2 Chronicles 20
20
Moab and Ammon Are Defeated
1Some time later, the armies of Moab and Ammon, together with the Meunites,#20.1 Meunites: One ancient translation (see also 26.7); Hebrew “Ammonites.” went to war against Jehoshaphat. 2Messengers told Jehoshaphat, “A large army from Edom#20.2 Edom: The Hebrew text has “Syria”; in Hebrew there is only one letter difference between “Edom” and “Aram,” which is the usual Hebrew name for Syria in the Bible. east of the Dead Sea has invaded our country. They have already reached En-Gedi.”#20.2 En-Gedi: The Hebrew text has “Hazazon-Tamar, also known as En-Gedi,” a city on the west shore of the Dead Sea, about 40 kilometers southeast of Jerusalem.
3Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he asked the Lord what to do. He then told the people of Judah to go without eating to show their sorrow. 4They immediately left for Jerusalem to ask for the Lord's help.
5After everyone from Judah and Jerusalem had come together at the Lord's temple, Jehoshaphat stood in front of the new courtyard 6and prayed:
You, Lord, are the God our ancestors worshiped, and from heaven you rule every nation in the world. You are so powerful that no one can defeat you. 7#Is 41.8; Jas 2.23. Our God, you forced out the nations who lived in this land before your people Israel came here, and you gave it to the descendants of your friend Abraham forever. 8Our ancestors lived in this land and built a temple to honor you. 9They believed that whenever this land is struck by war or disease or famine, your people can pray to you at the temple, and you will hear their prayer and save them.
10 #
Dt 2.4-19. You can see that the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Edom are attacking us! Those are the nations you would not let our ancestors invade on their way from Egypt, so these nations were not destroyed. 11Now they are coming to take back the land you gave us. 12Aren't you going to punish them? We won't stand a chance when this army attacks. We don't know what to do—we are begging for your help.
13While every man, woman, and child of Judah was standing there at the temple, 14the Lord's Spirit suddenly spoke to Jahaziel, a Levite from the Asaph clan.#20.14 Jahaziel, a Levite from the Asaph clan: Hebrew “Jahaziel son of Zechariah son of Benaiah son of Jeiel son of Mattaniah, who was a Levite from the Asaph clan.” 15#Dt 20.1-4. Then Jahaziel said:
Your Majesty and everyone from Judah and Jerusalem, the Lord says that you don't need to be afraid or let this powerful army discourage you. God will fight on your side! 16So here's what you must do. Tomorrow the enemy armies will march through the desert around the town of Jeruel. March down and meet them at the town of Ziz as they come up the valley. 17#Ex 14.13,14. You won't even have to fight. Just take your positions and watch the Lord rescue you from your enemy. Don't be afraid. Just do as you're told. And as you march out tomorrow, the Lord will be there with you.
18Jehoshaphat bowed low to the ground and everyone worshiped the Lord. 19Then some Levites from the Kohath and Korah clans stood up and shouted praises to the Lord God of Israel.
20Early the next morning, as everyone got ready to leave for the desert near Tekoa, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Listen my friends, if we trust the Lord God and believe what these prophets have told us, the Lord will help us, and we will be successful.” 21Then he explained his plan and appointed men to march in front of the army and praise the Lord for his holy power by singing:#20.21 to march in front … singing: Or “to put on their sacred robes, lead the army into battle, and praise the Lord by singing.”
“Praise the Lord!
His love never ends.”
22As soon as they began singing, the Lord confused the enemy camp, 23so that the Ammonite and Moabite troops attacked and completely destroyed those from Edom. Then they turned against each other and fought until the entire camp was wiped out!
24When Judah's army reached the tower that overlooked the desert, they saw that every soldier in the enemy's army was lying dead on the ground. 25So Jehoshaphat and his troops went into the camp to carry away everything of value. They found a large herd of livestock,#20.25 a large herd of livestock: One ancient translation; Hebrew “among the bodies a large herd of.” a lot of equipment, clothes,#20.25 clothes: One ancient translation; Hebrew “dead bodies.” and other valuable things. It took them three days to carry it all away, and there was still some left over.
26Then on the fourth day, everyone came together in Beracah Valley and sang praises to the Lord. That's why that place was called Praise Valley.#20.26 Beracah Valley … sang praises … Praise Valley: In Hebrew the name “Beracah” means “praise.”
27-28Jehoshaphat led the crowd back to Jerusalem. And as they marched, they played harps and blew trumpets. They were very happy because the Lord had given them victory over their enemies, so when they reached the city, they went straight to the temple.
29When the other nations heard how the Lord had fought against Judah's enemies, they were too afraid 30to invade Judah. The Lord let Jehoshaphat's kingdom be at peace.
Jehoshaphat Dies
(1 Kings 22.41-50)
31Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32Jehoshaphat obeyed the Lord, just as his father Asa had done, 33but he did not destroy the local shrines.#20.33 local shrines: See the note at 11.15. So the people still worshiped foreign gods, instead of faithfully serving the God their ancestors had worshiped.
34Everything else Jehoshaphat did while he was king is written in the records of Jehu son of Hanani that are included in The History of the Kings of Israel.
35While Jehoshaphat was king, he signed a peace treaty with Ahaziah the wicked king of Israel. 36They agreed to build several seagoing ships#20.36 seagoing ships: See the note at 9.21. at Ezion-Geber. 37But the prophet Eliezer#20.37 Eliezer: Hebrew “Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah.” warned Jehoshaphat, “The Lord will destroy these ships because you have supported Ahaziah.” The ships were wrecked and never sailed.
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2 Chronicles 20: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
2 Chronicles 20
20
2 Chronicles 20
1¶ It came to pass after this also that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon and with them others besides the Ammonites came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
2Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, There comes a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea, and from Syria; and, behold, they are in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.
3Then Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
4And Judah gathered themselves together, to consult the Lord; and out of all the cities of Judah they came to consult the Lord.
5And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court,
6and said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in the heavens and dost thou not rule in all the kingdoms of the Gentiles? Is there not power and might in thy hand so that no one is able to withstand thee?
7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel and didst give it to the seed of Abraham, thy friend, for ever?
8And they have dwelt in it and have built thee a sanctuary in it for thy name, saying,
9If evil comes upon us or the sword of judgment or pestilence or famine, we shall stand before this house and in thy presence (for thy name is in this house) and cry unto thee out of our tribulations, and thou wilt hear us and save us.
10And now, behold, the sons of Ammon and of Moab and those of Mount Seir, whose land thou would not let Israel enter when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them;
11behold they reward us by coming to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.
12O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us; we do not know what to do; but our eyes are fixed upon thee.
13And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
14¶ Then upon Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation;
15and he said, Hearken, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Do not be afraid nor dismayed before this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
16Tomorrow ye shall go down against them; behold, they shall come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them next to the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
17Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you. O Judah and Jerusalem; fear not, neither be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord shall be with you.
18Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and likewise all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord.
19And the Levites, of the sons of the Kohath and of the sons of the Korah, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.
20¶ And when they arose early in the morning and while they were going forth into the wilderness of Tekoa, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe the Lord your God, and ye shall be secure; believe his prophets, and ye shall be prospered.
21And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed some to sing unto the Lord and to praise in the beauty of holiness, while the army went out and to say, Praise the Lord, for his mercy endures for ever.
22And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set the sons of Moab and those of Mount Seir to ambush the sons of Ammon, who were coming against Judah; and they smote one another.
23And the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them; and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, each one helped his companion to kill himself.
24And when Judah came to the watch tower of the wilderness, they looked for the multitude, and, behold, they were fallen to the earth dead, for none had escaped.
25And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to spoil them, they found among them an abundance of riches and of dead bodies and clothing and precious vessels which they took for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering in the spoil, it was so much.
26And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; {Heb. of Blessing} for there they blessed the Lord; therefore, they called the name of that place, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.
27Then they returned, those of Judah and those of Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat at their head, to go again to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies.
28And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the Lord.
29And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the land when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat had rest, for his God gave him rest round about.
31¶ Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah; he was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
32And he walked in the way of Asa, his father, and did not depart from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord.
33With all this the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu, the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.
35After these things, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, joined himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who was given over to wickedness;
36he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Eziongeber.
37Then Eliezer, the son of Dodavah of Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord shall destroy thy works. And the ships were broken, and they were not able to go to Tarshish.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International