20After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle.H310H1121H4124H1121H5983H5984H935H3092H44212Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, "A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; already they are at Hazazon-tamar" (that is, En-gedi).H935H5046H3092H559H935H7227H1995H5676H3220H758H2688H58723Jehoshaphat was afraid; he set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.H3092H3372H5414H6440H1875H3068H7121H6685H5921H30634Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the towns of Judah they came to seek the LORD.H3063H6908H1245H3068H5892H3063H935H1245H30685Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,H3092H5975H6951H3063H3389H1004H3068H6440H2319H26916and said, "O LORD, God of our ancestors, are you not God in heaven? Do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand are power and might, so that no one is able to withstand you.H559H3068H430H1H430H8064H4910H4467H1471H3027H3581H1369H33207Did you not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham?H430H3423H3427H776H6440H5971H3478H5414H2233H85H157H57698They have lived in it, and in it have built you a sanctuary for your name, saying,H3427H1129H4720H8034H5599'If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or 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 distress, and you will hear and save.'H7451H935H2719H8196H1698H7458H5975H6440H1004H6440H8034H1004H2199H6869H8085H346710See now, the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy—H1121H5983H4124H2022H8165H5414H3478H935H935H776H4714H5493H804511they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession that you have given us to inherit.H1580H935H1644H3425H342312O our God, will you not execute judgment upon them? For we are powerless against this great multitude that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."H430H8199H3581H6440H7227H1995H935H3045H587H6213H586913Meanwhile all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.H3063H5975H6440H3068H1571H2945H802H112114Then the spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the middle of the assembly.H3166H1121H2148H1121H1141H1121H3273H1121H4983H3881H1121H623H7307H3068H8432H695115He said, "Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not fear or be dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours but God's.H559H7181H3063H3427H3389H4428H3092H559H3068H3372H2865H6440H7227H1995H4421H43016Tomorrow go down against them; they will come up by the ascent of Ziz; you will find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel.H4279H3381H5927H4608H6732H4672H5490H5158H6440H4057H338517This battle is not for you to fight; take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you."H3898H2063H3320H5975H7200H3444H3068H3063H3389H3372H2865H4279H3318H6440H306818Then Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.H3092H6915H639H776H3063H3427H3389H5307H6440H3068H7812H306819And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.H3881H1121H6956H1121H7145H6965H1984H3068H430H3478H1419H6963H460520They rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God and you will be established; believe his prophets."H7925H1242H3318H4057H8620H3318H3092H5975H559H8085H3063H3427H3389H539H3068H430H539H539H5030H674321When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy splendor, as they went before the army, saying, "Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever."H3289H5971H5975H7891H3068H1984H1927H6944H3318H6440H2502H559H3034H3068H2617H576922As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.H6256H2490H7440H8416H3068H5414H693H1121H5983H4124H2022H8165H935H3063H506223For the Ammonites and Moab attacked the inhabitants of Mount Seir, destroying them utterly; and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.H1121H5983H4124H5975H3427H2022H8165H2763H8045H3615H3427H8165H376H5826H4889H745324When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; they were corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.H3063H935H4707H4708H4057H6437H1995H6297H5307H776H641325When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the booty from them, they found livestock in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They spent three days taking the booty, because of its abundance.H3092H5971H935H962H7998H4672H7230H7399H6297H2532H3627H5337H369H4853H7969H3117H962H7998H722726On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the LORD; therefore that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day.H7243H3117H6950H6010H1294H1288H3068H8034H4725H7121H6010H1294H311727Then all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had enabled them to rejoice over their enemies.H7725H376H3063H3389H3092H7218H7725H3389H8057H3068H8055H34128They came to Jerusalem, with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the LORD.H935H3389H5035H3658H2689H1004H306829The fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.H6343H430H4467H776H8085H3068H3898H341H347830And the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.H4438H3092H8252H430H5117H543931So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.H3092H4427H3063H7970H2568H8141H1121H4427H4427H6242H2568H8141H3389H517H8034H5806H1323H797732He walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD.H3212H1870H609H1H5493H6213H3477H5869H306833Yet the high places were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their ancestors.H1116H5493H5971H3559H3824H430H134Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the Annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.H3499H1697H3092H7223H314H3789H1697H3058H1121H2607H5927H5612H4428H347835After this King Jehoshaphat of Judah joined with King Ahaziah of Israel, who did wickedly.H310H3092H4428H3063H2266H274H4428H3478H6213H756136He joined him in building ships to go to Tarshish; they built the ships in Ezion-geber.H2266H6213H591H3212H8659H6213H591H610037Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made." And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.H461H1121H1735H4762H5012H3092H559H2266H274H3068H6555H4639H591H7665H6113H3212H8659
Dublin, OH
