2 Chronicles 25:8
But if thou wilt go, do [it], be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
But if thou wilt go {H935}, do {H6213} it, be strong {H2388} for the battle {H4421}: God {H430} shall make thee fall {H3782} before {H6440} the enemy {H341}: for God {H430} hath {H3426} power {H3581} to help {H5826}, and to cast down {H3782}.
And if you do go, then no matter how fiercely you fight, God will cause you to fail before the enemy. For God has the power to help and to cause failure."
Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will make you stumble before the enemy, for God has power to help and power to overthrow.โ
But if thou wilt go, do valiantly, be strong for the battle: God will cast thee down before the enemy; for God hath power to help, and to cast down.
Cross-References
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2 Chronicles 14:11 (7 votes)
And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, [it is] nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou [art] our God; let not man prevail against thee. -
2 Chronicles 20:6 (5 votes)
And said, O LORD God of our fathers, [art] not thou God in heaven? and rulest [not] thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand [is there not] power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? -
Philippians 4:19 (4 votes)
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. -
Luke 18:29 (3 votes)
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, -
Luke 18:30 (3 votes)
Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. -
Joel 3:9 (2 votes)
ยถ Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: -
Joel 3:14 (2 votes)
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision.
Commentary
2 Chronicles 25:8 delivers a powerful and direct warning from an unnamed prophet to King Amaziah of Judah, emphasizing God's absolute sovereignty over the outcome of battles and human endeavors.
Context
King Amaziah had ascended the throne of Judah and initially did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, though not with a perfect heart (2 Chronicles 25:2). As he prepared for war against Edom, he hired 100,000 mighty men from Israel for 100 talents of silver to bolster his forces. A prophet, described as a "man of God," then approached Amaziah with a clear divine message: "O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the Lord is not with Israel" (2 Chronicles 25:7). Amaziah's immediate concern was the significant financial loss of the 100 talents he had already paid. Verse 8 is the prophet's response to this dilemma, a stark warning against defying God's explicit instruction, even at a financial cost, promising divine judgment if he proceeds with the unauthorized alliance.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The KJV phrase "God hath power to help, and to cast down" is a direct and forceful declaration. The Hebrew word for "power" (ืึผึนืึท - koach) denotes strength, ability, or might. The contrast between "help" (ืึฐืึทืขึฒืึดืืจ - leha'azir, meaning to lend aid or support) and "cast down" (ืึฐืึทืึฐืฉืึดืื - leha'khshil, meaning to cause to stumble, fall, or be overthrown) emphasizes the dual nature of God's sovereign hand: He can empower for victory or cause utter defeat. There's no middle ground when God's will is involved.
Practical Application
This verse offers timeless lessons for believers today:
Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.