unified people under God. This assembly represented the entire nation gathered for a sacred purpose. - of Judah and Jerusalem: This specifies the geographical and political scope of the assembly, confirming that representatives from across the kingdom, culminating in the capital, had gathered. It underscores the widespread participation in the national call to prayer.
- in the house of the Lord (בְּבֵית יְהוָה, b'vet YHWH): This refers to the Temple in Jerusalem. This location is paramount, as the Temple was consecrated as the dwelling place for God's name (1 Kgs 8:29) and the central place of worship and national supplication (2 Chr 7:12, 14). Coming to the Temple symbolized reliance on God's covenant presence and His established means of encountering His people. It implicitly counters reliance on other deities or purely human strategies, as the Temple was exclusive to the worship of YHWH.
- before the new court (לִפְנֵי הֶחָצֵר הַחֲדָשָׁה, lifney hechatsēr hakhadāshāh):
lifney("before" or "in the presence of") suggests a prominent and visible position.chatsērdenotes a court or courtyard, often referring to sections of the Temple complex.chadāshāhmeans "new." This detail has puzzled commentators. It could refer to: (1) a newly constructed court within the Temple complex, possibly one that Jehoshaphat himself built or inaugurated to accommodate large assemblies, (2) a recently refurbished section, (3) a "fresh" or unusual assembly for that time. Regardless, it implies a distinct and spacious public area within the Temple where the entire congregation could gather and witness their king's address and prayer, highlighting the accessibility and prominence of this sacred space for collective intercession.
2 Chronicles 20 5 Bonus section
- The "new court" could imply an adaptation of the Temple precincts to better serve large public assemblies, signaling an intentional focus on corporate worship and communal interaction with God.
- The emphasis on the public, visible nature of Jehoshaphat's prayer underscores the power of a leader setting an example for his people, demonstrating faith and reliance on God when all seems lost. This collective turning towards God united the nation in faith.
- This verse sets the stage for Jehoshaphat's magnificent prayer in verses 6-12, a prayer deeply rooted in God's past faithfulness and covenant promises.
2 Chronicles 20 5 Commentary
2 Chronicles 20:5 portrays a pivotal moment in Judah's crisis, where spiritual leadership takes precedence over immediate military action. King Jehoshaphat’s deliberate choice to "stand in the assembly... in the house of the Lord" before a "new court" underscores his profound faith and strategic wisdom. This act was more than a mere ritual; it was a visible declaration of national repentance, submission, and dependence on God. The location—the Temple, the symbolic center of God's presence and the locus of His covenant—was chosen specifically to invoke divine remembrance of the promises made to David and Solomon concerning this very place as a sanctuary for prayer in times of distress. It set a precedent for future generations facing overwhelming odds: that a united, faith-filled approach, centering on God, is the first and most effective response to a national calamity. This corporate act of seeking God not only positioned them to receive divine aid but also reinforced the nation's identity as God's people.