2 Chronicles 19:10

And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) And.—To wit.

Cause.—Rîbh, “controversy” (2Chronicles 19:8).

Shall come to you.—i.e., be referred to you as the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Of.—From your brethren—i.e., not your judicial brethren, but your fellow-countrymen.

That dwell in their cities.—In the various country towns, as opposed to the capital.

Between blood and blood.—See Deuteronomy 17:8. Questions growing out of cases of homicide—e.g., whether a given crime were murder or manslaughter.

Between law and commandment, statutes and judgments.—That is, questions about the interpretation and application of the different legal rules and principles. The phrase “commandment, statutes, and judgments,” is a sort of summary of the various kinds of law.

Ye shall even warn them that they trespass not.—Then ye shall instruct them, in order that, &.100

Warn.—Teach (Exodus 18:20) them the true sense and bearing of the law in the particular case.

Trespass.—Incur guilt; by giving false judgment.

And so wrath (2Chronicles 19:2) . . . brethren.—The miscarriage of justice would involve not only the immediate agents, but the whole people, in guilt and its penal consequences.

This do . . . trespass.—Thus shall ye do (2Chronicles 19:9), that ye may not incur guilt.

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 19:10. Between blood and blood — Between the blood of the person slain, and the blood of the manslayer. See the note on Deuteronomy 17:8. All the cities of refuge, except Hebron, now belonged to the kingdom of Israel, so that the manslayer now usually fled to the courts of the temple, or the horns of the altar; and therefore the trial of these was reserved for the court at Jerusalem. Between law and commandment, &c. — When any debates shall arise about the meaning of any of God’s laws. Ye shall even warn them — Ye shall not only give a righteous sentence for what is past, but ye shall admonish the offender, and others, to take better heed for the future. This do, and ye shall not trespass — Thus you shall not bring guilt and wrath upon yourselves and others, which otherwise you certainly would do.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

19:1-11 Jehoshaphat visits his kingdom. - Whenever we return in peace to our houses, we ought to acknowledge God's providence in preserving our going out and coming in. And if we have been kept through more than common dangers, we are, in a special manner, bound to be thankful. Distinguishing mercies lay us under strong obligations. The prophet tells Jehoshaphat he had done very ill in joining Ahab. He took the reproof well. See the effect the reproof had upon him. He strictly searched his own kingdom. By what the prophet said, Jehoshaphat perceived that his former attempts for reformation were well-pleasing to God; therefore he did what was then left undone. It is good when commendations quicken us to our duty. There are diversities of gifts and operations, but all from the same Spirit, and for the public good; and as every one has received the gift, so let him minister the same. Blessed be God for magistrates and ministers, scribes and statesmen, men of books, and men of business. Observe the charge the king gave. They must do all in the fear of the Lord, with a perfect, upright heart. And they must make it their constant care to prevent sin, as an offence to God, and what would bring wrath on the people.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Jews who "dwelt in the cities," if dissatisfied with the decision given by the provincial judges, might therefore remove the cause to Jerusalem, as to a court of appeal.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Ch 19:8-11. To the Priests and Levites.

8. set of the Levites … priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel—A certain number of these three classes constituted a supreme court, which sat in Jerusalem to review appellate cases from the inferior courts. It consisted of two divisions: the first of which had jurisdiction in ecclesiastical matters; the second, in civil, fiscal, and criminal cases. According to others, the two divisions of the supreme court adjudicated: the one according to the law contained in the sacred books; the other according to the law of custom and equity. As in Eastern countries at the present day, the written and unwritten law are objects of separate jurisdiction.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Between blood and blood; of which See Poole "Deu 17:8".

Between law and commandment, statutes and judgments; when any debates or differences shall arise about the meaning of any of God’s laws, one party possibly putting this, and the other a quite differing sense upon the same place, or one alleging one place, and the offer another place, which may seem to clash with it.

Ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the Lord; ye shall not only give a righteous sentence for what is past, but ye shall admonish the offender, and others, to take better heed to themselves and their ways for the future.

This do, and ye shall not trespass; so you shall not bring guilt and wrath upon yourselves and others, which otherwise you will certainly do.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And what cause soever shall come unto you of your brethren that dwell in their cities,.... Whether sacred or civil, that should come before them by way of appeal from, inferior courts in the country, where they could not be determined:

between blood and blood; one relation and another, or with respect to shedding of blood, whether ignorantly or purposely:

between law and commandment, statutes and judgments; not rightly understood, and so pleaded on both sides:

ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the Lord; the persons engaged in controversy, that they take no false oath, nor bear false testimony, and act not stubbornly against any of the laws, when explained in court unto them:

and so wrath come upon you and your children; upon judges for the neglect of their duty in giving due warning, and upon the people for not taking it when given:

this do, and ye shall not trespass; if the above charge in all its parts is strictly attended to.

Geneva Study Bible

And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between {f} blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so {g} wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.

(f) That is, to decide whether or not the murder was done on purpose, Nu 35:11,De 4:41.

(g) Meaning, that God would punish them most sharply if they would not execute justice correctly.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10. And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren] R.V. And whensoever any controversy shall come to you from your brethren.

between blood and blood] To decide between one kind of blood-shedding and another, i.e. between manslaughter and murder. Deuteronomy 17:8.

between law and commandment] To decide what particular ordinance applies to a particular case.

ye shall even warn them] R.V. ye shall warn them. Cp. Ezekiel 3:17-21.

that they trespass not against] R.V. that they be not guilty towards. Cp. Isaiah 24:6 (“found guilty” R.V.).

wrath] Heb. qeçeph; see note on 2 Chronicles 19:2.

ye shall not trespass] R.V. ye stall not be guilty.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 10. - Come... of your brethren... in their cities. These words confirm our foregoing note, and point to the appeal character of the Jerusalem court. Note also the clear connection of the verse with Deuteronomy 17:8, 10, 11; Exodus 21:12-27. Law ... commandment, statutes... judgments. It might sometimes need to be shown how the particular commandment flowed from main and essential law; and the written statute is easily distinguishable from those judgments, which were more like "judge-made" law. Ye shall not trespass; Revised Version, more correctly, ye shall not be guilty. 2 Chronicles 19:10

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

To the members of the superior tribunal also, Jehoshaphat gave orders to exercise their office in the fear of the Lord, with fidelity and with upright heart (שׁלם בּלבב, corde s. animo integro, cf. 2 Chronicles 15:17; 2 Chronicles 16:9). תעשׂוּן כּה, thus shall ye do; what they are to do being stated only in 2 Chronicles 19:10. The w before כּל־ריב is explicative, namely, and is omitted by the lxx and Vulg. as superfluous. "Every cause which comes to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities" (and bring causes before the superior court in the following cases): between blood and blood (בּין with ל following, as in Genesis 1:6, etc.), i.e., in criminal cases of murder and manslaughter, and between law and between command, statutes, and judgments, i.e., in cases where the matter concerns the interpretation and application of the law, and its individual commands, statutes, and judgments, to particular crimes; wherever, in short, there is any doubt by what particular provision of the law the case in hand should be decided. With והזהרתּם the apodosis commences, but it is an anacolouthon. Instead of "ye shall give them instruction therein," we have, "ye shall teach them (those who bring the cause before you), that they incur not guilt, and an anger (i.e., God's anger and punishment) come upon you and your brethren" (cf. 2 Chronicles 19:2). הזהיר, properly to illuminate, metaphorically to teach, with the additional idea of exhortation or warning. The word is taken from Exodus 18:20, and there is construed c. accus. pers. et rei. This construction is here also the underlying one, since the object which precedes in the absolute is to be taken as accus.: thus, and as regards every cause, ye shall teach them concerning it. After the enumeration of the matters falling within the jurisdiction of this court, תעשׂוּן כּה is repeated, and this precept is then pressed home upon the judges by the words, "that ye incur not guilt." Thereafter (in 2 Chronicles 19:11) Jehoshaphat nominates the spiritual and civil presidents of this tribunal: for spiritual causes the high priest Amariah, who is not the same as the Amariah mentioned after Zadok as the fifth high priest (1 Chronicles 6:11); in civil causes Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the prince of the house of Judah, i.e., tribal prince of Judah. These shall be עליכם over you, i.e., presidents of the judges; and שׁטרים, writers, shall the Levites be לפניכם, before you, i.e., as your assistants and servants. Jehoshaphat concludes the nomination of the judicial staff with the encouraging words, "Be strong (courageous) and do," i.e., go to work with good heart, "and the Lord be with the good," i.e., with him who discharges the duties of his office well.

The establishment of this superior court was in form, indeed, the commencement of a new institution; but in reality it was only the expansion or firmer organization of a court of final appeal already provided by Moses, the duties of which had been until then performed partly by the high priest, partly by the existing civil heads of the people (the judges and kings). When Moses, at Horeb, set judges over the people, he commanded them to bring to him the matters which were too difficult for them to decide, that he might settle them according to decisions obtained of God (Exodus 18:26 and Exodus 18:19). At a later time he ordained (Deuteronomy 17:8.) that for the future the judges in the various districts and cities should bring the more difficult cases to the Levitic priests and the judge at the place where the central sanctuary was, and let them be decided by them. In thus arranging, he presupposes that Israel would have at all times not only a high priest who might ascertain the will of God by means of the Urim and Thummim, but also a supreme director of its civil affairs at the place of the central sanctuary, who, in common with the priests, i.e., the high priest, would give decisions in cases of final appeal (see the commentary on Deuteronomy 17:8-13). On the basis of these Mosaic arrangements, Jehoshaphat set up a supreme court in Jerusalem, with the high priest and a lay president at its head, for the decision of causes which up till that time the king, either alone with the cooperation of the high priest, had decided. For further information as to this supreme court, see in my bibl. Archol. ii. S. 250f.