The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 20:3 Explained

2 Chronicles 20:3

KJV: And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

YLT: And Jehoshaphat feareth, and setteth his face to seek to Jehovah, and proclaimeth a fast over all Judah;

Darby: And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek Jehovah, and proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.

ASV: And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek unto Jehovah; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Jehoshaphat  feared,  and set  himself  to seek  the LORD,  and proclaimed  a fast  throughout  all Judah. 

What does 2 Chronicles 20:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 20

1  Jehoshaphat, invaded by Moab, proclaims a fast
5  His prayer
14  The prophecy of Jahaziel
20  Jehoshaphat exhorts the people, and sets singers to praise the Lord
22  The great overthrow of his enemies
26  The people, having blessed God at Berachah, return in triumph
31  Jehoshaphat's reign
35  His convoy of ships, according to the prophecy of Eliezer, unhappily perishes

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 20:3 mean?

And feared and set Jehoshaphat - himself to seek Yahweh and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah
וַיִּרָ֕א וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהוֹשָׁפָ֛ט אֶת־ פָּנָ֖יו לִדְר֣וֹשׁ לַיהוָ֑ה וַיִּקְרָא־ צ֖וֹם עַל־ כָּל־ יְהוּדָֽה

וַיִּרָ֕א  And  feared 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
וַיִּתֵּ֧ן  and  set 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְהוֹשָׁפָ֛ט  Jehoshaphat 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושָׁפָט 
Sense: son of king Asa and himself king of Judah for 25 years; one of the best, most pious, and prosperous kings of Judah.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
פָּנָ֖יו  himself 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
לִדְר֣וֹשׁ  to  seek 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
לַיהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיִּקְרָא־  and  proclaimed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
צ֖וֹם  a  fast 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֹום  
Sense: fast, fasting.
עַל־  throughout 
Parse: Preposition
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.
יְהוּדָֽה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.