Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 19:2
Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jehu son of Hanani, identified as a seer, confronts King Jehoshaphat of Judah upon his return to Jerusalem after allying with Ahab of Israel (2 Chronicles 18:3). The rebuke lands before any praise, in the first words of the encounter.
The words — חֹזֶה (chozeh), "the seer," marks Jehu's office as one who sees, distinguishing him from a generic prophet (navi') and grounding his authority in direct vision.
The thread — The standard of not aligning with those who oppose the LORD recurs in Psalms 139:21 and 2 John 1:10, both of which draw a hard line around association with the wicked.
Why it lands — It asks the reader to audit their alliances against a single criterion: do they honor or dishonor the LORD? The question is not whether the partnership was politically wise but whether it was faithful.
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 Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.
Cross-references
- Psalms 139:21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD, and detest those who rise against You?
- 2 John 1:10 If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him.
- 2 Chronicles 18:3 Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.”
- Ephesians 5:11 Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
- James 4:4 You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.
- 1 Kings 16:1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha, saying:
- 2 Chronicles 16:7 At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and told him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.
- 2 Chronicles 20:34 As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 24:18 They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherah poles and idols. So wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.
- 2 Chronicles 32:25 But because his heart was proud, Hezekiah did not repay the favor shown to him. Therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem.