1After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites[1] came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.2Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, ‘A vast army is coming against you from Edom,[2] from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar’ (that is, En Gedi).3Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to enquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.4The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.5Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard6and said: ‘Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no-one can withstand you.7Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it for ever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?8They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying,9“If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.”10‘But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them.11See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance.12Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.’13All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.14Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.15He said: ‘Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.16Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel.17You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.” ’18Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord.19Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.20Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.’21After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendour of his[3] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures for ever.’22As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.23The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.24When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked towards the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no-one had escaped.25So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing[4] and also articles of value – more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.26On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah[5] to this day.27Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies.28They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.29The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel.30And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
The end of Jehoshaphat’s reign
31So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.32He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.33The high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.34The other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.35Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose ways were wicked.36He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships.[6] After these were built at Ezion Geber,37Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.’ The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.[7]
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)