2 Chronicles 20:11
behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The most striking thing here is that the people of Judah frame their desperate situation not just as a threat, but as an injustice against God's own promises. They're not just saying "they want to attack us," but highlighting that their enemies are trying to steal what God Himself designated as theirs, revealing their deep reliance on His word. This reframes their plea from mere self-preservation to a defense of God's faithfulness.
King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah are facing an overwhelming army coming against them. They’ve gathered at the temple to pray, acknowledging their own weakness and reminding God of His promises concerning the land He gave them. This verse is part of their desperate prayer, highlighting the injustice of the enemy's invasion and appealing to God to defend what is rightfully theirs.
Imagine someone trying to steal your most prized possession, something you didn't earn but was freely given. That's the heart of this cry from Jehoshaphat.
The Divine Gift
King Jehoshaphat is facing an overwhelming enemy, and his prayer in 2 Chronicles 20:11 reveals a core truth about Israel's relationship with God and the land.
This perspective shifts the focus from their own strength to God's faithfulness. The invaders aren't just attacking a nation; they're trying to usurp God's own sovereign decree and take what belongs to Him.
Why does Jehoshaphat sound so indignant? It's not just fear; it's the sheer audacity of an enemy trying to steal what God Himself declared was theirs.
A Violation of Divine Order
Jehoshaphat's words express more than just a military predicament; they articulate a deep sense of injustice.
Understand the original words
yerushah · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the land or blessings that God grants to His people as a covenantal gift. In Scripture, it signifies the security, identity, and divine favor that God bestows upon those who belong to Him.
This verse is spoken by King Jehoshaphat during a time of intense national crisis, but its context isn't the Babylonian exile. Instead, it's an earlier invasion, likely the Assyrian threat under Sennacherib, that forces the people to remember God's promises about the land.
c. 931 BC
Kingdom Divides
Following King Solomon's death, the united kingdom of Israel splits into two: the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This division weakened both kingdoms and created new geopolitical dynamics.
722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers and deports the Northern Kingdom of Israel, scattering its people. This event served as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, capturing many cities and besieging Jerusalem. King Hezekiah trusts in the Lord, and the city is miraculously spared.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and begins deporting its people and royal treasures to Babylon, including Daniel and his friends.
This verse echoes the cry of Moses and the Israelites, who also saw their land and inheritance threatened by invaders, appealing to God's knowledge of their suffering.
Nehemiah 5:7The people in Nehemiah’s day faced a similar situation where their inheritance and possessions were being unjustly taken, leading them to cry out to God.
Psalm 83:4This psalm directly pleads for God's intervention against nations who conspire to take Israel's land, mirroring the sentiment of Judah's desperate prayer.
Deuteronomy 30:3This passage promises that even after scattering, God will restore His people to their land, reminding us that the inheritance mentioned in Chronicles is divinely given and protected.
The most striking thing here is that the people of Judah frame their desperate situation not just as a threat, but as an injustice against God's own promises. They're not just saying "they want to attack us," but highlighting that their enemies are trying to steal what God Himself designated as theirs, revealing their deep reliance on His word. This reframes their plea from mere self-preservation to a defense of God's faithfulness.
King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah are facing an overwhelming army coming against them. They’ve gathered at the temple to pray, acknowledging their own weakness and reminding God of His promises concerning the land He gave them. This verse is part of their desperate prayer, highlighting the injustice of the enemy's invasion and appealing to God to defend what is rightfully theirs.
King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah are facing an overwhelming army coming against them. They’ve gathered at the temple to pray, acknowledging their own weakness and reminding God of His promises concerning the land He gave them. This verse is part of their desperate prayer, highlighting the injustice of the enemy's invasion and appealing to God to defend what is rightfully theirs.
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Jehoshaphat is appealing to God not just as a protector, but as the ultimate judge of righteousness, whose decree is being trampled.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
After a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Judah's elite, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel. Jerusalem's temple is plundered.
586 BC
Fall and Destruction of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar's army destroys Jerusalem and its magnificent temple. The remaining population is largely exiled to Babylon, marking the end of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 550-539 BC
Persian Empire Rises
Cyrus the Great conquers the Babylonian Empire. This shift in power sets the stage for the return of the exiles to Jerusalem.
"behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit." — The most striking thing here is that the people of Judah frame their desperate situation not just as a threat, but as an injustice against God's own promises. They're not just saying "they want to at…
