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
Jehoshaphat’s Prayer
1After this #2 Kgs. 1:1; 3:4, 7the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites,#20:1 Compare 26:7; Hebrew Ammonites came against Jehoshaphat for battle. 2Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom,#20:2 One Hebrew manuscript; most Hebrew manuscripts Aram (Syria) from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in #Gen. 14:7 Hazazon-tamar” (that is, #See 1 Sam. 23:29Engedi). 3Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face #ch. 19:3; [1 Chr. 22:19] to seek the Lord, and #Ezra 8:21; Jer. 36:9; Jonah 3:5; [Joel 1:14; 2:15]proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
5And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, 6and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not #See Deut. 4:39 God in heaven? You #[Dan. 4:17, 25, 32] rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. #1 Chr. 29:12In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. 7Did you not, our God, #Ps. 44:2 drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of #Isa. 41:8; James 2:23Abraham your friend? 8And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, 9#ch. 6:28-30; 1 Kgs. 8:33, 37; [Ezek. 14:21] ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment,#20:9 Or the sword of judgment or pestilence, or famine, #[Ezra 10:1] we will stand before this house and before you—#ch. 6:20for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ 10And now behold, the men of #ver. 1, 22, 23 Ammon and Moab and #ch. 25:11, 14; Gen. 32:3; 36:8 Mount Seir, whom #Deut. 2:4, 5, 9, 19 you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, #Num. 20:21and whom they avoided and did not destroy— 11behold, they reward us #Ps. 83:6, 7, 12by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. 12O our God, will you not #[1 Sam. 3:13] execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but #Ps. 25:15; 123:1, 2; 141:8our eyes are on you.”
13Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 14And #See ch. 15:1the Spirit of the Lord came#20:14 Or was upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, #ch. 32:7; [Deut. 1:29, 30; 31:6, 8] ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, #1 Sam. 17:47for the battle is not yours but God’s. 16Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of #Num. 13:23the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17#[Ex. 14:13, 14] You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ #[See ver. 15 above] Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, #ch. 15:2; 32:8; [Num. 14:9]and the Lord will be with you.”
18Then Jehoshaphat #ch. 29:29, 30; Ex. 4:31; Neh. 8:6bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19And the Levites, of the #Ex. 6:16, 18 Kohathites and the #See 1 Chr. 9:19Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20And they rose early in the morning and went out into #[2 Sam. 14:2] the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! #Isa. 7:9Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” 21And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him #See 1 Chr. 16:29 in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,
# See 1 Chr. 16:34 “Give thanks to the Lord,
for his steadfast love endures forever.”
22And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set #[ch. 13:13] an ambush against the men of #ver. 10Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 23For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, #[Judg. 7:22; 1 Sam. 14:20]they all helped to destroy one another.
The Lord Delivers Judah
24When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there#20:24 Hebrew they were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. 25When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. 26On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah,#20:26 Beracah means blessing for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. 27Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, #Neh. 12:43for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. 28They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. 29#ch. 14:14; 17:10And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, #[ch. 14:6, 7; 15:15]for his God gave him rest all around.
31 # For ver. 31-33, see 1 Kgs. 22:41-43 Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32He walked in the way of Asa his father and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. 33#[ch. 17:6] The high places, however, were not taken away; #ch. 12:14the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers.
34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of #ch. 19:2 Jehu the son of Hanani, #1 Kgs. 16:1, 7which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign
35 #
1 Kgs. 22:48, 49 After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. 36He joined him in building ships to go to #ch. 9:21Tarshish, and they built the ships in Ezion-geber. 37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, #[ch. 19:2]“Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.
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