20
1 After
this, the children
of Moab, the
children of Ammon,
and with them some
of the Ammonites,
came against
Jehoshaphat to
battle.
2 Then
some came who told
Jehoshaphat, saying, “A
great multitude is
coming against you
from beyond the
sea from Syria.
Behold, they are
in Hazazon Tamar” (that
is, En Gedi).
3 Jehoshaphat
was alarmed, and
set himself to
seek the LORD.
He proclaimed a
fast throughout
all Judah.
4 Judah
gathered themselves
together to
seek help from the
LORD. They came
out of all
the cities of
Judah to seek
the LORD.
5 Jehoshaphat
stood in the
assembly of Judah
and Jerusalem, in
the LORD’s house,
before the new
court;
6 and
he said, “LORD,
the God of
our fathers, aren’t you
God in heaven?
Aren’t you ruler
over all the
kingdoms of the
nations? Power and
might are in
your hand, so
that no one
is able to
withstand you.
7 Didn’t you,
our God, drive
out the
inhabitants of
this land before
your people Israel,
and give it
to the offspring
of Abraham your friend
forever?
8 They
lived in it,
and have built
you a sanctuary
in it for
your name, saying,
9 ‘If
evil comes on
us—the sword,
judgment, pestilence,
or famine—we
will stand before
this house, and
before you (for
your name is
in this house),
and cry to
you in our
affliction, and
you will hear
and save.’
10 Now,
behold, the
children of Ammon
and Moab and
Mount Seir, whom
you would not
let Israel invade
when they came
out of the land
of Egypt, but
they turned away
from them,
and didn’t destroy
them;
11 behold,
how they reward
us, to come
to cast us
out of your
possession, which
you have given
us to inherit.
12 Our
God, will you
not judge them?
For we have
no might against
this great company
that comes against
us. We don’t know
what to do,
but our eyes
are on you.”
13 All
Judah stood before
the LORD, with
their little ones,
their wives, and
their children.
14 Then
the LORD’s Spirit
came on Jahaziel
the son of
Zechariah, the son
of Benaiah, the
son of Jeiel,
the son of
Mattaniah, the
Levite, of the
sons of Asaph, in
the middle of
the assembly;
15 and
he said, “Listen,
all Judah, and
you inhabitants of
Jerusalem, and you,
King Jehoshaphat.
The LORD says
to you, ‘Don’t be
afraid, and don’t
be dismayed
because of this
great multitude;
for the battle
is not yours, but
God’s.
16 Tomorrow,
go down against
them. Behold, they
are coming up
by the ascent
of Ziz. You
will find them
at the end
of the valley,
before the
wilderness of
Jeruel.
17 You
will not need to
fight this battle.
Set yourselves,
stand still, and
see the salvation
of the LORD
with you, O
Judah and
Jerusalem. Don’t be
afraid, nor be
dismayed. Go out
against them
tomorrow, for the
LORD is with
you.’ ”
18 Jehoshaphat
bowed his head
with his face
to the ground;
and all Judah
and the
inhabitants of
Jerusalem fell
down before the
LORD, worshiping
the LORD.
19 The
Levites, of the
children of the
Kohathites and of
the children of
the Korahites,
stood up to
praise the LORD,
the God of
Israel, with an
exceedingly loud
voice.
20 They
rose early in
the morning and
went out into
the wilderness of
Tekoa. As they
went out,
Jehoshaphat stood
and said, “Listen
to me, Judah
and you
inhabitants of
Jerusalem! Believe in
the LORD your
God, so you
will be
established! Believe his
prophets, so you
will prosper.”
21 When
he had taken
counsel with the
people, he
appointed those
who were to
sing to the
LORD and give
praise in holy
array as they
go out before
the army, and say,
“Give thanks to
the LORD, for
his loving kindness
endures forever.”
22 When
they began to
sing and to
praise, the LORD
set ambushers against
the children of
Ammon, Moab, and
Mount Seir, who
had come against
Judah; and they
were struck.
23 For
the children of
Ammon and Moab
stood up against
the inhabitants of
Mount Seir to
utterly kill and
destroy them. When
they had finished
the inhabitants of
Seir, everyone helped
to destroy each
other.
24 When
Judah came to
the place overlooking
the wilderness,
they looked at
the multitude; and
behold, they were
dead bodies fallen
to the earth,
and there were none
who escaped.
25 When
Jehoshaphat and
his people came
to take their
plunder, they
found among them
in abundance both
riches and dead
bodies with
precious jewels,
which they
stripped off
for themselves, more
than they could
carry away. They
took plunder for
three days, it
was so much.
26 On
the fourth day,
they assembled
themselves in
Beracah
Valley, for there
they blessed the
LORD. Therefore
the name of
that place was
called “Beracah
Valley” to this
day.
27 Then
they returned,
every man of
Judah and
Jerusalem, with
Jehoshaphat in front
of them, to
go again to
Jerusalem with joy;
for the LORD
had made them
to rejoice over
their enemies.
28 They
came to Jerusalem
with stringed instruments, harps,
and trumpets to
the LORD’s house.
29 The
fear of God
was on all
the kingdoms of
the countries when
they heard that
the LORD fought
against the enemies
of Israel.
30 So the
realm of
Jehoshaphat was
quiet, for his God
gave him rest
all around.
31 So
Jehoshaphat reigned
over Judah. He
was thirty-five
years old when
he began to
reign. He reigned
twenty-five years
in Jerusalem.
His mother’s name
was Azubah the
daughter of Shilhi.
32 He
walked in the
way of Asa
his father, and didn’t
turn away from
it, doing that
which was right
in the LORD’s
eyes.
33 However the
high places were
not taken away,
and the people
had still not
set their hearts
on the God
of their fathers.
34 Now
the rest of
the acts of
Jehoshaphat, first
and last, behold,
they are written
in the history of
Jehu the son
of Hanani, which
is included in
the book of
the kings of
Israel.
35 After this,
Jehoshaphat king
of Judah joined
himself with Ahaziah
king of Israel.
The same did
very wickedly.
36 He
joined himself
with him to
make ships to go
to Tarshish. They
made the ships
in Ezion Geber.
37 Then Eliezer
the son of
Dodavahu of
Mareshah prophesied
against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because
you have joined
yourself with Ahaziah,
the LORD has
destroyed your
works.” The ships
were wrecked, so
that they were
not able to
go to Tarshish.