Does 2 Chronicles 19:2’s warning against helping the wicked conflict with New Testament commands to love everyone, including enemies?

Context of 2 Chronicles 19:2

Jehu son of Hanani confronted King Jehoshaphat after the king allied with the notoriously evil King Ahab of Israel. The text says, “Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, ‘Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you’” (2 Chronicles 19:2). The concern was that Jehoshaphat, who had otherwise pursued faithful reforms, assisted an ungodly ruler. This verse underscores the seriousness of lending support to those who commit grave injustice or practice idolatry, thereby promoting and sustaining their wrongdoing.

Yet, since all Scripture is harmonious and trustworthy—even attested through centuries of manuscript transmission (including Old Testament segments preserved among the Dead Sea Scrolls)—Christians grapple with whether this warning collides with New Testament teachings such as loving one’s enemies (Matthew 5:44).

Understanding the Historical and Literary Background

Second Chronicles recounts the history of the southern kingdom of Judah. In this setting, King Jehoshaphat—despite his reforms—compromised by making an alliance with King Ahab, who “did more evil in the sight of the LORD than all who were before him” (1 Kings 16:30). By helping Ahab, Jehoshaphat aligned with someone who promoted Baal worship and led the people astray.

The word “help” in 2 Chronicles 19:2 (commonly rendered from the Hebrew root ‘azar’) implies active support or aid. Jehoshaphat, therefore, was not only showing kindness in general; he was enabling a corrupt regime. This is a key distinction: offering compassion to individuals who oppose God is different from enabling the continuation of harmful acts that oppose God’s moral law.

The New Testament Call to Love and Do Good

In the New Testament, Jesus teaches, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Elsewhere, believers are exhorted to “Do good to everyone” (Galatians 6:10). This command transcends ethnic, religious, and cultural barriers, reflecting the self-sacrificial love Christ demonstrated on the cross.

Romans 12:20 reiterates this principle: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink.” These passages showcase the heart-level posture one should have toward antagonists and those who oppose the faith. It is a personal response of mercy, benevolence, and humility, grounded in the charity God shows humanity.

Reconciling 2 Chronicles 19:2 with the Call to Love

1. Avoidance of Enabling Evil Behavior

In 2 Chronicles 19:2, the warning is specifically against propping up or supporting the wicked in their unjust or unrighteous pursuits. If a person or group openly promotes wrongdoing, joining or fueling that cause is condemned. This aligns with passages like Ephesians 5:11, which states: “Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them”.

2. Commitment to Genuine Love, Even for Enemies

Christ’s teaching compels believers to show compassion, pray for all people, and meet genuine needs, irrespective of who the recipient is. Loving even those deemed “wicked” or “enemies” does not mean endorsing or sponsoring wrongdoing. Instead, it involves charitable attitudes, intercession, reproof when needed, and a desire that they come to repentance.

3. Biblical Examples of Loving Without Endorsing Sin

• Jesus Himself dined with tax collectors and sinners (Luke 5:29–32), demonstrating love for the marginalized without ever participating in their corruption.

• Paul called for the church to restore a repentant sinner but also to withdraw from professing believers persistently living in unrepentant sin (1 Corinthians 5:11–13).

• The consistent biblical model—from the reliability of Old Testament testimonies to the earliest New Testament manuscripts—presents compassion toward wrongdoers but resistance to aiding or abetting their harmful acts.

Ancient Textual Witness to the Principle

Manuscript evidence for the Chronicles texts testifies to consistency over centuries, as seen in the ancient Hebrew manuscripts discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Scholarly analysis (e.g., the works of Dr. Dan Wallace and Dr. James White on scriptural reliability) underlines the remarkable care with which Old Testament texts were preserved. This underscores the clarity and timelessness of 2 Chronicles 19:2’s warning, showing it does not negate the principle of Christlike love found in the New Testament. Instead, it offers a balanced message: we are to show mercy to all yet never enable or strengthen the hands of those who commit evil.

Practical Applications

1. Discernment in Daily Relationships

Believers are encouraged to love and serve anyone in need, including opponents of the faith. Yet, wisdom is required to ensure that acts of service do not become an endorsement of harmful or destructive practices.

2. Setting Boundaries with Evil

Setting boundaries does not equate to hatred or animosity but reflects a responsible stewardship of one’s influence. Upholding righteous standards while caring for others embodies the biblical approach.

3. Balance of Love and Truth

Scripture repeatedly urges a balance of grace and truth (John 1:14). Loving enemies involves kindness, prayer, and sincere compassion. However, it must be paired with the appropriate refusal to join them in or bolster their wrongdoing.

Conclusion

Second Chronicles 19:2 does not conflict with the New Testament’s commands to love everyone, including enemies. The former passage confronts the specific problem of assisting or empowering individuals who commit blatant evil. The New Testament command focuses on extending mercy and seeking the good of all people—even adversaries—without becoming entangled in or advancing immoral pursuits.

Both rebelliously wicked kings in the Old Testament and those who oppose Christian teaching in the present can still be met with kindheartedness in personal interaction, as commanded by Christ. At the same time, believers are to remain faithful to the holiness of God, not giving direct support to unrighteous endeavors. The two truths work together, reflecting a consistent biblical witness of love that neither compromises righteousness nor withholds kindness.