2 Chronicles 20

1

War against Jehoshaphat

After thisH310, the MoabitesH1121H4124 and AmmonitesH1121H5983, together withH5973 some of the MeunitesH5984,1 cameH935 to make warH4421 againstH5921 JehoshaphatH3092. 2Then some men cameH935 and toldH5046 JehoshaphatH3092H559, “A vastH7227 armyH1995 is comingH935 against youH5921 from EdomH758,2 from beyondH5676 the SeaH3220;3 they are alreadyH2009 in Hazazon-tamarH2688” (that isH1931, En-gediH5872).

3JehoshaphatH3092 was alarmedH3372 and setH5414 his faceH6440 to seekH1875 the LORDH3068. And he proclaimedH7121 a fastH6685 throughoutH5921H3605 JudahH3063. 4So the people of JudahH3063 gatheredH6908 to seekH1245 the LORDH3068, and indeedH1571, they cameH935 from allH3605 the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063 to seekH1245 HimH3068.

Jehoshaphat’s Prayer

5Then JehoshaphatH3092 stoodH5975 in the assemblyH6951 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 in front ofH6440 the newH2319 courtyardH2691 6and saidH559, “O LORDH3068, GodH430 of our fathersH1, are YouH859H1931 notH3808 the GodH430 who is in heavenH8064, and do YouH859 not ruleH4910 over allH3605 the kingdomsH4467 of the nationsH1471? PowerH3581 and mightH1369 are in Your handH3027, and noH369 one can standH3320 against YouH5973.

7Our GodH430, did YouH859 notH3808 drive outH3423 the inhabitantsH3427 of thisH2063 landH776 beforeH6440 Your peopleH5971 IsraelH3478 and give itH5414 foreverH5769 to the descendantsH2233 of AbrahamH85 Your friendH157? 8They have livedH3427 in the land and have builtH1129 in it a sanctuaryH4720 for Your NameH8034, sayingH559, 9‘IfH518 disasterH7451 comesH935 upon usH5921—whether swordH2719 or judgmentH8196,4 plagueH1698 or famineH7458—we will standH5975 beforeH6440 thisH2088 templeH1004 and before YouH6440, forH3588 Your NameH8034 is in thisH2088 templeH1004. We will cry outH2199 to YouH413 in our distressH6869, and You will hear usH8085 and save usH3467.’

10And nowH6258, here areH2009 the menH1121 of AmmonH5983, MoabH4124, and MountH2022 SeirH8165, whomH834 You did notH3808 letH5414 IsraelH3478 invadeH935 when they cameH935 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714. SoH3588 Israel turned awayH5493 from themH5921 and did notH3808 destroy themH8045. 11SeeH2009 how theyH1992 are repayingH1580 usH5921 by comingH935 to drive us outH1644 of the possessionH3425 thatH834 You gave us as an inheritanceH3423.

12Our GodH430, will You notH3808 judgeH8199 them? ForH3588 we are powerlessH369H3581 beforeH6440 thisH2088 vastH7227 armyH1995 that comesH935 against usH5921. WeH587 do notH3808 knowH3045 whatH4100 to doH6213, butH3588 our eyesH5869 are upon YouH5921.”

13Meanwhile allH3605 the men of JudahH3063, withH1571 their wivesH802 and childrenH1121 and little onesH2945, were standingH5975 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068.

The Prophecy of Jahaziel

14Then the SpiritH7307 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 uponH5921 JahazielH3166 sonH1121 of ZechariahH2148, the sonH1121 of BenaiahH1141, the sonH1121 of JeielH3273, the sonH1121 of MattaniahH4983, a LeviteH3881 fromH4480 Asaph’sH623 descendantsH1121, as he stood in the midstH8432 of the assemblyH6951. 15And he saidH559, “ListenH7181, allH3605 you peopleH3427 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389! Listen, KingH4428 JehoshaphatH3092! This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘Do notH408 be afraidH3372H408 or discouragedH2865 because ofH6440 thisH2088 vastH7227 armyH1995, forH3588 the battleH4421 does not belongH3808 to you, butH3588 to GodH430. 16TomorrowH4279 you are to march downH3381 against themH5921. You will see themH2005 coming upH5927 the AscentH4608 of ZizH6732, and you will findH4672 themH853 at the endH5490 of the valleyH5158 facingH6440 the WildernessH4057 of JeruelH3385. 17You need notH3808 fightH3898 thisH2063 battle. Take up your positionsH3320, stand firmH5975, and seeH7200 the salvationH3444 of the LORDH3068 on your behalfH5973, O JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389. Do notH408 be afraidH3372H408 or discouragedH2865. Go outH3318 and face themH6440 tomorrowH4279, for the LORDH3068 is with youH5973.’”

18Then JehoshaphatH3092 bowedH6915 facedownH639H776, and allH3605 the peopleH3427 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389 fell downH5307 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 to worshipH7812 HimH3068. 19And the LevitesH3881 fromH4480 the KohathitesH1121H6956H4480 and KorahitesH7145 stood upH6965 to praiseH1984 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, shouting in a very loudH1419H4605 voiceH6963.

The Enemies Destroy Themselves

20Early in the morningH1242 they got upH7925 and leftH3318 for the WildernessH4057 of TekoaH8620. As they set outH3318, JehoshaphatH3092 stood upH5975 and saidH559, “Hear meH8085, O peopleH3427 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389. BelieveH539 in the LORDH3068 your GodH430, and you will be upheldH539; believeH539 in His prophetsH5030, and you will succeedH6743.”

21Then Jehoshaphat consultedH3289 withH413 the peopleH5971 and appointed thoseH5975 who would singH7891 to the LORDH3068 and praiseH1984 the splendorH1927 of His holinessH6944. As they went outH3318 beforeH6440 the armyH2502, they were singingH559:

22The momentH6256 they beganH2490 their shoutsH7440 and praisesH8416, the LORDH3068 setH5414 ambushesH693 against the menH5921 of AmmonH1121H5983, MoabH4124, and MountH2022 SeirH8165 who had comeH935 against JudahH3063, and they were defeatedH5062. 23The AmmonitesH1121H5983 and MoabitesH4124 rose upH5975 againstH5921 the inhabitantsH3427 of MountH2022 SeirH8165, devoting themH2763 to destructionH8045.5 And when they had finished offH3615 the inhabitantsH3427 of SeirH8165, they helpedH5826 to destroyH4889 oneH376 anotherH7453.

24When the men of JudahH3063 cameH935 toH5921 a place overlookingH4707 the wildernessH4057, they lookedH6437 forH413 the vast armyH1995, but thereH2005 were only corpsesH6297 lyingH5307 on the groundH776; no oneH369 had escapedH6413. 25Then JehoshaphatH3092 and his peopleH5971 wentH935 to carry offH962 the plunderH7998, and they foundH4672 on the bodiesH6297 an abundanceH7230 of goodsH7399 and valuablesH2532H36276—more thanH369 they could carry awayH4853. They wereH1961 gatheringH962 the plunderH7998 for threeH7969 daysH3117 becauseH3588 there was so muchH7227H1931.

The Joyful Return

26On the fourthH7243 dayH3117 they assembledH6950 in the ValleyH6010 of BeracahH1294,7 whereH8033 they blessedH1288 the LORDH3068. ThereforeH5921H3651 thatH1931 placeH4725 is calledH7121 the ValleyH6010 of BeracahH1294 toH5704 this dayH3117.

27Then allH3605 the menH376 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389, with JehoshaphatH3092 at their headH7218, returnedH7725 joyfullyH8057 toH413 JerusalemH3389, forH3588 the LORDH3068 had made them rejoiceH8055 over their enemiesH341. 28So they enteredH935 JerusalemH3389 and went intoH413 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 with harpsH5035, lyresH3658, and trumpetsH2689.

29And the fearH6343 of GodH430 cameH1961 uponH5921 allH3605 the kingdomsH4467 of the landsH776 when they heardH8085 thatH3588 the LORDH3068 had foughtH3898 againstH5973 the enemiesH341 of IsraelH3478. 30Then Jehoshaphat’sH3092 kingdomH4438 was at peaceH8252, for his GodH430 had given him restH5117 on every sideH5439.

Summary of Jehoshaphat’s Reign

(1 Kings 22:41–50)

31So JehoshaphatH3092 reignedH4427 overH5921 JudahH3063. He was thirty-fiveH7970H2568 years oldH1121H8141 when he became kingH4427, and he reignedH4427 in JerusalemH3389 twenty-fiveH6242H2568 yearsH8141. His mother’sH517 nameH8034 was AzubahH5806 daughterH1323 of ShilhiH7977.

32And Jehoshaphat walkedH1980 in the wayH1870 of his fatherH1 AsaH609 and did notH3808 turn awayH5493 from itH4480; he didH6213 what was rightH3477 in the eyesH5869 of the LORDH3068.

33The high placesH1116, howeverH389, were notH3808 removedH5493; the peopleH5971 had notH3808 yetH5750 setH3559 their heartsH3824 on the GodH430 of their fathersH1.

34As for the restH3499 of the actsH1697 of JehoshaphatH3092, from beginningH7223 to endH314, they are indeedH2005 writtenH3789 in the ChroniclesH1697 of JehuH3058 sonH1121 of HananiH2607, whichH834 are recordedH5927 inH5921 the BookH5612 of the KingsH4428 of IsraelH3478.

Jehoshaphat’s Fleet Is Wrecked

35LaterH310, JehoshaphatH3092 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 made an allianceH2266 withH5973 AhaziahH274 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, whoH1931 actedH6213 wickedlyH7561.8 36They agreedH2266H5973 to makeH6213 shipsH591 to goH1980 to TarshishH8659,9 and these were builtH6213H591 in Ezion-geberH6100.

37Then EliezerH461 sonH1121 of DodavahuH1735 of MareshahH4762 prophesiedH5012 againstH5921 JehoshaphatH3092, sayingH559, “Because you have allied yourselfH2266 withH5973 AhaziahH274, the LORDH3068 has destroyedH6555 your worksH4639.”

So the shipsH591 were wreckedH7665 and were unableH3808H6113 to sailH1980 toH413 TarshishH8659.10