< 2 Chronicles 20 >

1 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.
And after this came the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them [some] of the Minaeans, against Josaphat to battle.
2 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).
And they came and told Josaphat, saying, There is come against you a great multitude from Syria, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Asasan Thamar, this is Engadi.
3 Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek to the LORD. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
And Josaphat was alarmed, and set his face to seek the Lord earnestly, and he proclaimed a fast in all Juda.
4 Judah gathered themselves together, to seek help from the LORD. They came out of all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD.
And Juda gathered themselves together to seek after the Lord: even from all the cities of Juda they came to seek the Lord.
5 Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court;
And Josaphat stood up in the assembly of Juda in Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, in front of the new court.
6 and he said, "O LORD, 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.
And he said, O Lord God of my fathers, are not you God in heaven above, and are not you Lord of all the kingdoms of the nations? and [is there] not in your hand the might of dominion, and there is no one who can resist you?
7 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?
Are not you the Lord that did destroy the inhabitants of this land before the face of your people Israel, and did give it to your beloved seed of Abraham for ever?
8 They lived in it, and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name, saying,
And they lived in it, and built in it a sanctuary to your name, saying,
9 '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.'
If there should come upon us evils, sword, judgement, pestilence, famine, we will stand before this house, and before you, (for your name [is] upon this house, ) and we will cry to you because of the affliction, and you shall hear, and deliver.
10 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;
And now, behold, the children of Ammon, and Moab, and mount Seir, with regard to whom you did not permit Israel to pass through their border, when they had come out of the land of Egypt, (for they turned away from them, and did not destroy them; )—
11 look, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit.
yet now, behold, they make attempts against us, to come forth to cast us out from our inheritance which you gave us.
12 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."
O Lord our God, will you not judge them? for we have no strength to resist this great multitude that is come against us; and we know not what we shall do to them: but our eyes are towards you.
13 All Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
And all Juda was standing before the Lord, and their children, and their wives.
14 Then the Spirit of the LORD 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;
And Oziel the [son] of Zacharias, of the children of Banaias, of the sons of Eleiel, the sons of Matthanias the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, —upon him came the Spirit of the Lord in the assembly:
15 and he said, "Listen, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat. Thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
and he said, Hear you, all Juda, and the dwellers in Jerusalem, and king Josaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, even you, Fear not, neither be alarmed, before all this great multitude; for the battle is not years, but God's.
16 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.
To-morrow go you down against them: behold, they come up by the ascent of Assis, and you shall find them at the extremity of the river of the wilderness of Jeriel.
17 You will not need to fight this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.'"
It is not for you to fight: understand these things, and see the deliverance of the Lord with you, Juda and Jerusalem: fear not, neither be afraid to go forth to-morrow to meet them; and the Lord shall be with you.
18 Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.
And Josaphat bowed with his face [to the ground] with all Juda and the dwellers in Jerusalem, [and] they fell before the Lord to worship the Lord.
19 The Levites, of the descendants of the Kohathites and of the descendants of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice.
And the Levites of the children of Caath, and [they] of the sons of Core, rose up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.
20 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 the LORD your God, so you will be established. Believe his prophets, and you will prosper."
And they rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Thecoe: and as they went out, Josaphat stood and cried, and said, Hear me, Juda, and the dwellers in Jerusalem; put your trust in the Lord God, and your trust shall be honoured; trust in his prophet, and you shall prosper.
21 When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to the LORD; for his loving kindness endures forever.
And he took counsel with the people, and set appointed men to sing psalms and praises, to give thanks, and sing the holy songs of praise in going forth before the host: and they said, Give thanks to the Lord, for his mercy [endures] for ever.
22 When they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushers against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck.
And when they began the praise and thanksgiving, the Lord caused the children of Ammon to fight against Moab, and [the inhabitants of] mount Seir that came out against Juda; and they were routed.
23 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.
Then the children of Ammon and Moab rose up against the dwellers in mount Seir, to destroy and consume them; and when they had made an end of [destroying] the inhabitants of Seir, they rose up against one another so that they were utterly destroyed.
24 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.
And Juda came to the watch-tower of the wilderness, and looked, and saw the multitude, and, behold, [they were] all fallen dead upon the earth, not one escaped.
25 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.
And Josaphat and his people went out to spoil them, and they found much cattle, and furniture, and spoils, and precious things: and they spoiled them, and they were three days gathering the spoil, for it was abundant.
26 On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the Valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah to this day.
And it came to pass on the fourth day they were gathered to the Valley of Blessing; for there they blessed the Lord: therefore they called the name of the place the Valley of Blessing, until this day.
27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in their forefront, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.
And all the men of Juda returned to Jerusalem, and Josaphat led them with great joy; for the Lord gave them joy over their enemies.
28 They came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets to the house of the LORD.
And they entered into Jerusalem with lutes and harps and trumpets, [going] into the house of the lord.
29 The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.
And there was a terror of the Lord upon all the kingdoms of the land, when they heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest all around.
And the kingdom of Josaphat was at peace; and his God gave him rest round about.
31 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.
And Josaphat reigned over Juda, being thirty-five years [old] when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Azuba, daughter of Sali.
32 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 the LORD.
And he walked in the ways of his father Asa, and turned not aside from doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord.
33 However the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts to the God of their fathers.
nevertheless the high places yet remained; and as yet the people did not direct their heart to the Lord God of their fathers.
34 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.
And the rest of the acts of Josaphat, the first and the last, behold, they are written in the history of Jeu [the son] of Anani, who wrote the book of the kings of Israel.
35 After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very wickedly:
And afterwards Josaphat king of Juda entered into an alliance with Ochozias king of Israel, (now this was an unrighteous man, )
36 and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made the ships in Ezion Geber.
by acting [with] and going to him, to build ships to go to Tharsis: and he built ships in Gasion Gaber.
37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works." The ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
And Eliezer you [son] of Dodia of Marisa prophesied against Josaphat, saying, Forasmuch as you have allied yourself with Ochozias, the Lord has broken your work, and your vessels have been wrecked. And they could not go to Tharsis.

< 2 Chronicles 20 >