CHAPTER 20
After this,
the Moabites
and Ammonites,
together with
some of the Meunites,
came
to make war
against
Jehoshaphat.
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).
Jehoshaphat
was alarmed
and set
his face
to seek
the LORD.
And he proclaimed
a fast
throughout
Judah.
So the people of Judah
gathered
to seek
the LORD,
and indeed,
they came
from all
the cities
of Judah
to seek
Him.
Then Jehoshaphat
stood
in the assembly
of Judah
and Jerusalem
in the house
of the LORD,
in front of
the new
courtyard
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.
O 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?
‘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 deliver us.'
And now,
here are
the men
of Ammon,
Moab,
and Mount
Seir,
whom
You did not
let
Israel
invade
when they came
out of
Egypt;
but
Israel turned away
from them
and did not
destroy them.
See
how they
are repaying
us
by coming
to drive us out
of the possession
that
You gave us as an inheritance.
O 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.”
Meanwhile all the men
of Judah,
with
their wives
and children
and little ones,
were standing
before
the LORD.
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.
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.
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.
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.’”
Then Jehoshaphat
bowed
with his face
to the ground,
and all
the people
of Judah
and Jerusalem
fell down
before
the LORD
to worship
Him.
And the Levites
from
the Kohathites
and Korahites
stood up
to praise
the LORD,
the God
of Israel,
shouting in a very loud
voice.
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."
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.”
The moment
they began
their shouts
and praises,
the LORD
set
an ambush
against the men
of Ammon,
Moab,
and Mount
Seir
who had come
against Judah,
and they were defeated.
The Ammonites
and Moabites
rose up
against
the inhabitants
of Mount
Seir,
destroying
them completely.
And when they had made an end
to the inhabitants
of Seir,
they helped
to destroy
one
another.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The high places,
however,
were not
removed;
the people
had not
yet
set
their hearts
on the God
of their fathers.
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.
Later,
Jehoshaphat
king
of Judah
made an alliance
with
Ahaziah
king
of Israel,
who
acted
wickedly.
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.