2 Chronicles 20:23
For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights a brutal, almost unbelievable turn of events: after the Ammonites and Moabites fiercely annihilated the people of Mount Seir, they then completely turned on each other. It's a stark illustration of how brutal conflict, once unleashed, can consume even its instigators, leaving no victors.
Just before this, King Jehoshaphat and all of Judah were facing a massive invasion and had prayed for God's intervention, trusting Him to fight for them. After God supernaturally confused the enemy armies, causing them to turn on each other and be utterly destroyed, the people of Judah went to collect the plunder. This verse describes the other enemies who were also threatening Judah, who, seeing the demise of the invading forces, then turned on their neighbors, only to destroy each other.
Sometimes, God's protection doesn't look like a shield, but a supernatural strategic shift. How did this battle unfold against Judah's enemies?
In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat and Judah are facing an overwhelming enemy alliance. While Jehoshaphat leads them in prayer and repentance, God intervenes in a powerful way. Instead of Judah having to fight, God causes the enemy forces to turn on each other.
A Divine Turnaround
Verse 23 describes the climax of this divine intervention. The combined armies of Ammon and Moab, who had come against Judah, first attacked the inhabitants of Mount Seir. After annihilating them, they then fell into mutual destruction. God orchestrated a scenario where Judah's enemies became their own undoing, demonstrating that victory belongs to the Lord, not by sword or bow.
Enemies often unite against God's people, but their own internal conflicts and pride can lead to their downfall. What does this reveal about human alliances?
The passage in 2 Chronicles 20 showcases a profound truth about how human opposition to God's purposes often unravels from within. The massive coalition that threatened Judah was so focused on their destruction of others that they forgot self-preservation and unity against their primary target.
Pride Before a Fall
Their destructive rage, first directed at Mount Seir, quickly turned inward. This wasn't just a random turn of events; it was the consequence of their unified aggression against God’s chosen people. When people or nations stand against God, their own ambitions, hatreds, and lack of true unity become the seeds of their destruction.
This serves as a powerful reminder that any alliance built on opposition to God is ultimately unstable and destined for failure.
Understand the original words
charam · Hebrew Verb
To ban or consign something or someone entirely to the Lord, often implying total destruction in the context of holy war or judgment against idolatry and evil.
This account likely refers to a period of regional instability and conflict that occurred after the Babylonian exile, during the rise of the Persian Empire. The self-destruction of the Ammonite and Moabite armies mirrors the larger geopolitical shifts of the era, where empires rose and fell, often through internal conflict, reminding us that God is sovereign over all nations and their conflicts.
c. 1000 BC - 700 BC
Israelite Settlement in Canaan
Following their exodus from Egypt and wilderness wanderings, the Israelites settled in the land of Canaan, establishing a kingdom.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
After Solomon's death, the united kingdom of Israel split into two: the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquered and exiled the Northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the dispersal of the ten tribes.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
Assyrian king Sennacherib invaded Judah, threatening Jerusalem. This event is well-documented and serves as a significant backdrop for prophetic writings.
This passage shows another instance where God caused confusion among enemy forces, leading them to fight against each other, echoing the self-destruction seen in 2 Chronicles 20:23.
1 Samuel 14:20Similar to 2 Chronicles 20:23, this verse describes a divine confusion that causes an army to turn its swords against itself.
Psalm 83:2-5This psalm speaks of nations conspiring together against Israel, a theme that resonates with the alliance against Seir, though here the psalmist asks God to scatter them and bring them to shame, implying a similar divine intervention to thwart their plans.
Jeremiah 49:26This prophecy against Damascus includes a declaration that 'her allies shall fall by the sword,' hinting at the breakdown of alliances and mutual destruction that befell enemies of God's people, as seen with Ammon and Moab.
This verse highlights a brutal, almost unbelievable turn of events: after the Ammonites and Moabites fiercely annihilated the people of Mount Seir, they then completely turned on each other. It's a stark illustration of how brutal conflict, once unleashed, can consume even its instigators, leaving no victors.
Just before this, King Jehoshaphat and all of Judah were facing a massive invasion and had prayed for God's intervention, trusting Him to fight for them. After God supernaturally confused the enemy armies, causing them to turn on each other and be utterly destroyed, the people of Judah went to collect the plunder. This verse describes the other enemies who were also threatening Judah, who, seeing the demise of the invading forces, then turned on their neighbors, only to destroy each other.
Just before this, King Jehoshaphat and all of Judah were facing a massive invasion and had prayed for God's intervention, trusting Him to fight for them. After God supernaturally confused the enemy armies, causing them to turn on each other and be utterly destroyed, the people of Judah went to collect the plunder. This verse describes the enemies who were also threatening Judah, who, seeing the demise of the invading forces, then turned on their neighbors, only to destroy each other.
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c. 605 BC - 586 BC
Babylonian Exiles Begin
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conducted several deportations of Judeans to Babylon, starting with the elite and skilled workers.
c. 550 BC - 539 BC
Rise of the Persian Empire
Cyrus the Great united the Medes and Persians, rapidly expanding his empire and eventually conquering the Babylonian Empire.
539 BC— this verse
Cyrus's Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great captured Babylon, ushering in the Persian period and setting the stage for the return of Jewish exiles.
"For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another." — This verse highlights a brutal, almost unbelievable turn of events: after the Ammonites and Moabites fiercely annihilated the people of Mount Seir, they then completely turned on each other. It's a…
