(7) Art not thou our God?--Didst not Thou, our God, drive out, &c. (Comp. Joshua 23:5; Joshua 23:9; Deuteronomy 4:38; Deuteronomy 11:23; and for the form of appeal, Isa. Ii. 9, 10. Comp. also Psalm 47:3-4.)

And gavest it to the seed of Abraham.--According to the Promise, Genesis 13:15-16; Genesis 15:18.

For ever.--Genesis 17:8, "for an everlasting possession."

Thy friend.--Or, lover. So Isaiah 41:8, "seed of Abraham, my friend." This title of Abraham is mentioned again by St. James (James 2:23). Hebron, the patriarch's burial-place, is at this day known to the Muslim world as el-Khalil, "the Friend."

20:1-13 In all dangers, public or personal, our first business should be to seek help from God. Hence the advantage of days for national fasting and prayer. From the first to the last of our seeking the Lord, we must approach him with humiliation for our sins, trusting only in his mercy and power. Jehoshaphat acknowledges the sovereign dominion of the Divine Providence. Lord, exert it on our behalf. Whom should we seek to, whom should we trust to for relief, but the God we have chosen and served. Those that use what they have for God, may comfortably hope he will secure it to them. Every true believer is a son of Abraham, a friend of God; with such the everlasting covenant is established, to such every promise belongs. We are assured of God's love, by his dwelling in human nature in the person of the Saviour. Jehoshaphat mentions the temple, as a token of God's favourable presence. He pleads the injustice of his enemies. We may well appeal to God against those that render us evil for good. Though he had a great army, he said, We have no might without thee; we rely upon thee.Art not thou our God,.... In a peculiar sense, not merely as the Creator and Governor of men, but in a covenant relation their covenant God and Father:

who didst drive out the inhabitants of the land before thy people Israel; the seven nations of Canaan, to make way and room for Israel:

and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? made a deed of gift of it to them, and settled it on them till the coming of the Messiah, and that as an instance of love and friendship to Abraham; and wilt thou therefore suffer it to be taken from his seed?