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2 Chronicles 25 · a question people ask

Why didn't the LORD want Israel's soldiers with Judah?

In the text

The man of God gives one reason: "for the LORD is not with Israel, with all the children of Ephraim" (25:7). He doesn't say more, and the chapter doesn't either. 2 Chronicles has told of Judah's kings joining Israel's before. When Jehoshaphat came home from fighting beside Ahab, Jehu the son of Hanani asked him, "Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate the LORD?" (19:2). When he joined with Ahaziah king of Israel to make ships, Eliezer prophesied, "Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works" (20:37). And Abijah had said to Israel's army, "the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods are with you" (13:8). These verses are set beside 25:7; the chapter itself gives only the reason the man of God gave.

The verses

“A man of God came to him, saying, “O king, don’t let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel, with all the children of Ephraim.”
2 Chronicles 25:7 · World English Bible
“So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.”
2 Chronicles 18:28 · World English Bible
“Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, wrath is on you from before the LORD.”
2 Chronicles 19:1-2 · World English Bible
“After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very wickedly. He joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish. They made the ships in Ezion Geber. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” The ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.”
2 Chronicles 20:35-37 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 2 Chronicles 25

2 Chronicles 25: Much more than this

Only 2 Chronicles tells of the hundred talents: when Amaziah asked what to do about the silver he had paid for Israel's soldiers, the man of God said, "The LORD is able to give you much more than this" (25:9). And the king who did right "but not with a perfect heart" (25:2) went on to set up the gods of the people he had just defeated as his own (25:14).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions