2 Chronicles 20:18Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh, worshipping Yahweh.
The setting
Jerusalem temple courts, ~873 BC. King Jehoshaphat and the entire nation prostrate themselves after hearing God's impossible promise. The ground is packed dirt, and royal robes are dusty. Modern Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: chronicler recording a moment of national awe and surrender
The original word
qadad (קָדַד) — to bow down, prostrate — complete physical surrender, face literally in the dirt
Why it matters
This is one of only three times in Chronicles where a king prostrates himself — usually they just bowed heads
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Chronicles 20:18
The king got his royal robes dirty — this wasn't ceremonial bowing, this was face-in-the-dust amazement
Common misconceptionPeople think worship is always joyful singing, but sometimes it's stunned silence and falling on your face because God's promise seems impossible.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Chronicles 20:18
Bible Genome reading
2 Chronicles 20:18 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Chronicles 20:18 comes from the book of 2 Chronicles, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include worship, reverence, humility. Notable phrases: bowed his head with his face to the ground; worshipping Yahweh.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does 2 Chronicles 20:18 mean to you, today?
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