What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 19:6? Then he said to the judges Jehoshaphat has just returned from a risky alliance with Ahab (2 Chron 18). Humbled, he travels through Judah “bringing them back to the LORD” (19:4) and appoints judges in every fortified city (v.5). By addressing these newly appointed officials, he re-roots civil authority in spiritual accountability, echoing earlier patterns set by Moses in Exodus 18:21-22 and reinforced in Deuteronomy 16:18. God’s people have always needed leaders who remember Whose court they truly serve. Consider carefully what you do “Consider carefully” (literally, “watch what you are doing”) warns against the careless, impulsive, or politically driven decisions that plagued Israel’s past. Deuteronomy 1:16 called judges to “hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly.” James 3:1 reminds teachers—and by extension any leader—that stricter judgment awaits those who guide others. Jehoshaphat’s words invite sober self-examination before any verdict is given. For you are not judging for man The courtroom may look earthly, but its authority flows from heaven. Romans 13:1-4 teaches that governing officials are “God’s servants.” Proverbs 29:26 observes, “Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice for man comes from the LORD.” Even when litigants, bystanders, or cultural pressures clamor for a certain outcome, the judge must recall that mere human opinion is never the final audience. But for the LORD Every ruling is an act of stewardship before the King of kings. Psalm 82:1 pictures God “presiding in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods.” In other words, earthly judges sit on benches only because God seats them there. Colossians 3:23-24 urges all believers to work “as for the Lord and not for men,” and that principle applies doubly to those who wield the sword of justice. Who is with you when you render judgment Far from being distant, God “stands in the congregation” (Psalm 82:1) and “His eyes roam to and fro throughout the whole earth” (2 Chron 16:9). Deuteronomy 1:17 told Israel’s early judges, “Do not show partiality… for the judgment is God’s.” Matthew 18:20 promises Christ’s presence “where two or three gather,” underscoring that divine companionship surrounds every decision. This nearness comforts the righteous judge and frightens the corrupt one, because Hebrews 13:5 assures believers of His constant presence while Psalm 139:7-12 shows no corner exists where God cannot observe. summary Jehoshaphat’s charge in 2 Chronicles 19:6 anchors justice in three realities: the work is sacred, the Judge above is the true authority, and His presence accompanies every verdict. When leaders remember they serve God first, they will weigh decisions carefully, resist partiality, and reflect the Lord’s righteous character in the public square. |
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