“And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment .”
My Notes
What Does 2 Chronicles 19:6 Mean?
Jehoshaphat instructs the judges he appoints with a theological foundation for justice: "ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment." The judges don't serve a human judicial system. They serve God's. And God is personally present in every verdict they render.
The phrase "who is with you in the judgment" means God is a co-participant in every judicial proceeding. The judge isn't alone on the bench. God sits with them. Every verdict is rendered in God's presence. The awareness of divine co-judging should produce both courage (God is with you) and fear (God is watching your verdict).
The practical instruction that follows — "let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts" — names three judicial corruptions to avoid: iniquity (general injustice), respect of persons (favoritism), and bribery (gifts). God's character, which is free from all three, is the standard the judges must emulate.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does knowing God is 'with you in the judgment' change how you exercise authority?
- 2.Which of the three corruptions (iniquity, favoritism, bribery) is most tempting in your area of authority?
- 3.What does judging 'for the LORD' (not for human systems) look like in your specific context?
- 4.How does God's character (no iniquity, no favoritism, no bribery) serve as the standard for every decision you make?
Devotional
You're not judging for people. You're judging for God. And God is sitting next to you on the bench. Jehoshaphat gives his appointed judges the most sobering commission in the Bible: the defendant before you is God's concern. The verdict you render, God participates in.
The phrase 'who is with you in the judgment' should terrify every judge, every decision-maker, every person who holds authority over someone else's fate. God isn't observing your verdict from a distance. He's with you in it. Present. Participating. The courtroom isn't a human space where divine values are applied. It's a divine space where human agents operate.
The three corruptions — iniquity, favoritism, bribery — are named because they're the three most common ways judges fail. Iniquity: general unfairness, the willingness to produce unjust outcomes. Favoritism: giving better treatment to the impressive and worse treatment to the unimpressive. Bribery: letting money influence the verdict. God has none of these. His judges shouldn't either.
The standard isn't human best practice. It's divine character. God has no iniquity — your verdicts should have none. God shows no favoritism — your decisions should show none. God takes no bribes — your judgment should be uninfluenced by gifts. The judges are called to replicate God's judicial character in human proceedings.
If you hold any form of authority — over employees, over children, over students, over community members — Jehoshaphat's commission is yours. You're not deciding for people. You're deciding for the LORD. And the LORD who is free from corruption is the standard your authority must meet.
Every decision you make with authority over someone else's life, God is sitting next to you.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you,.... And act as having that before your eyes, and on your hearts:…
Take heed what ye do - A very solemn and very necessary caution; judges should feel themselves in the place of God, and…
Jehoshaphat, having done what he could to make his people good, is here providing, if possible, to keep them so by the…
Take heed R.V. Consider.
whois with you in the judgment Render, and He is with you in giving judgment (cp. R.V. and…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture