2Chronicles 20

War with Surrounding Nations

20After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites

declared war on Jehoshaphat.H310H1121H4124H1121H5983H5984H935H3092H44212Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army from Edom

is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar." (This was another name for En-gedi.)H935H5046H3092H559H935H7227H1995H5676H3220H758H2688H58723Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the LORD for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting.H3092H3372H5414H6440H1875H3068H7121H6685H5921H30634So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the LORD's help.H3063H6908H1245H3068H5892H3063H935H1245H30685Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the LORD.H3092H5975H6951H3063H3389H1004H3068H6440H2319H26916He prayed, "O LORD, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you!H559H3068H430H1H430H8064H4910H4467H1471H3027H3581H1369H33207O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham?H430H3423H3427H776H6440H5971H3478H5414H2233H85H157H57698Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name.H3427H1129H4720H8034H5599They said, 'Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war

, plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.'H7451H935H2719H8196H1698H7458H5975H6440H1004H6440H8034H1004H2199H6869H8085H346710"And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them.H1121H5983H4124H2022H8165H5414H3478H935H935H776H4714H5493H804511Now see how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as an inheritance.H1580H935H1644H3425H342312O our God, won't you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help."H430H8199H3581H6440H7227H1995H935H3045H587H6213H586913As all the men of Judah stood before the LORD with their little ones, wives, and children,H3063H5975H6440H3068H1571H2945H802H112114the Spirit of the LORD came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.H3166H1121H2148H1121H1141H1121H3273H1121H4983H3881H1121H623H7307H3068H8432H695115He said, "Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don't be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God's.H559H7181H3063H3427H3389H4428H3092H559H3068H3372H2865H6440H7227H1995H4421H43016Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel.H4279H3381H5927H4608H6732H4672H5490H5158H6440H4057H338517But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD's victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!"H3898H2063H3320H5975H7200H3444H3068H3063H3389H3372H2865H4279H3318H6440H306818Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the LORD.H3092H6915H639H776H3063H3427H3389H5307H6440H3068H7812H306819Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.H3881H1121H6956H1121H7145H6965H1984H3068H430H3478H1419H6963H460520Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, "Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed."H7925H1242H3318H4057H8620H3318H3092H5975H559H8085H3063H3427H3389H539H3068H430H539H539H5030H674321After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: "Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!"H3289H5971H5975H7891H3068H1984H1927H6944H3318H6440H2502H559H3034H3068H2617H576922At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the LORD caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.H6256H2490H7440H8416H3068H5414H693H1121H5983H4124H2022H8165H935H3063H506223The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other.H1121H5983H4124H5975H3427H2022H8165H2763H8045H3615H3427H8165H376H5826H4889H745324So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.H3063H935H4707H4708H4057H6437H1995H6297H5307H776H641325King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing

, and other valuables—more than they could carry. There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all!H3092H5971H935H962H7998H4672H7230H7399H6297H2532H3627H5337H369H4853H7969H3117H962H7998H722726On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing

, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the LORD there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.H7243H3117H6950H6010H1294H1288H3068H8034H4725H7121H6010H1294H311727Then all the men returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, overjoyed that the LORD had given them victory over their enemies.H7725H376H3063H3389H3092H7218H7725H3389H8057H3068H8055H34128They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets, and they proceeded to the Temple of the LORD.H935H3389H5035H3658H2689H1004H306829When all the surrounding kingdoms heard that the LORD himself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them.H6343H430H4467H776H8085H3068H3898H341H347830So Jehoshaphat's kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.H4438H3092H8252H430H5117H5439

Summary of Jehoshaphat’s Reign

31So Jehoshaphat ruled over the land of Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.H3092H4427H3063H7970H2568H8141H1121H4427H4427H6242H2568H8141H3389H517H8034H5806H1323H797732Jehoshaphat was a good king, following the ways of his father, Asa. He did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight.H3212H1870H609H1H5493H6213H3477H5869H306833During his reign, however, he failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people never fully committed themselves to follow the God of their ancestors.H1116H5493H5971H3559H3824H430H134The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat's reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in The Record of Jehu Son of Hanani, which is included in The Book of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H3092H7223H314H3789H1697H3058H1121H2607H5927H5612H4428H347835Some time later King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who was very wicked

.H310H3092H4428H3063H2266H274H4428H3478H6213H756136Together they built a fleet of trading ships

at the port of Ezion-geber.H2266H6213H591H3212H8659H6213H591H610037Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat. He said, "Because you have allied yourself with King Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy your work." So the ships met with disaster and never put out to sea

.H461H1121H1735H4762H5012H3092H559H2266H274H3068H6555H4639H591H7665H6113H3212H8659