2 Chronicles 20:9 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

If when evil cometh upon us. — A summary of part of Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication (2 Chronicles 6:24-30). The reference to this prayer implies a confidence that it had been accepted in heaven, as the sign that followed it indicated (2 Chronicles 7:1-3). Syriac, “When the sanctuary is amongst us, there will not come upon us evil, nor sword, nor judgment, &c., and we will come and stand before this house, and before Thee, because Thy name is invoked in this house; and we will come and pray before Thee in this house and thou wilt hearken to the voice of our prayer, and deliver us.” The Hebrew seems to say, “If there come upon us evil — sword (judgment), and pestilence and famine — we will stand (i.e., come forward) before this house, and before Thee, for Thy name is in this house, and we will cry unto Thee out of our distress, and Thou shalt (or that Thou mayest) hear and save.” The word rendered “judgment” (shĕphôt) is not used as a noun anywhere else; and, lacking a conjunction, it spoils the symmetry of the sentence. It is probably an ancient gloss. All the versions have it; and the Vulg. renders, “sword of judgment.” (Comp. the Syriac in 2 Chronicles 20:12, infra.)