The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 24:20 Explained

2 Chronicles 24:20

KJV: And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

YLT: and the Spirit of God hath clothed Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, and he standeth over-against the people, and saith to them, 'Thus said God, Why are ye transgressing the commands of Jehovah, and prosper not? because ye have forsaken Jehovah -- He doth forsake you.'

Darby: And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood up above the people and said unto them, Thus saith God: Wherefore do ye transgress the commandments of Jehovah? And ye cannot prosper; for ye have forsaken Jehovah, and he hath forsaken you.

ASV: And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of Jehovah, so that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken Jehovah, he hath also forsaken you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the Spirit  of God  came  upon Zechariah  the son  of Jehoiada  the priest,  which stood  above the people,  and said  unto them, Thus saith  God,  Why transgress  ye the commandments  of the LORD,  that ye cannot prosper?  because ye have forsaken  the LORD,  he hath also forsaken  you. 

What does 2 Chronicles 24:20 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 24

1  Joash reigns well all the days of Jehoiada
4  He gives order for the repair of the temple
15  Jehoiada's death and honorable burial
17  Joash, falling into idolatry, slays Zechariah the son of Jehoiada
23  Joash is spoiled by the Syrians, and slain by Zabad and Jehozabad
27  Amaziah succeeds him

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 24:20 mean?

And the Spirit of God came upon - Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest and who stood upon above the people and said to them thus says God why you do transgress the commandments of Yahweh so that cannot you prosper because you have forsaken Yahweh and He has forsaken you
וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֗ים לָֽבְשָׁה֙ אֶת־ זְכַרְיָה֙ בֶּן־ יְהוֹיָדָ֣ע הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד מֵעַ֣ל לָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים לָמָה֩ אַתֶּ֨ם עֹבְרִ֜ים מִצְוֺ֤ת יְהוָה֙ וְלֹ֣א ؟ תַצְלִ֔יחוּ כִּֽי־ עֲזַבְתֶּ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֥ב אֶתְכֶֽם

וְר֣וּחַ  And  the  Spirit 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
אֱלֹהִ֗ים  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לָֽבְשָׁה֙  came  upon 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: לָבַשׁ  
Sense: to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed.
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.
זְכַרְיָה֙  Zechariah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: זְכַרְיָה 
Sense: th in order of the minor prophets; a priest, son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo, who, along with Haggai, directed the rebuilding of the temple in the days of Zerubbabel.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יְהוֹיָדָ֣ע  of  Jehoiada 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹויָדָע  
Sense: father of Benaiah, David’s mighty warrior.
הַכֹּהֵ֔ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד  and  who  stood 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
מֵעַ֣ל  upon 
Parse: Preposition-m
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.
לָעָ֑ם  above  the  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָהֶ֜ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
כֹּ֣ה ׀  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לָמָה֩  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
עֹבְרִ֜ים  do  transgress 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
מִצְוֺ֤ת  the  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
יְהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְלֹ֣א  so  that  cannot 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
؟ תַצְלִ֔יחוּ  you  prosper 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: צָלַח 
Sense: (Qal) to rush.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עֲזַבְתֶּ֥ם  you  have  forsaken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֥ב  and  He  has  forsaken 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.