The Second Book of the Chronicles

⭑ Literal Standard Version 2020 ⭑

- Chapter 20 -

And it comes to pass after this, the sons of Moab have come in, and the sons of Ammon, and with them of the peoples, to battle against Jehoshaphat.

And [some] come in and declare [it] to Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude has come against you from beyond the sea, from Aram, and behold, they [are] in Hazezon-Tamar—it [is] En-Gedi.”

And Jehoshaphat fears, and sets his face to seek for YHWH, and proclaims a fast over all Judah;

and Judah is gathered to inquire of YHWH; also, from all the cities of Judah they have come to seek YHWH.

Jehoshaphat’s Prayer

And Jehoshaphat stands in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of YHWH, at the front of the new court,

and says, “O YHWH, God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? Indeed, You are ruling over all kingdoms of the nations, and power and might [are] in Your hand, and there is none with You to station himself.

Are You not our God? You have dispossessed the inhabitants of this land from before Your people Israel, and give it to the seed of Your friend Abraham for all time,

and they dwell in it, and build a sanctuary in it for You, for Your Name, saying,

If evil comes on us—sword, judgment, and pestilence, and famine—we stand before this house, and before You, for Your Name [is] in this house, and cry to You out of our distress, and You hear and save.

And now, behold, sons of Ammon, and Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not grant to Israel to go in against in their coming out of the land of Egypt, for they turned aside from off them and did not destroy them,

and behold, they are repaying to us—to come to drive us out of Your possession that You have caused us to possess.

O our God, do You not execute judgment on them? For there is no power in us before this great multitude that has come against us, and we do not know what we do, but our eyes [are] on You.”

And all Judah is standing before YHWH, also their infants, their wives, and their sons.

The Prophecy of Jahaziel

And the Spirit of YHWH has been on Jahaziel, son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly,

and he says, “Attend, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and O King Jehoshaphat, Thus said YHWH to you: You do not fear, nor be afraid of the face of this great multitude, for the battle [is] not for you, but for God.

Tomorrow, go down against them, behold, they are coming up by the ascent of Ziz, and you have found them in the end of the valley, the front of the wilderness of Jeruel.

[It is] not for you to fight in this; station yourselves, stand, and see the salvation of YHWH with you, O Judah and Jerusalem—do not be afraid nor fear—tomorrow go out before them, and YHWH [is] with you.”

And Jehoshaphat bows—face to the earth—and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem have fallen before YHWH, to bow themselves to YHWH.

And the Levites, of the sons of the Kohathites, and of the sons of the Korahites, rise to give praise to YHWH, God of Israel, with a loud voice on high.

The Enemies Destroy Themselves

And they rise early in the morning, and go out to the wilderness of Tekoa, and in their going out Jehoshaphat has stood and says, “Hear me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, remain steadfast in your God YHWH, and be steadfast; remain steadfast in His prophets and prosper.”

And he takes counsel with the people, and appoints singers for YHWH, and those giving praise for the honor of holiness, in the going out before the armed [men], and saying, “Give thanks to YHWH, for His kindness [is] for all time.”

And at the time they have begun with singing and praise, YHWH has put ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who are coming in to Judah, and they are struck,

and the sons of Ammon stand up, and Moab, against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, to devote and to destroy, and at their finishing with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped, a man against his neighbor, to destroy.

And Judah has come to the watchtower in the wilderness, and they look toward the multitude, and behold, they [are] carcasses fallen to the earth, and none [had] an escape,

and Jehoshaphat comes in, and his people, to seize their spoil, and they find among them, in abundance, both goods and carcasses, and desirable vessels, and they take spoil for themselves without prohibition, and they are seizing the spoil [for] three days, for it [is] abundant.

The Joyful Return

And on the fourth day they have been assembled at the Valley of Blessing, for there they blessed YHWH: therefore they have called the name of that place, “Valley of Blessing,” to this day.

And they return, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for YHWH has made them rejoice over their enemies.

And they come to Jerusalem with psalteries, and with harps, and with trumpets, to the house of YHWH.

And there is a fear of God on all kingdoms of the lands in their hearing that YHWH has fought with the enemies of Israel,

and the kingdom of Jehoshaphat is quiet, and his God gives rest to him all around.

Summary of Jehoshaphat’s Reign

(1 Kings 22:41–50)

And Jehoshaphat reigns over Judah, a son of thirty-five years in his reigning, and he has reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

And he walks in the way of his father Asa, and has not turned aside from it, to do that which is right in the eyes of YHWH.

Only, the high places have not been removed, and still the people have not prepared their heart for the God of their fathers.

And the rest of the matters of Jehoshaphat, the first and the last, behold, they are written among the matters of Jehu son of Hanani, who has been mentioned on the scroll of the kings of Israel.

Jehoshaphat’s Fleet Is Wrecked

And after this Jehoshaphat king of Judah has joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel (he did wickedly in doing [this]),

and he joins him with himself to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they make ships in Ezion-Geber,

and Eliezer son of Dodavah, of Mareshah, prophesies against Jehoshaphat, saying, “For your joining yourself with Ahaziah, YHWH has broken up your works”; and the ships are broken, and have not retained [power] to go to Tarshish.