What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 20:23? The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir • “The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir” records God turning Judah’s enemies against each other. • This fulfills the promise of verse 22, where “the LORD set ambushes” without Judah lifting a sword. • Similar divine interventions appear in Judges 7:22 and 1 Samuel 14:20, where enemy armies collapse in self-inflicted chaos. • God’s sovereignty over nations is underscored in Proverbs 21:1; He directs even hostile coalitions to serve His purposes for His people. Devoting them to destruction • The phrase echoes the concept of total judgment found in Deuteronomy 20:17 and Joshua 6:21. • The Mount Seirites (Edomites) had a long history of hostility toward Israel (Obadiah 10). Their downfall illustrates Genesis 12:3—those who curse God’s people come under His curse. • God’s justice is thorough; nothing is left half-done when He acts (Psalm 9:15-16). And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir • The annihilation of Seir shows that God’s plan moved step by step until every threat was removed (Exodus 14:13-14; 2 Chronicles 20:10-11). • It also highlights the futility of resisting God’s covenant people—opposition ultimately consumes itself (Psalm 37:14-15). They helped to destroy one another • The remaining coalition turned on itself, completing Judah’s victory without Judah’s involvement (Zechariah 14:13; Isaiah 19:2). • The scene underscores 2 Chronicles 20:17: “You need not fight in this battle.” • God’s people often witness deliverance rather than accomplish it, so He alone receives glory (2 Corinthians 4:7). summary 2 Chronicles 20:23 shows God orchestrating the collapse of Judah’s enemies through mutual destruction. He redirected hostile forces (Ammon, Moab, Seir) against each other, fully eliminating the threat while Judah stood still in faith. The verse teaches that God defends His people, carries out complete justice, and turns opposition into self-destruction, calling believers to trust His sovereign power rather than human strength. |
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