2 Chronicles 20
20
1 After these things, the sons of Moab, and the sons of Ammon, and with them some from the Ammonites, gathered together so that they might fight against him.
2 And messengers arrived and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying: "A great multitude has arrived against you, from those places that are across the sea, and from Syria. And behold, they are standing together at Hazazon-tamar, which is Engedi."
3 Then Jehoshaphat, being terrified with fear, gave himself entirely to petitioning the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all of Judah.
4 And Judah gathered together to pray to the Lord. Moreover, everyone from their cities came to beseech him.
5 And when Jehoshaphat had stood up in the midst of the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new atrium,
6 he said: "O Lord, God of our fathers, you are God in heaven, and you rule over all the kingdoms of the Gentiles. In your hand is strength and power, and no one is able to withstand you.
7 Did not you, our God, put to death all the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel? And you gave it to the offspring of your friend Abraham, for all time.
8 And they lived in it. And they built a Sanctuary to your name in it, saying:
9 'If evils will have fallen upon us, the sword of judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand in your sight before this house, in which your name is invoked, and we will cry out to you in our tribulations. And you will heed us and accomplish our salvation.'
10 Now therefore, behold the sons of Ammon, and of Moab, and mount Seir, through whose lands you did not permit Israel to cross when they were departing from Egypt. Instead, they turned aside from them, and they did not put them to death.
11 They are doing the contrary, and they are striving to cast us from the possession which you delivered to us.
12 Therefore, will you, our God, not judge them? Certainly, in us there is not enough strength so that we would be able to withstand this multitude, which rushes against us. But although we do not know what we ought to do, we have this alone remaining, that we direct our eyes to you."
13 Truly, all of Judah was standing before the Lord with their little ones and wives and children.
14 But there was Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from the sons of Asaph, upon whom the Spirit of the Lord went, in the midst of the crowd.
15 And he said: "Pay attention, all of Judah, and you who live in Jerusalem, and you, king Jehoshaphat. Thus says the Lord to you: Do not be afraid. Neither should you be dismayed by this multitude. For the fight is not yours, but God's.
16 Tomorrow, you shall descend against them. For they will ascend along the incline named Ziz, and will find them at the summit of the torrent, which is opposite the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 It will not be you who will fight. Instead, only stand with confidence, and you will see the help of the Lord over you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid. Neither should you be dismayed. Tomorrow you shall go forth against them, and the Lord will be with you."
18 Then Jehoshaphat, and Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell prone on the ground before the Lord, and they adored him.
19 And the Levites from the sons of Kohath, and from the sons of Korah, were praising the Lord, the God of Israel, with a great voice, on high.
20 And when they had risen up in the morning, they went out through the desert of Tekoa. And as they were setting out, Jehoshaphat, standing in their midst, said: "Listen to me, men of Judah and all inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be secure. Believe in his prophets, and everything will come to prosperity."
21 And he gave counsel to the people. And he appointed the singing men of the Lord, so that they would praise him by their companies, and so that they would go before the army, and with one voice say: "Confess to the Lord. For his mercy is eternal."
22 And when they had begun to sing praises, the Lord turned their ambushes upon themselves, that is, those of the sons of Ammon, and of Moab, and of mount Seir, who had gone forth so that they might fight against Judah. And they were struck down.
23 For the sons of Ammon and of Moab rose up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, so that they might slay and destroy them. And when they had perpetrated this work, now also turning upon themselves, they cut one another with wounds.
24 Then, when Judah had gone to the high point that looks out toward the desert, they saw, from far away, the entire wide region filled with dead bodies. Neither was there anyone who was left alive and had been able to escape death.
25 Therefore, Jehoshaphat went, and all the people with him, in order to take away the spoils of the dead. And they found, among the dead bodies, diverse equipment, and also garments, and very precious vessels. And they despoiled these, to such an extent that they were unable to carry everything. Neither could they, over three days, take away the spoils because of the magnitude of the plunder.
26 Then, on the fourth day, they were gathered together in the Valley of Blessing. For they had blessed the Lord there, and therefore they called that place the Valley of Blessing, even to the present day.
27 And every man of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, returned, with Jehoshaphat before them, to Jerusalem, with great rejoicing. For the Lord had granted to them gladness concerning their enemies.
28 And they entered into Jerusalem with psalteries, and harps, and trumpets, into the house of the Lord.
29 Then the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands, when they had heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet. And God granted to him peace on all sides.
31 And so Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. And he was thirty-five years old when he had begun to reign. Then he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. And the name of his mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
32 And he walked in the way of his father, Asa, and he did not decline from it, doing the things that were pleasing before the Lord.
33 Yet truly, he did not take away the high places, and the people still had not directed their heart to the Lord, the God of their fathers.
34 But the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the first and the last, have been written in the words of Jehu, the son of Hanani, which he digested into the books of the kings of Israel.
35 After these things, Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, formed a friendship with Ahaziah, the king of Israel, whose works were very impious.
36 And he was a partner in the making of ships, which would go to Tarshish. And they made the fleet at Eziongeber.
37 Then Eliezer, the son of Dodavahu, from Mareshah, prophesied to Jehoshaphat, saying: "Because you have made a pact with Ahaziah, the Lord has struck your works, and the ships have been broken, and they have not been able to go to Tarshish."
Currently Selected:
2 Chronicles 20: CPDV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Sign up to receive news and updates about the ESV: