Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 20:25

"And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much." — 2 Chronicles 20:25 (ASV)

When. —Omit.

They found. — And found.

Among them in abundance both riches. —Instead of bâhèm, “among them,” the Septuagint reads bĕhçmâh, “cattle,” which seems preferable. “And found cattle in abundance and substance” (rĕkûsh, movable goods of all sorts, including flocks and herds; Genesis 12:5).

With the dead bodies. — And corpses, which they stripped of their ornaments and clothing. But bĕgâdîm, “ clothes,” not pĕgârhn, “corpses,” should be read with some manuscripts, and apparently the Vulgate, “inter cadavera ... vestes quoque.” The Syriac has, “and they found among them a very great spoil and property, and bridles, and horses, and vessels of desire;” the Arabic, “and he found an immense booty, and herds and splendid garments.” The Septuagint has τκῦλα, “spoils.”

Precious jewels. —Literally, vessels of desirable things, i.e., costly articles; a phrase only met with here. The Septuagint has σκεύη ἐπιθυμητά.

Which they stripped off for themselves. —Or, and they spoiled them, i.e., the enemy. (Septuagint, ἐσκύλευσαν ἑαυτοῖς.)

More than they could carry away. —Literally, until there was no loading or carrying.

Gathering —i.e., taking away (bôzĕzîm, “plundering”). Compare to Judges 8:24-26 (the spoils of Midian).

The amount of the spoil is explained by the circumstance that the invaders had intended to effect a permanent settlement in Judah, and so brought all their goods with them (2 Chronicles 20:11). (Compare to Psalms 83:12.)

The invasion was thus similar in character to the migrations of the barbarian hordes, which broke repeatedly over the declining Roman empire, though of course it was on a much smaller scale.

Its repulse, however, has proved not less momentous in the history of mankind than that of the Persians at Marathon, or of the Saracens at Roncesvalles.

The greatness of the overthrow may be inferred from the fact that the prophet Joel makes it a type of the coming judgment of Israel’s enemies in the “Valley of Jehoshaphat.” This prophetic designation alludes at once to the catastrophe recorded here and to the truth that “Jehovah is judge” of all the earth (Joel 3:2; Joel 3:12; Joel 3:14).