“For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.”
My Notes
What Does 2 Chronicles 20:23 Mean?
"For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another." The DIVINE BATTLE STRATEGY in response to Jehoshaphat's prayer and worship: the enemy coalition — Ammon, Moab, and Seir — TURNS ON ITSELF. First, Ammon and Moab attack Seir. Then, after destroying Seir, they attack EACH OTHER. The enemy army self-destructs. Israel doesn't swing a sword. God makes the enemy fight itself.
The phrase "stood up against" (amdu al — they rose against) shows the INTERNAL turning: the coalition partners who came to destroy Judah instead RISE AGAINST each other. The alliance collapses from within. The unity that formed against God's people dissolves into mutual destruction. The external threat becomes internal warfare.
The phrase "every one helped to destroy another" (ish bere'ehu lemashhit — each man helped his companion to destruction) is the FINAL phase: after Ammon and Moab destroy Seir, they turn on EACH OTHER. 'Every one helped to destroy another' — the mutual aid becomes mutual destruction. The cooperation that was supposed to destroy Judah becomes the cooperation that destroys THEMSELVES. The partnership reverses its direction.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What enemy coalition is God turning against itself while you worship?
- 2.What does Jehoshaphat sending SINGERS instead of soldiers teach about worship as battle strategy?
- 3.How does 'every one helped to destroy another' describe God using the enemy's own strength as the weapon?
- 4.What praise — what worship instead of warfare — is God waiting for before He sets the ambushment?
Devotional
The enemy came to destroy Judah. Instead, the enemy destroyed ITSELF. Ammon and Moab attacked Seir first. Then — after finishing Seir — they turned on EACH OTHER. 'Every one helped to destroy another.' The coalition dissolved into mutual annihilation. The army that marched together ended by massacring each other. Israel never drew a sword.
This happened because Jehoshaphat WORSHIPED instead of fighting: the king sent SINGERS ahead of the army (verse 21 — 'Praise the beauty of holiness'). The battle strategy was WORSHIP. The military formation was a CHOIR. And when the singing started, God set AMBUSHMENTS (verse 22) — the enemies turned against each other. The worship triggered the confusion. The praise activated the self-destruction.
The 'every one helped to destroy another' is the most devastating form of divine intervention: God doesn't need Israel's army. He uses the ENEMY'S army — against itself. The swords that were sharpened for Judah are used on each other. The weapons intended for God's people are redirected to the people who brought them. The army's own strength becomes the army's destruction.
The PATTERN repeats throughout Scripture: the Midianites at Gideon's attack (Judges 7:22). The Philistines at Michmash (1 Samuel 14:20). The Syrians before Samaria (2 Kings 7:6-7). God's signature battle strategy: make the enemy fight ITSELF. The divine warfare doesn't strengthen your army. It destroys the enemy's coherence. The confusion is the weapon.
What enemy coalition in your life is God turning against itself — and are you watching for the mutual destruction?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir,.... Supposing that they had acted a…
We have here the foregoing prayer answered and the foregoing promise performed, in the total overthrow of the enemies'…
For the children of Ammon Render, And the children of Ammon. The sudden attack of the ambushed Judæans created a panic…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture