2 Chronicles 20
1 Then, after this, the Moabites and Ammonites, as well as some of the Meunites, came to attack Jehoshaphat.
It happened after this, that the people of Moab, and the people of Ammon, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A large army is coming to fight you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. They have already reached Hazazon-tamar,” (otherwise called En-gedi).
Then some came who told Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea from Edom. Look, they are in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi).
3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, and went to ask the Lord what to do. He also ordered everyone throughout Judah to fast.
Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek to Jehovah. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
4 So the people of Judah gathered in Jerusalem to pray to the Lord—in fact, they came from all the towns of Judah to commit themselves to him.
Judah gathered themselves together, to seek help from Jehovah. They came out of all the cities of Judah to seek Jehovah.
5 Jehoshaphat stood before the assembled people of Judah and Jerusalem at the Temple, in front of the new courtyard,
Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of Jehovah, before the new court;
6 and said, “Lord, God of our forefathers, aren't you the God of heaven? Don't you rule over all earthly kingdoms? You possess strength and power, and no one can stand against you!
and he said, "Jehovah, the God of our fathers, aren't you God in heaven? Aren't you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in your hand, so that no one is able to withstand you.
7 Our God, didn't you drive out before your people Israel those who living in this land? Didn't you give this land to the descendants of your friend Abraham forever?
Did 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?
8 They are living in the land and have built a Temple for you here to honor you, saying,
They lived in it, and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name, saying,
9 ‘If disaster strikes us, whether it's invasion or judgment, disease or famine, we will stand in front of this Temple and before you, for this Temple is yours. We will cry out to you to help us in our suffering, and you will hear us and save us.’
'If evil comes on us—the sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this house, and before you, (for your name is in this house), and cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.'
10 Look, here come the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, those very countries you did not let Israel invade when they came out of Egypt. Israel left them alone and did not destroy them.
Now, look, the people of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and did not destroy them;
11 See how they're rewarding us, coming to steal the land you gave us to possess forever!
look, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit.
12 Our God, won't you punish them, because we don't have the power to confront such a great army that is marching against us? We don't know what to do. We're looking to you for help.”
Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us; neither know we what to do, but our eyes are on you."
13 All the men of Judah stood before the Lord, together with their wives and children and babies.
All Judah stood before Jehovah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came over Jahaziel while he was standing there in the assembly. He was the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from the descendants of Asaph.
Then the Spirit of Jehovah came on Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly;
15 He said, “Listen, everyone from Judah, people of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. This is what the Lord has to say to you: Don't be afraid or discouraged because of this large army. This isn't your battle—it's God's!
and he said, "Listen, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat. Thus says Jehovah to you, 'Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
16 Tomorrow march down to face them. You will see them coming up the pass at Ziz—you'll find them at the end of the valley in front of the desert of Jeruel.
Tomorrow go down against them. Look, they are coming up by the ascent of Ziz. You shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 But you do not need to fight this battle. Just stand still and watch the Lord's victory. He is with you, Judah and Jerusalem! Don't be afraid or discouraged! March down to face them, for the Lord is with you!”
You will not need to fight this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed. Go out against them tomorrow, for Jehovah is with you.'"
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell to the ground before the Lord, worshiping him.
Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Jehovah, worshipping Jehovah.
19 Then the Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, shouting loudly.
The Levites, of the descendants of the Kohathites and of the descendants of the Korahites, stood up to praise Jehovah, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice.
20 They got up early the next morning and went to the desert of Tekoa. As they left, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Listen to me, people of Judah and Jerusalem. Trust in the Lord your God, and you will be vindicated; trust in his prophets, and you will be successful.”
They rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in Jehovah your God, so you will be established. Believe his prophets, and you will prosper."
21 After discussion with the people, he appointed singers to praise the Lord for his glorious, holy goodness. They led the way at the front of the army, singing, “Praise the Lord, for his trustworthy love lasts forever!”
When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who should sing to Jehovah, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to Jehovah; for his loving kindness endures forever.
22 As soon as they started singing and praising, the Lord ambushed the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who were coming to attack Judah, and they were defeated.
When they began to sing and to praise, Jehovah set ambushers against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck.
23 The men of Ammon and Moab turned on the men from Mount Seir, killing all of them. Once they'd finished wiping out the army from Seir, they turned on each other, destroying themselves.
For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to kill and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another.
24 So when the men of Judah came to the watchtower in the desert, they looked out to see the enemy army and all they saw were corpses lying on the ground! No one had escaped.
When Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness, they looked at the multitude; and look, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none who escaped.
25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to collect the plunder, they found a great deal of cattle, equipment, clothing, and other valuable articles, more than they could carry. It took three days to collect the plunder because there was so much of it.
When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much.
26 On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing. They gave it this name because this was where they blessed the Lord. It is still called the Valley of Blessing to this day.
On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the Valley of Berachah; for there they blessed Jehovah: therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah to this day.
27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem celebrated as they returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, full of joy for the Lord's victory over their enemies.
Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in their forefront, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for Jehovah had made them to rejoice over their enemies.
28 They entered Jerusalem and went straight to the Temple of Lord, accompanied by music from harps, lyres, and trumpets.
They came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets to the house of Jehovah.
29 All the kingdoms around were in awe of God when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel.
The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that Jehovah fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 Jehoshaphat and his kingdom were at peace, for God gave him rest—there were no attacks from any direction.
So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest all around.
31 So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah, having become king when he was thirty-five years, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah, daughter of Shilhi.
Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
32 Jehoshaphat followed the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it. He did what was right in the Lord's sight.
He walked in the way of Asa his father, and did not turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah.
33 However, the high places were not removed, and the people were not committed to the God of their forefathers.
However the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts to the God of their fathers.
34 The rest of what Jehoshaphat did, from beginning to end, is written down in the chronicles of Jehu, son of Hanani, recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, look, they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is inserted in the book of the kings of Israel.
35 Later in his life, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, allied himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who did wicked things.
After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very wickedly:
36 They agreed to work together and send ships to Tarshish. The ships were built in Ezion-geber.
and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made the ships in Ezion Geber.
37 But Eliezer, son of Dodavahu of Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you're doing.” The ships were wrecked and couldn't sail to Tarshish.
Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, Jehovah has destroyed your works." The ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
