2 Chronicles 20

Judah Invaded

1Now it cameH1961 about afterH310 thisH3651 that the sonsH1121 of MoabH4124 and the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983, togetherH5973 with someH4480 of the 12MeunitesH4586, cameH935 to make warH4421 againstH5921 JehoshaphatH3092. 2Then some cameH935 and reportedH5046 to JehoshaphatH3092, sayingH559, “A greatH7227 multitudeH1995 is comingH935 againstH5921 you from beyondH5676 the seaH3220, out of 3AramH758 and beholdH2009, they are in 4Hazazon-tamarH2688 (that is EngediH5872).” 3JehoshaphatH3092 was afraidH3372 and 56turnedH5414 his attentionH6440 to seekH1875 the LordH3068, and 7proclaimedH7121 a fastH6685 throughoutH5921 allH3605 JudahH3063. 4So JudahH3063 gatheredH6908 together to 8seekH1245 help from the LordH3068; they evenH1571 cameH935 from allH3605 the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063 to seekH1245 the LordH3068.

Jehoshaphat’s Prayer

5Then JehoshaphatH3092 stoodH5975 in the assemblyH6951 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389, in the houseH1004 of the LordH3068 beforeH6440 the newH2319 courtH2691, 6and he saidH559, “O LordH3068, the GodH430 of our fathersH1, 9are You not GodH430 in the heavensH8064? And 10are You not rulerH4910 overH5921 allH3605 the kingdomsH4467 of the nationsH1471? PowerH3581 and mightH1369 are in Your handH3027 so that noH369 oneH369 can standH3320 againstH5973 You. 7Did You not, O our GodH430, driveH3423 out the inhabitantsH3427 of thisH2088 landH776 beforeH4480H6440 Your peopleH5971 IsraelH3478 and 11giveH5414 it to the descendantsH2233 of 12AbrahamH85 Your friendH157 foreverH5769? 8They have livedH3427 in it, and have builtH1129 You a sanctuaryH4720 there for Your nameH8034, sayingH559, 9‘13ShouldH518 evilH7463 comeH935 upon us, the swordH2719, or judgmentH8196, or pestilenceH1698, or famineH7458, we will standH5975 beforeH6440 thisH2088 houseH1004 and beforeH6440 You (for 14Your nameH8034 is in thisH2088 houseH1004) and cryH2199 to You in our distressH6869, and You will hearH8085 and deliverH3467 us.’ 10NowH6258 beholdH2009, 15the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 and MoabH4124 and 16MountH2022 SeirH8165, 17whomH834 You did not letH5414 IsraelH3478 invadeH935 when they cameH935 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714 (they turnedH5493 asideH5493 from them and did not destroyH8045 them), 11seeH2009 how they are rewardingH1580 us by 18comingH935 to driveH1644 us out from Your possessionH3425 whichH834 You have givenH3423 us as an inheritanceH3423. 12O our GodH430, 19will You not judgeH8199 them? For we are powerlessH369H3581 beforeH6440 thisH2088 greatH7227 multitudeH1995 who are comingH935 againstH5921 us; norH3808 do we knowH3045 whatH4100 to doH6213, but 20our eyesH5869 are on You.”

13AllH3605 JudahH3063 was standingH5975 beforeH6440 the LordH3068, with their infantsH2945, their wivesH802 and their childrenH1121.

Jahaziel Answers the Prayer

14Then in the midstH8432 of the assemblyH6951 21the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 upon JahazielH3166 the sonH1121 of ZechariahH2148, the sonH1121 of BenaiahH1141, the sonH1121 of JeielH3262, the sonH1121 of MattaniahH4983, the LeviteH3881 of the sonsH1121 of AsaphH623; 15and he saidH559, “ListenH7181, allH3605 JudahH3063 and the inhabitantsH3427 of JerusalemH3389 and KingH4428 JehoshaphatH3092: thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068 to you, ‘22Do not fearH3372 or be dismayedH2865 becauseH4480H6440 of thisH2088 greatH7227 multitudeH1995, for 23the battleH4421 is not yours but God’sH430. 16TomorrowH4279 goH3381 downH3381 againstH5921 them. BeholdH2009, they will comeH5927 up by the ascentH4608 of ZizH6732, and you will findH4672 them at the endH5490 of the valleyH5158 in frontH6440 of the wildernessH4057 of JeruelH3385. 17You need not fightH3898 in thisH2088 battle; stationH3320 yourselves, 24standH5975 and seeH7200 the salvationH3444 of the LordH3068 on your behalfH5973, O JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389.’ Do not fearH3372 or be dismayedH2865; tomorrowH4279 goH3318 out to faceH6440 them, 25for the LordH3068 is with you.”

18JehoshaphatH3092 26bowedH6915 his head with his faceH639 to the groundH776, and allH3605 JudahH3063 and the inhabitantsH3427 of JerusalemH3389 fellH5307 downH5307 beforeH6440 the LordH3068, worshipingH7812 the LordH3068. 19The LevitesH3881, from the sonsH1121 of the KohathitesH6956 and of the sonsH1121 of the KorahitesH7145, stoodH6965 up to praiseH1984 the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, with a veryH4605 loudH1419 voiceH6963.

Enemies Destroy Themselves

20They roseH7925 earlyH7925 in the morningH1242 and wentH3318 out to the wildernessH4057 of TekoaH8620; and when they wentH3318 out, JehoshaphatH3092 stoodH5975 and saidH559, “ListenH8085 to me, O JudahH3063 and inhabitantsH3427 of JerusalemH3389, 27putH539 your trustH539 in the LordH3068 your GodH430 and you will be establishedH539. PutH539 your trustH539 in His prophetsH5030 and succeedH6743.” 21When he had consultedH3289 with the peopleH5971, he appointedH5975 those who sangH7891 to the LordH3068 and those who 28praisedH1984 Him in holyH6944 attireH1927, as they wentH3318 out beforeH6440 the armyH2502 and saidH559, “29GiveH3034 thanksH3034 to the LordH3068, for His lovingkindnessH2617 is everlastingH5769.” 22WhenH6256 they beganH2490 singingH7440 and praisingH8416, the LordH3068 30setH5414 ambushesH693 againstH5921 the sonsH1121 of 31AmmonH5983, MoabH4124 and MountH2022 SeirH8165, who had comeH935 against JudahH3063; so they were 32routedH5062. 23For the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 and MoabH4124 roseH5975 up againstH5921 the inhabitantsH3427 of MountH2022 SeirH8165 destroyingH2763 them completelyH8045; and when they had finishedH3615 with the inhabitantsH3427 of SeirH8165, 33they helpedH5826 to destroyH4889 oneH376 anotherH7453.

24When JudahH3063 cameH935 to the lookoutH4707 of the wildernessH4057, they lookedH6437 towardH413 the multitudeH1995, and beholdH2009, they were corpsesH6297 lyingH5307 on the groundH776, and noH369 oneH369 had escapedH6413. 25When JehoshaphatH3092 and his peopleH5971 cameH935 to takeH962 their spoilH7998, they foundH4672 muchH7230 among them, including goodsH7399, 34garmentsH899 and valuableH2536 thingsH3627 which they tookH5337 for themselves, more thanH4480 they could carryH4853. And they were threeH7969 daysH3117 takingH962 the spoilH7998 becauseH3588 there was so muchH7227.

Triumphant Return to Jerusalem

26Then on the fourthH7243 dayH3117 they assembledH6950 in the valleyH6010 of BeracahH1294, for thereH8033 they blessedH1288 the LordH3068. ThereforeH5921H3651 they have namedH7121H8034 that placeH4725 “The ValleyH6010 of 35BeracahH1294” untilH5704 todayH3117. 27EveryH3605 manH376 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389 returnedH7725 with JehoshaphatH3092 at their headH7218, returningH7725 to JerusalemH3389 with joyH8057, 36for the LordH3068 had made them to rejoiceH8055 overH4480 their enemiesH340. 28They cameH935 to JerusalemH3389 with harpsH5035, lyresH3658 and trumpetsH2689 to the houseH1004 of the LordH3068. 29And 37the dreadH6343 of GodH430 was on allH3605 the kingdomsH4467 of the landsH776 when they heardH8085 that the LordH3068 had foughtH3898 againstH5973 the enemiesH340 of IsraelH3478. 30So the kingdomH4438 of JehoshaphatH3092 was at peaceH8252, 38for his GodH430 gaveH5117 him restH5117 on allH5439 sidesH5439.

3139Now JehoshaphatH3092 reignedH4427 overH5921 JudahH3063. He was thirty-fiveH7970H2568 yearsH8141 oldH1121 when he becameH4427 kingH4427, and he reignedH4427 in JerusalemH3389 twenty-fiveH6242H2568 yearsH8141. And his mother’sH517 nameH8034 was AzubahH5806 the daughterH1323 of ShilhiH7977. 32He walkedH1980 in the wayH1870 of his fatherH1 AsaH609 and did not departH5493 from it, doingH6213 rightH3477 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068. 3340The highH1116 placesH1116, howeverH389, were not removedH5493; 41the peopleH5971 had not yetH5750 directedH3559 their heartsH3824 to the GodH430 of their fathersH1.

34Now the restH3499 of the actsH1697 of JehoshaphatH3092, firstH7223 42to lastH314, beholdH2009, they are writtenH3789 in the annalsH1697 of 43JehuH3058 the sonH1121 of HananiH2607, whichH834 is 44recordedH5927 in the BookH5612 of the KingsH4428 of IsraelH3478.

Alliance Displeases God

3545AfterH310 thisH3651 JehoshaphatH3092 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 alliedH2266 himself with AhaziahH274 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478. He actedH7561 wickedlyH7561 46in so doingH6213. 36So he alliedH2266 himself with him to makeH6213 shipsH591 to goH1980 47to TarshishH8659, and they madeH6213 the shipsH591 in Ezion-geberH6100. 37Then EliezerH461 the sonH1121 of DodavahuH1735 of MareshahH4762 prophesiedH5012 againstH5921 JehoshaphatH3092 sayingH559, “Because you have alliedH2266 yourself with AhaziahH274, the LordH3068 has destroyedH6555 your worksH4639.” So the shipsH591 were brokenH7665 and couldH6113 not goH1980 to TarshishH8659.