2 Chronicles 20

1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat.

2 Then some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the Sea; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).

3 Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.

4 So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD in front of the new courtyard

6 and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.

7 Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend?

8 They have lived in the land and have built in it a sanctuary for Your Name, saying,

9 ‘If disaster comes upon us—whether sword or judgment, plague or famine—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your Name is in this temple. We will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.’

10 And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt. So Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.

11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession that You gave us as an inheritance.

12 Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

13 Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.

14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly.

15 And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.

16 Tomorrow you are to march down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel.

17 You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’”

18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him.

19 And the Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, shouting in a very loud voice.

20 Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.”

21 Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.”

22 The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated.

23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

24 When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.

25 Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to carry off the plunder, and they found on the bodies an abundance of goods and valuables—more than they could carry away. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much.

26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.

27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies.

28 So they entered Jerusalem and went into the house of the LORD with harps, lyres, and trumpets.

29 And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.

30 Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.

31 So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

32 And Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.

33 The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.

34 As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

35 Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly.

36 They agreed to make ships to go to Tarshish, and these were built in Ezion-geber.

37 Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” So the ships were wrecked and were unable to sail to Tarshish.

1 ¶ It came to pass after this also, [that] the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them [other] beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they [be] in Hazazontamar, which [is] Engedi.

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask [help] of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,

6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, [art] not thou God in heaven? and rulest [not] thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand [is there not] power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

7 [Art] not thou our God, [who] didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

9 If, [when] evil cometh upon us, [as] the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name [is] in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

11 Behold, [I say, how] they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes [are] upon thee.

13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

14 ¶ Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;

15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle [is] not yours, but God's.

16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 Ye shall not [need] to fight in this [battle]: set yourselves, stand ye [still], and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD [will be] with you.

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with [his] face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

20 ¶ And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy [endureth] for ever.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy [them]: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they [were] dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.

29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of [those] countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.

31 ¶ And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: [he was] thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD.

33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they [are] written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who [is] mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.

35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:

36 And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongeber.

37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

1 After these things came the children of Moab, the children of Ammon, and with them of the Amunim, to fight against Jehoshaphat.

2 And they came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh against thee a great multitude from beyond the sea, from Syria: and, behold, they are at Hazezon-thamar, that is, Engeddi.

3 And Jehoshaphat was afraid, and set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast among all Judah.

4 And Judah came together to seek the LORD; and there came out of all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD.

5 And Jehoshaphat stood among the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD before the new court.

6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art thou not God in heaven, and ruler in all the kingdoms of the heathen? And in thy hand is strength and might; and there is none that can stand against thee.

7 Hast thou not, our God, driven out the inhabitants of this land from thy people Israel, and given it unto the seed of Abraham thy lover for ever?

8 That they dwelt therein, and built thee a sanctuary for thy name therein, saying:

9 If any calamity, or sword, or punishment, or pestilence, or dearth, come upon us, shall we stand before this house before thee, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, that thou wouldest hear and help?

10 Now therefore, behold, the children of Ammon, and Moab, and those of mount Seir, over whom thou didst not let the children of Israel pass, when they came forth out of the land of Egypt, but departed from them, and did not destroy them.

11 And, behold, they reward us, and come to cut us off from thine inheritance, which thou hast given us.

12 Our God, wilt thou not judge them? For there is no strength in us against this great multitude that cometh against us. We know not what we should do, but our eyes look unto thee.

13 And all Judah stood before the LORD with their children, and their wives, and their sons.

14 And upon Jehaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jehiel, the son of Mathaniah, the Levite, of the children of Assaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; 15: And said, Take heed, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and king Jehoshaphat. Thus saith the LORD unto you: Ye shall not fear nor be dismayed before this great multitude: for ye fight not, but GOD.

16 In the morning ye shall go down unto them: and, behold, they go up to Ziz, and ye shall meet with them by the reeds in the brook before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 For ye shall not contend in this matter. Only go and stand, and see the salvation of the LORD, which is with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not, neither be dismayed: to morrow go out against them: the LORD is with you.

18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed himself with his face to the earth: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, and worshipped the LORD.

19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, rose up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a great shout toward heaven.

20 And they rose up early in the morning, and went out into the wilderness of Thekoa. And as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hearken unto me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and ye shall be safe; and believe his prophets, and ye shall prosper.

21 And he instructed the people, and set the singers before the LORD, that they should praise in holy array, and sing before the scaffolded, and say: Give thanks unto the LORD: for his mercy endureth for ever.

22 And when they began to give thanks and to praise, the LORD sent the ambush that was come against Judah upon the children of Ammon, and upon Moab, and upon them of mount Seir, and smote them.

23 And the children of Ammon and Moab came against them of mount Seir, to utterly destroy them. And when they had consumed all the men of mount Seir, they helped one another, that they might destroy themselves also.

24 And when Judah was come to Mizpeh by the wilderness, they turned against the multitude: and, behold, there were dead bodies upon the ground, and none escaped.

25 And Jehoshaphat came with his people to divide their spoil, and found among them so much goods, and raiment, and precious things, and took them away, that they could not bear them: and they divided the spoil three days, because it was much.

26 And on the fourth day they came together unto the valley of praise: for there they praised the LORD. Therefore the name of the place is called the valley of praise unto this day.

27 So all the men of Judah and Jerusalem turned again, and Jehoshaphat in the head, that they might go up to Jerusalem with joy. For the LORD had given them joy in their enemies.

28 And they entered into Jerusalem with psalteries, and harps, and trumpets, unto the house of the LORD.

29 And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.

30 So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quieted, and God gave him rest round about.

31 And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah, and was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Asuba, a daughter of Zilhi.

32 And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and departed not from doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD;

33 without the high places were not removed: for the people had not yet sent their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

34 And the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, both the first and the last, behold, they are written in the acts of Jehu the son of Hanani, which he wrote in the book of the kings of Israel.

35 And afterward Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself to Ahaziah king of Israel, who was wicked in his doings.

36 And he joined himself unto him to make ships to go out to sea: and they made the ships at Ezeon-gaber.

37 And Eliezer the son of Dodava, of Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself to Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken down thy works. And the ships were broken, and they could not go into the sea.