2 Chronicles 12:15
Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

2 Chronicles 13:17
And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

Mark 13:8
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

destroyed [heb] beaten in pieces

2 Chronicles 33:11
Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

2 Chronicles 36:17
Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.

Judges 2:14
And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

and city by city
The mention of cities being crushed highlights the widespread nature of the conflict and chaos. In ancient times, cities were centers of power, commerce, and culture. The destruction of cities signifies not just military defeat but also economic and social collapse. This devastation can be compared to the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, as recorded in 2 Kings 25, where the city was besieged and destroyed by the Babylonians. The phrase underscores the comprehensive nature of the judgment that comes upon a people who forsake their covenant with God.

for God afflicted them
This part of the verse attributes the adversity directly to God's intervention. It reflects the biblical principle that God is sovereign over the affairs of nations and uses circumstances to bring about His purposes. This is consistent with the theology of the Old Testament, where God is seen as actively involved in the world, disciplining His people to bring them back to Himself. The affliction is not merely punitive but is intended to lead to repentance and restoration, as seen in the cycles of sin, judgment, and deliverance throughout the book of Judges.

with all kinds of adversity
The phrase indicates the variety and intensity of the challenges faced by the people. This could include military defeat, economic hardship, social unrest, and natural disasters. Such adversities are often used in the Bible to draw people back to reliance on God, as seen in the prophetic calls to repentance in books like Joel and Amos. The comprehensive nature of the adversity serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's commandments and the need for national and personal repentance.

“Nation was crushed by nation” (2 Chron 15:6) describes an era when rival peoples continually battered one another. This is literal history, previewed long before in God’s covenant warnings (Deuteronomy 28:25). Because Israel and her neighbors rejected the Lord, He withdrew His protective hand, allowing outside forces to gain the upper hand (Judges 2:14; 2 Kings 17:5-6).

• Each hostile border raid or invasion shouted that peace cannot last when a nation forsakes God (Proverbs 14:34).

• The pattern reminds us that international chaos is often a mirror of spiritual chaos.

The unrest wasn’t limited to borders; it seeped into the streets. “City by city” points to local breakdowns—towns fighting neighboring towns, clans turning on one another (Judges 9:23-25; Isaiah 3:5).

• Internal fractures are God’s megaphone, warning that sin erodes the bonds that hold communities together (Psalm 11:3).

• King Asa’s generation could look back to the turbulent days of the judges and see the same lesson: when God is sidelined, unity disintegrates (Judges 21:25).

Scripture is clear: “for God afflicted them.” He wasn’t a passive observer; He was the righteous Judge administering discipline (Hebrews 12:6; Amos 4:6-11).

• His affliction was corrective, not spiteful—meant to drive the people to seek Him (2 Chron 15:4).

• Ignoring God doesn’t merely remove blessing; it invites His active opposition (1 Samuel 5:6; Psalm 106:40-42).

The phrase “all kinds of adversity” gathers every form of hardship—war, famine, plague, economic collapse (Deuteronomy 28:20-22; 1 Kings 8:37).

• God’s toolkit of discipline is varied, because different hearts respond to different pressures.

• Yet every adversity carried the same call: “Return to Me, and I will return to you” (2 Chron 7:13-14).

2 Chronicles 15:6 is a sober snapshot of what happens when nations and cities abandon the Lord. External wars, internal strife, divine affliction, and multifaceted hardships all serve one purpose: to awaken people to their need for God. The verse affirms that the Lord governs history, using even adversity to steer hearts back to Himself and to highlight the blessing that flows from wholehearted obedience.

Did vex them with all adversity.--Had confounded (or, discomfited) them with every kind of distress. (Comp. Zechariah 14:13 : "A great confusion from the Lord.")