1After that, the Moabites, Ammonites and some Meunites went to war against Jehoshaphat.2Some people came and told him, ‘A huge army is coming from Edom to fight against you. They have come across the Dead Sea. They are already in Hazezon Tamar.’ Hazezon Tamar is also called En Gedi.3Jehoshaphat was alarmed. So he decided to ask the LORD for advice. He told all the people of Judah to go without eating.4The people came together to ask the LORD for help. In fact, they came from every town in Judah to pray to him.5Then Jehoshaphat stood up among the people of Judah and Jerusalem. He was in front of the new courtyard at the LORD’s temple.6He said, ‘LORD, you are the God of our people who lived long ago. You are the God who is in heaven. You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. You are strong and powerful. No one can fight against you and win.7Our God, you drove out the people who lived in this land. You drove them out to make room for your people Israel. You gave this land for ever to those who belong to the family line of your friend Abraham.8They have lived in this land. They’ve built a temple here for your Name. They have said,9“Suppose trouble comes on us. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a punishing sword, or plague or hunger. We’ll serve you. We’ll stand in front of this temple where your Name is. We’ll cry out to you when we’re in trouble. Then you will hear us. You will save us.”10‘But here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir. You wouldn’t allow Israel to march in and attack their territory when the Israelites came from Egypt. So Israel turned away from them. They didn’t destroy them.11See how they are paying us back. They are coming to drive us out. They want to take over the land you gave us as our share.12Our God, won’t you please judge them? We don’t have the power to face this huge army that’s attacking us. We don’t know what to do. But we’re looking to you to help us.’13All the men of Judah stood there in front of the LORD. Their wives, children and little ones were with them.14Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Jahaziel. He was standing among the people of Israel. He was the son of Zechariah. Zechariah was the son of Benaiah. Benaiah was the son of Jeiel. Jeiel was the son of Mattaniah. Jahaziel was a Levite. He was from the family line of Asaph.15Jahaziel said, ‘King Jehoshaphat, listen! All you who live in Judah and Jerusalem, listen! The LORD says to you, “Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope because of this huge army. The battle is not yours. It is God’s.16Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley in the Desert of Jeruel.17You will not have to fight this battle. Take your positions. Stand firm. You will see how the LORD will save you. Judah and Jerusalem, do not be afraid. Do not lose hope. Go out and face them tomorrow. The LORD will be with you.” ’18Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face towards the ground. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem also bowed down. They worshipped the LORD.19Then some Levites from the families of Kohath and Korah stood up. They praised the LORD, the God of Israel. They praised him with very loud voices.20Early in the morning all the people left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they started out, Jehoshaphat stood up. He said, ‘Judah, listen to me! People of Jerusalem, listen to me! Have faith in the LORD your God. He’ll take good care of you. Have faith in his prophets. Then you will have success.’21Jehoshaphat asked the people for advice. Then he appointed men to sing to the LORD. He wanted them to praise the LORD because of his glory and holiness. They marched out in front of the army. They said, ‘Give thanks to the LORD. His faithful love continues for ever.’22They began to sing and praise him. Then the LORD hid some men and told them to wait. He wanted them to attack the people of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir. They had gone into Judah and attacked it. But they lost the battle.23The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir. They destroyed them. They put an end to them. When they finished killing the men from Seir, they destroyed one another.24The men of Judah came to the place that looks out over the desert. They turned to look down at the huge army. But all they saw was dead bodies lying there on the ground. No one had escaped.25So Jehoshaphat and his men went down there to carry off anything of value. Among the dead bodies they found a large amount of supplies, clothes and other things of value. There was more than they could take away. There was so much it took three days to collect all of it.26On the fourth day they gathered together in the Valley of Berakah. There they praised the LORD. That’s why it’s called the Valley of Berakah to this day.27Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned to Jerusalem. They were filled with joy. Jehoshaphat led them. The LORD had made them happy because all their enemies were dead.28They entered Jerusalem and went to the LORD’s temple. They were playing harps, lyres and trumpets.29All the surrounding kingdoms began to have respect for God. They had heard how the LORD had fought against Israel’s enemies.30The kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace. His God had given him peace and rest on every side.
Jehoshaphat’s rule comes to an end
31So Jehoshaphat ruled over Judah. He was 35 years old when he became Judah’s king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother’s name was Azubah. She was the daughter of Shilhi.32Jehoshaphat followed the ways of his father Asa. He didn’t wander away from them. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.33But the high places weren’t removed. The people still hadn’t worshipped the God of Israel with all their hearts.34The other events of Jehoshaphat’s rule from beginning to end are written down. They are written in the official records of Jehu, the son of Hanani. They are written in the records of the kings of Israel.35Jehoshaphat king of Judah and Ahaziah king of Israel agreed to be friends. Ahaziah did what was evil.36Jehoshaphat agreed with him to build a lot of ships. They were built at Ezion Geber. They carried goods that were traded for other goods.37Eliezer was the son of Dodavahu from Mareshah. Eliezer prophesied against Jehoshaphat. He said, ‘You have joined forces with Ahaziah. So the LORD will destroy what you have made.’ The ships were wrecked. They were never able to sail or trade goods.
2 Chronicles 20
English Standard Version
Jehoshaphat’s Prayer
1After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites,[1] came against Jehoshaphat for battle. (2Ki 1:1; 2Ki 3:4; 2Ki 3:7)2Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom,[2] from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi). (Ge 14:7; 1Sa 23:29)3Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. (1Ch 22:19; 2Ch 19:3; Ezr 8:21; Jer 36:9; Joe 1:14; Joe 2:15; Jon 3:5)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 God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. (De 4:39; 1Ch 29:12; Da 4:17; Da 4:25; Da 4:32)7Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? (Ps 44:2; Isa 41:8; Jas 2:23)8And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying,9‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment,[3] or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ (1Ki 8:33; 1Ki 8:37; 2Ch 6:20; 2Ch 6:28; Ezr 10:1; Eze 14:21)10And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— (Ge 32:3; Ge 36:8; Nu 20:21; De 2:4; De 2:9; De 2:19; 2Ch 20:1; 2Ch 20:22; 2Ch 25:11; 2Ch 25:14)11behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. (Ps 83:6; Ps 83:12)12O our God, will you not 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 our eyes are on you.” (1Sa 3:13; Ps 25:15; Ps 123:1; Ps 141:8)13Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.14And the Spirit of the Lord came[4] 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. (2Ch 15:1)15And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. (De 1:29; De 31:6; De 31:8; 1Sa 17:47; 2Ch 32:7)16Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. (Nu 13:23)17You 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.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” (Ex 14:13; Nu 14:9; 2Ch 15:2; 2Ch 20:15; 2Ch 32:8)18Then 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. (Ex 4:31; 2Ch 29:29; Ne 8:6)19And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. (Ex 6:16; Ex 6:18; 1Ch 9:19)20And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” (2Sa 14:2; Isa 7:9)21And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.” (1Ch 16:29; 1Ch 16:34)22And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. (2Ch 13:13; 2Ch 20:10)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, they all helped to destroy one another. (Jud 7:22; 1Sa 14:20)
The Lord Delivers Judah
24When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there[5] 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,[6] 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, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. (Ne 12:43)28They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the Lord.29And 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. (2Ch 14:14; 2Ch 17:10)30So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around. (2Ch 14:6; 2Ch 15:15)31Thus 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. (1Ki 22:41)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.33The high places, however, were not taken away; the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers. (2Ch 12:14; 2Ch 17:6)34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Jehu the son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel. (1Ki 16:1; 1Ki 16:7; 2Ch 19:2)
The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign
35After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. (1Ki 22:48)36He joined him in building ships to go to Tarshish, and they built the ships in Ezion-geber. (2Ch 9:21)37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “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. (2Ch 19:2)