Ii Paralipomenon 20
1 post haec congregati sunt filii Moab et filii Ammon et cum eis de Ammanitis ad Iosaphat ut pugnarent contra eum
Later [armies from] Moab and Ammon and some soldiers from [the] Meun [area in Edom] came [to fight] against Jehoshaphat’s [army].
2 veneruntque nuntii et indicaverunt Iosaphat dicentes venit contra te multitudo magna de his locis quae trans mare sunt et de Syria et ecce consistunt in Asasonthamar quae est Engaddi
Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A huge army is coming to attack your army. They are coming from [the] Edom [region], from the eastern side of the [Dead] Sea. They have already come to Hazazon-Tamar!” Another name for that place is En-Gedi.
3 Iosaphat autem timore perterritus totum se contulit ad rogandum Dominum et praedicavit ieiunium universo Iuda
Jehoshaphat became very afraid, so he decided to ask Yahweh [what he should do]. He also proclaimed that all [the people of] Judah should fast.
4 congregatusque Iudas ad precandum Dominum sed et omnes de urbibus suis venerunt ad obsecrandum eum
The people of Judah gathered together to request Yahweh to help them. They came [to Jerusalem] from every town in Judah to seek help from Yahweh.
5 cumque stetisset Iosaphat in medio coetu Iudae et Hierusalem in domo Domini ante atrium novum
Then Jehoshaphat stood up in front of the people of Judah in front of the new courtyard of the temple,
6 ait Domine Deus patrum nostrorum tu es Deus in caelo et dominaris cunctis regnis gentium in manu tua est fortitudo et potentia nec quisquam tibi potest resistere
and he prayed this: “Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors belonged to, you are surely the God who [rules from] heaven. You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. You have great power, and no one can successfully oppose you.
7 nonne tu Deus noster interfecisti omnes habitatores terrae huius coram populo tuo Israhel et dedisti eam semini Abraham amici tui in sempiternum
Our God, you expelled the people who lived in this land while your Israeli people advanced, and you certainly gave it to us who are descendants of your friend Abraham, to belong to us forever.
8 habitaveruntque in ea et extruxerunt in illa sanctuarium nomini tuo dicentes
We have lived here and have built a temple where we, your people, worship you. We said,
9 si inruerint super nos mala gladius iudicii pestilentia et fames stabimus coram domo hac in conspectu tuo in qua invocatum est nomen tuum et clamabimus ad te in tribulationibus nostris et exaudies salvosque facies
'If we experience disasters, either from our enemies attacking us or from you punishing us, or if we experience a plague or a famine, we will stand in your presence in front of this temple that is built to honor you, and we will cry out to you when we are distressed/suffering, and you will hear us and will rescue us.'
10 nunc igitur ecce filii Ammon et Moab et mons Seir per quos non concessisti Israheli ut transirent quando egrediebantur de Aegypto sed declinaverunt ab eis et non interfecerunt illos
You would not allow our Israeli ancestors to enter the countries of Ammon and Moab and Edom when they were traveling from Egypt [to Canaan]. So our ancestors turned away from those areas and did not attack the people there and did not destroy them. But now they are coming here [to attack us].
11 e contrario agunt et nituntur eicere nos de possessione quam tradidisti nobis
[We did not destroy them. But now] look at how they are repaying us by trying to expel us from the land that you gave to our ancestors to belong to them [and their descendants forever]
12 Deus noster ergo non iudicabis eos in nobis quidem non tanta est fortitudo ut possimus huic multitudini resistere quae inruit super nos sed cum ignoremus quid agere debeamus hoc solum habemus residui ut oculos nostros dirigamus ad te
So, our God, please punish them, because we do not have enough power to resist/defeat this huge army that is coming to attack us. We do not know what to do. But we are pleading for you to help us.”
13 omnis vero Iuda stabat coram Domino cum parvulis et uxoribus et liberis suis
All the men of Judah and their wives and children and babies were standing there in the presence of Yahweh [while Jehoshaphat prayed].
14 erat autem Hiazihel filius Zacchariae filii Banaiae filii Hiehihel filii Mathaniae Levites de filiis Asaph super quem factus est spiritus Domini in medio turbae
Then the Spirit of Yahweh came upon Jahaziel, who was the son of Zechariah, who was the son of Benaiah, who was the son of Jeiel, who was the son of Mattaniah. He was a descendant of Levi and a descendant of Asaph. He stood up in front of the whole group that was gathered there,
15 et ait adtendite omnis Iuda et qui habitatis Hierusalem et tu rex Iosaphat haec dicit Dominus vobis nolite timere nec paveatis hanc multitudinem non est enim vestra pugna sed Dei
and said, “King Jehoshaphat and all you who live in Jerusalem and in other places in Judah, listen! This is what Yahweh says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this huge army [that is coming to attack you], because it is not you who [will win] this battle. It is God [who will win it].
16 cras descendetis contra eos ascensuri enim sunt per clivum nomine Sis et invenietis illos in summitate torrentis qui est contra solitudinem Hieruhel
Tomorrow march down toward them. They will be climbing up through Ziz Pass [north of En-Gedi]. You will meet them at the end of the gorge near the Jeruel Desert.
17 non eritis vos qui dimicabitis sed tantummodo confidenter state et videbitis auxilium Domini super vos o Iuda et Hierusalem nolite timere nec paveatis cras egredimini contra eos et Dominus erit vobiscum
But you will not need to fight this battle. You soldiers from Jerusalem and other places in Judah, just take your positions, and then stand still and watch [what will happen]. You will see Yahweh rescue you. Do not be afraid or discouraged. March toward them tomorrow, and Yahweh will be with you.’”
18 Iosaphat ergo et Iuda et omnes habitatores Hierusalem ceciderunt proni in terram coram Domino et adoraverunt eum
Jehoshaphat prostrated himself with his face touching the ground, and all the people of Jerusalem and other places in Judah [who were there] knelt down to worship Yahweh.
19 porro Levitae de filiis Caath et de filiis Core laudabant Dominum Deum Israhel voce magna in excelsum
Then some descendants of Levi who were descendants of both Kohath and Korah stood up and loudly praised Yahweh, the God whom the Israelis [belonged to].
20 cumque mane surrexissent egressi sunt per desertum Thecuae profectisque eis stans Iosaphat in medio eorum dixit audite me Iuda et omnes habitatores Hierusalem credite in Domino Deo vestro et securi eritis credite prophetis eius et cuncta evenient prospera
Early the next morning the army left to go to the desert near Tekoa [town]. While they were leaving, Jehoshaphat stood up and said to the people, “You people of Jerusalem and other places in Judah, listen to me! Trust in Yahweh our God; if you do that, you will be strong. Trust in [what] his prophets [have said]; if you do that, you will be successful.”
21 deditque consilium populo et statuit cantores Domini ut laudarent eum in turmis suis et antecederent exercitum ac voce consona dicerent confitemini Domino quoniam in aeternum misericordia eius
Then, after consulting with some of the people, he appointed some men to go in front of the army, singing to Yahweh and praising him because of his being holy and wonderful. They were singing, “Thank Yahweh, because he faithfully loves us forever.”
22 cumque coepissent laudes canere vertit Dominus insidias eorum in semet ipsos filiorum scilicet Ammon et Moab et montis Seir qui egressi fuerant ut pugnarent contra Iudam et percussi sunt
When they began to sing and praise Yahweh, Yahweh caused the soldiers from Ammon and Moab and Edom who were invading Judah to panic, with the result that they were defeated.
23 namque filii Ammon et Moab consurrexerunt adversum habitatores montis Seir ut interficerent et delerent eos cumque hoc opere perpetrassent etiam in semet ipsos versi mutuis concidere vulneribus
The soldiers from Ammon and Moab started to fight against the soldiers from Edom, and they completely annihilated the soldiers from Edom. After they finished slaughtering the men from Edom, they started to attack each other.
24 porro Iudas cum venisset ad speculam quae respicit solitudinem vidit procul omnem late regionem plenam cadaveribus nec superesse quemquam qui necem potuisset evadere
When the soldiers from Judah came to the place where they could look down over the desert, they looked toward that huge army [of their enemies], and they saw only corpses lying on the ground. No one had survived.
25 venit ergo Iosaphat et omnis populus cum eo ad detrahenda spolia mortuorum inveneruntque inter cadavera variam supellectilem vestes quoque et vasa pretiosissima et diripuerunt ita ut omnia portare non possent nec per tres dies spolia auferre pro praedae magnitudine
So Jehoshaphat and his soldiers went to take the possessions of their enemies, and they saw that there was a lot of equipment and clothing and other valuable things; there was more than they could carry away. There were very many things, with the result that it took three days for them to collect it all.
26 die autem quarto congregati sunt in valle Benedictionis etenim quoniam ibi benedixerant Domino vocaverunt locum illum vallis Benedictionis usque in praesentem diem
The following day they gathered in Beracah Valley and praised Yahweh there. That is why that valley is still called Beracah, [which means praise.]
27 reversusque est omnis vir Iuda et habitatores Hierusalem et Iosaphat ante eos in Hierusalem cum laetitia magna eo quod dedisset eis Dominus gaudium de inimicis suis
Then while Jehoshaphat led them, all the soldiers who were from Jerusalem and other places in Judah returned to Jerusalem. They were happy because Yahweh had enabled them to defeat their enemies.
28 ingressique sunt Hierusalem cum psalteriis et citharis et tubis in domum Domini
When they arrived at Jerusalem, they went to the temple, [playing] harps and lutes and trumpets.
29 inruit autem pavor Domini super universa regna terrarum cum audissent quod pugnasset Dominus contra inimicos Israhel
People in the kingdoms of the nearby countries became very afraid when they heard how Yahweh had fought against the enemies of the Israelis.
30 quievitque regnum Iosaphat et praebuit ei Deus pacem per circuitum
Then there was peace in the kingdom that was ruled by Jehoshaphat, because God had caused the surrounding nations not to attack it.
31 regnavit igitur Iosaphat super Iudam et erat triginta quinque annorum cum regnare coepisset viginti autem et quinque annis regnavit in Hierusalem nomen matris eius Azuba filia Selachi
Jehoshaphat continued to rule Judah. He was 35 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother’s name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
32 et ambulavit in via patris sui Asa nec declinavit ab ea faciens quae placita erant coram Domino
He did things that were pleasing to Yahweh, like his father Asa had done, and he did not stop doing those things.
33 verumtamen excelsa non abstulit et adhuc populus non direxerat cor suum ad Dominum Deum patrum suorum
But he did not get rid of the shrines on the hilltops, and many of the people still did not faithfully do what the God whom their ancestors belonged to wanted.
34 reliqua autem gestorum Iosaphat priorum et novissimorum scripta sunt in verbis Hieu filii Anani quae digessit in libro regum Israhel
A record of the other things that Jehoshaphat did while he ruled, from when he began to rule until he died, is in the scrolls written by [the prophet] Jehu, the son of Hanani. They are also in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Israel.
35 post haec iniit amicitias Iosaphat rex Iuda cum Ochozia rege Israhel cuius opera fuerunt impiissima
During his reign, Jehoshaphat made a treaty with Ahaziah, the king of Israel, who was a very wicked king.
36 et particeps fuit ut facerent naves quae irent in Tharsis feceruntque classem in Asiongaber
They agreed that their workers would build a fleet of ships to use to buy and sell [things with other countries]. After those ships were built at Ezion-Geber [on the Gulf of Aqaba],
37 prophetavit autem Eliezer filius Dodoau de Maresa ad Iosaphat dicens quia habuisti foedus cum Ochozia percussit Dominus opera tua contritaeque sunt naves nec potuerunt ire in Tharsis
Eliezer the son of Dodavahu from Mareshah [city] warned Jehoshaphat. He said, “You have made an alliance with Ahaziah, [who is a wicked king]. Therefore, Yahweh will destroy the ships that your workers have made.” And the ships were wrecked, and were not able to sail to other countries.
