If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence,(for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

2 CHRONICLES 20:9KJV
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2 Chronicles 20:9 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 20:9 mean?

2 Chronicles 20:9 says that if disaster strikes—whether war, judgment, disease, or famine—the people can stand before God’s temple, call out to Him in their trouble, and trust that He will hear and help them. The verse expresses confidence that God’s presence in the temple means He listens to prayers made there during times of crisis.

King Jehoshaphat is speaking to God in front of the gathered people of Judah, recalling God’s promise to hear His people when they pray at the temple. The situation is tense: Judah faces a serious threat from enemy nations, and Jehoshaphat is leading the people in prayer, reminding God of His past assurances. The verse highlights the temple as a symbol of God’s nearness and the people’s dependence on Him in distress.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 20:9

  • "evil" (רַע, ra‘): This word often means anything harmful or disastrous, not just moral evil. Here, it covers all kinds of trouble that could come upon the people.
  • "cry" (זָעַק, za‘aq): This word means to call out or cry for help, especially in desperation. It emphasizes the urgency and sincerity of the people’s prayers in times of distress.
  • "affliction" (צָרָה, tsarah): This word refers to tightness, distress, or trouble. It paints a picture of being pressed by hardship, making the plea for help more vivid.
  • "hear" (שָׁמַע, shama‘) and "help" (יָשַׁע, yasha‘): These words together show both God’s attentiveness (He listens) and His power to save or deliver.

Why 2 Chronicles 20:9 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the temple was not just a building, but a place where God’s presence was believed to dwell and where people could seek Him in any crisis.
  • The verse connects to Solomon’s earlier prayer at the temple’s dedication (2 Chronicles 6), showing continuity in how the people understood God’s promises about prayer and deliverance.
  • It highlights the people’s dependence on God rather than their own strength, especially in overwhelming situations, setting the stage for the rest of the chapter where God answers their prayer.

Where else these words appear

“judgment” Hebrew H8196 · used in 2 verses

  • Ezekiel 23:10 These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among women; for they had executed judgment upon her.

“pestilence” Hebrew H1698 · used in 48 verses

  • Exodus 5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
  • Psalms 91:6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
  • Jeremiah 42:22 Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.

“affliction” Hebrew H6869 · used in 72 verses

  • Genesis 35:3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
  • Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
  • Isaiah 8:22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

“cry” Hebrew H2199 · used in 73 verses

  • Exodus 2:23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
  • 1 Samuel 28:12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
  • Isaiah 30:19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.