What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 28:17? The Edomites “The Edomites” points us to the descendants of Esau (Genesis 36:1). Their centuries-old rivalry with Jacob’s line resurfaces here. • Genesis 25:23 sets the stage, declaring that two nations would struggle in Rebekah’s womb—Israel and Edom. • Obadiah 10-14 details Edom’s persistent hostility, showing that resentment never cooled. • Earlier in Judah’s history, Edom had already rebelled in the days of Jehoram (2 Chronicles 21:8-10), so their appearance in chapter 28 is no surprise; it is another flare-up in a long feud allowed by God’s providence. Had again come The word “again” underscores repetition. Judah faced Edomite aggression repeatedly because Ahaz, the present king, “had been most unfaithful to the LORD” (2 Chronicles 28:19). • 2 Chronicles 28:5 shows God handing Ahaz “into the hands of the king of Aram,” and now He allows Edom as a further disciplining agent. • Deuteronomy 28:25 foretells that covenant disloyalty would open the door to enemy incursions—exactly what is happening. Attacked Judah Edom’s strike strikes at Judah’s heartland, not merely the borderlands. • 2 Kings 16:6 (parallel account) records Edom taking Elath, confirming the scope of the assault. • Psalm 44:9-11 gives voice to the pain of such defeats: “You… have not gone out with our armies… You made us retreat before the enemy.” Judah is tasting that bitter reality under Ahaz. The attack exposes Judah’s vulnerability when its leaders abandon wholehearted trust in the LORD. And carried away captives Edom’s kidnapping of Judeans is a tragic echo of earlier events. • 2 Chronicles 25:11-12 describes Amaziah capturing Edomites; now the roles are reversed—sowing and reaping on national scale (Galatians 6:7). • 2 Chronicles 28:8 recounts Israel simultaneously taking 200,000 Judahites, showing Judah’s people being drained from every side. • Psalm 137 laments exile and captivity, a sentiment beginning to form even before the Babylonian deportation. The removal of people weakens Judah’s economy, morale, and future, illustrating the high cost of forsaking God. summary 2 Chronicles 28:17 condenses a grim moment: age-old enemies (Edomites) return, empowered by Judah’s sin, break through Judah’s defenses, and drag fellow Israelites into bondage. The verse fulfills covenant warnings, highlights the consequences of ungodly leadership, and urges every reader to cling to the LORD, whose faithfulness never falters even when His people do. |
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