Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 18:29
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The king of Israel speaks to Jehoshaphat as they prepare to ascend to Ramoth-gilead for combat. He directs Jehoshaphat to retain his royal robes while he conceals his identity before entering the field.
The words — הִתְחַפֵּשׂ (hit.cha.Pes) denotes the act of disguising or wearing different garments, and בַ/מִּלְחָמָ֔ה (ba./mil.cha.Mah) specifies the context of the armed engagement.
The thread — This tactical concealment mirrors the covert movements recorded in 1 Samuel 28:8, 1 Kings 14:2, and 1 Kings 20:38.
Why it lands — The text records a strategic maneuver that directly fulfills the Aramean commander’s specific target order in 2 Chronicles 18:30. A reader must observe how human attempts to evade a known threat can inadvertently satisfy the exact conditions that threat requires.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 28:8 So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name.”
- 1 Kings 14:2 and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Now get up, disguise yourself so they will not recognize you as my wife, and go to Shiloh. For Ahijah the prophet is there; it was he who spoke about my kingship over this people.
- 1 Kings 20:38 and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
- 2 Chronicles 35:22 Josiah, however, did not turn away from him; instead, in order to engage him in battle, he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to fight him on the Plain of Megiddo.
- Job 24:15 The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face.
- Psalms 12:2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
- Proverbs 26:25 When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
- Jeremiah 23:24 “Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.