The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 35:21 Explained

2 Chronicles 35:21

KJV: But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.

YLT: and he sendeth unto him messengers, saying, 'What -- to me and to thee, O king of Judah? not against thee do I come to-day, but unto the house with which I have war, and God said to haste me; cease for thee from God who is with me, and He doth not destroy thee.'

Darby: And he sent messengers to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house with which I have war; and God has told me to make haste: keep aloof from God who is with me, that he destroy thee not.

ASV: But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war; and God hath commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But he sent  ambassadors  to him, saying,  What have I to do with thee, thou king  of Judah?  [I come] not against thee this day,  but against the house  wherewith I have war:  for God  commanded  me to make haste:  forbear  thee from [meddling with] God,  who [is] with me, that he destroy  thee not. 

What does 2 Chronicles 35:21 Mean?

Context Summary

2Chron 35:16-27 - A Fatal Conflict
The huge masses of people were admitted according to their families into the sacred courts, and the gates were closed as soon as these were filled. Thus all the fathers' houses came, one after another, in solemn procession to the altar, offering such part of the sacred victims as was required and receiving part for their own use. While this was in progress the Levite choir chanted Psalms 113:1-9; Psalms 114:1-8; Psalms 115:1-18; Psalms 116:1-19; Psalms 117:1-2; Psalms 118:1-29.
What a misfortune that so auspicious a reign should end so disastrously! Josiah opposed Pharaoh, because Palestine was under the tutelage of Babylon, and had become the cockpit of the two warring nations, which were then contending for the mastery of the world. It would seem from 2 Chronicles 35:21, as if the Egyptian kings acknowledged the supremacy of one over-ruling Deity and considered that they were inspired by him. Blame appears to be attached to Josiah for not recognizing the voice of God. The lamentation over his death became proverbial for its excessive grief, Zechariah 12:11. Josiah's reign was the last gleam of light in his doomed country, but it was good for him to be removed before the storm burst. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2Chron 35

1  Josiah keeps a most solemn Passover
20  He provoking Pharaoh Neco, is slain at Megiddo
25  Lamentations for Josiah

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 35:21 mean?

But he sent to him messengers saying what have I to do and with you king of Judah not [I have come] against you this day but against the house with which I have war for God commanded me to make haste Refrain to [from [meddling with] God who [is] with me and lest He destroy you
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח אֵלָ֣יו מַלְאָכִ֣ים ׀ לֵאמֹר֩ ׀ מַה־ לִּ֨י וָלָ֜ךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ ؟ יְהוּדָ֗ה לֹא־ עָלֶ֨יךָ אַתָּ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ כִּ֚י אֶל־ בֵּ֣ית מִלְחַמְתִּ֔י וֵאלֹהִ֖ים אָמַ֣ר לְבַֽהֲלֵ֑נִי חֲדַל־ לְךָ֛ מֵאֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־ עִמִּ֖י וְאַל־ יַשְׁחִיתֶֽךָ

וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח  But  he  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֵלָ֣יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
מַלְאָכִ֣ים ׀  messengers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַלְאָךְ  
Sense: messenger, representative.
לֵאמֹר֩ ׀  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לִּ֨י  have  I  to  do 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
וָלָ֜ךְ  and  with  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person feminine singular
מֶ֣לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
؟ יְהוּדָ֗ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
עָלֶ֨יךָ  [I  have  come]  against 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַיּוֹם֙  this  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אֶל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
מִלְחַמְתִּ֔י  with  which  I  have  war 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
וֵאלֹהִ֖ים  for  God 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אָמַ֣ר  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְבַֽהֲלֵ֑נִי  me  to  make  haste 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: בָּהַל  
Sense: to disturb, alarm, terrify, hurry, be disturbed, be anxious, be afraid, be hurried, be nervous.
חֲדַל־  Refrain 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: חָדַל 
Sense: to stop, cease, desist, forego, cease to be, leave undone, forbear.
מֵאֱלֹהִ֥ים  [from  [meddling  with]  God 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲשֶׁר־  who  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עִמִּ֖י  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
וְאַל־  and  lest 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
יַשְׁחִיתֶֽךָ  He  destroy  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.