2 Chronicles 20:15
And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not your's, but God's.
Original Language Analysis
כָל
H3605
כָל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
3 of 27
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
יְהוּדָה֙
ye all Judah
H3063
יְהוּדָה֙
ye all Judah
Strong's:
H3063
Word #:
4 of 27
jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
וְיֹֽשְׁבֵ֣י
and ye inhabitants
H3427
וְיֹֽשְׁבֵ֣י
and ye inhabitants
Strong's:
H3427
Word #:
5 of 27
properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֔ם
of Jerusalem
H3389
יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֔ם
of Jerusalem
Strong's:
H3389
Word #:
6 of 27
jerushalaim or jerushalem, the capital city of palestine
יְהֽוֹשָׁפָ֑ט
Jehoshaphat
H3092
יְהֽוֹשָׁפָ֑ט
Jehoshaphat
Strong's:
H3092
Word #:
8 of 27
jehoshaphat, the name of six israelites; also of a valley near jerusalem
כֹּֽה
H3541
כֹּֽה
Strong's:
H3541
Word #:
9 of 27
properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now
יְהוָ֜ה
the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֜ה
the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
11 of 27
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
אַל
H408
אַל
Strong's:
H408
Word #:
14 of 27
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
תִּֽירְא֤וּ
unto you Be not afraid
H3372
תִּֽירְא֤וּ
unto you Be not afraid
Strong's:
H3372
Word #:
15 of 27
to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten
וְאַל
H408
וְאַל
Strong's:
H408
Word #:
16 of 27
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
תֵּחַ֙תּוּ֙
nor dismayed
H2865
תֵּחַ֙תּוּ֙
nor dismayed
Strong's:
H2865
Word #:
17 of 27
properly, to prostrate; hence, to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by confusion and fear
מִפְּנֵ֨י
by reason
H6440
מִפְּנֵ֨י
by reason
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
18 of 27
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
הֶֽהָמ֤וֹן
multitude
H1995
הֶֽהָמ֤וֹן
multitude
Strong's:
H1995
Word #:
19 of 27
a noise, tumult, crowd; also disquietude, wealth
הָרָב֙
of this great
H7227
הָרָב֙
of this great
Strong's:
H7227
Word #:
20 of 27
abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
הַזֶּ֔ה
H2088
כִּ֣י
H3588
כִּ֣י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
22 of 27
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
לֹ֥א
H3808
לֹ֥א
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
23 of 27
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה
for the battle
H4421
הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה
for the battle
Strong's:
H4421
Word #:
25 of 27
a battle (i.e., the engagement); generally, war (i.e., war-fare)
Cross References
Deuteronomy 31:6Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.Deuteronomy 31:8And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.1 Samuel 17:47And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.Deuteronomy 20:1When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.Deuteronomy 20:4For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.Joshua 11:6And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.Nehemiah 4:14And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
Historical Context
Delivered before battle (c. 853 BCE), this prophetic word required faith to obey - marching to battle while trusting God to fight. The subsequent victory without Judah striking a blow (20:22-24) confirmed the word's truth and became a testimony to surrounding nations.
Questions for Reflection
- What battle are you fighting in your own strength that you need to recognize as 'God's battle'?
- How does knowing the battle belongs to God change your strategy, attitude, and expectations?
Analysis & Commentary
God's response through Jahaziel 'Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's' transforms crisis into trust. The command against fear and dismay acknowledges natural human response to overwhelming odds. The theological pivot - 'the battle is not yours, but God's' (not 'your battle' but 'God's battle') - relieves pressure while requiring faith. This principle appears throughout Scripture when God's people face impossible situations. It demonstrates that spiritual warfare and kingdom advancement come through divine power, not human effort. This points to Christ's victory where believers are spectators and beneficiaries rather than combatants.