2 Chronicles 20:23 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 20:23 mean?

2 Chronicles 20:23 describes how the armies of Ammon and Moab turned against the people of Mount Seir, killing and destroying them completely, and then began to attack and destroy each other. This verse shows that the enemies who came to fight Judah ended up destroying themselves without Judah having to fight.

This event takes place during King Jehoshaphat’s reign, when Judah faced a large invading force. God had promised to deliver Judah, and as the enemy armies gathered, confusion broke out among them. Instead of fighting Judah, the allied enemies—Ammon, Moab, and those from Mount Seir—ended up fighting and destroying one another.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 20:23

• "Slay" (הַכְרִים, hakhrim) means to utterly destroy or devote to destruction. The use of this word emphasizes the totality of the violence among the enemy armies.
• "Destroy" (הַשְׁמִיד, hashmid) carries the sense of wiping out or annihilating. This adds to the picture of complete ruin brought upon the people of Mount Seir and then among the remaining armies.
• "Helped" (עָזַר, azar) here means to assist or support, but in this context, it is used ironically: the armies "helped" each other destroy themselves, highlighting the chaos and self-destruction.

Why 2 Chronicles 20:23 matters

• This verse clarifies that Judah’s victory was not by their own strength, but because their enemies turned on each other, fulfilling God’s promise of deliverance.
• The verse highlights the confusion and self-destruction that can happen among those who oppose God’s people, a recurring theme in the Old Testament.
• Understanding this verse helps make sense of the miraculous nature of Judah’s deliverance in the wider story, showing that sometimes victory comes in unexpected ways.