Bible Strands

2 Chronicles 20:4

So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Jehoshaphat has just proclaimed a fast after being alarmed by a threat, prompting the people of Judah to assemble. They gather from every city in Judah to seek the LORD in direct response to his leadership.

The words — The verb וַ/יִּקָּבְצ֣וּ (va/i.yi.ka.ve.Tzu) denotes a deliberate gathering, while לְ/בַקֵּ֖שׁ (le./va.Kesh) specifies the purpose as seeking. The phrase מֵֽ/יְהוָ֑ה (me./Yah.weh) literally reads "from Yahweh," indicating the source of their spiritual pursuit.

The thread — This collective movement to seek divine intervention parallels the call to call upon God in trouble found in Psalms 50:15. The pattern of gathering from all cities to pursue Yahweh also echoes the promise that those who look to Him will not be ashamed in Psalms 34:5.

Why it lands — The text demands a responsive assembly where fear translates into organized spiritual pursuit. It requires readers to identify the specific moment when communal action must replace individual panic.

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

וַיִּקָּבְצ֣וּva/i.yi.ka.ve.Tzuand/ they gatheredיְהוּדָ֔הye.hu.DahJudahלְבַקֵּ֖שׁle./va.Keshto/ seekמֵֽיְהוָ֑הme./Yah.wehfrom/ Yahwehגַּ֚םgamalsoמִכָּל־mi./kolfrom/ allעָרֵ֣י'a.Rei[the] cities ofיְהוּדָ֔הye.hu.DahJudahבָּ֖אוּBa.'uthey cameלְבַקֵּ֥שׁle./va.Keshto/ seekאֶת־'et-<obj.>יְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehYahweh

King James Version

And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

Cross-references