2 Chronicles
Chapter 20
1 After this, the people of Moab and Ammon, together with others besides the Ammonites, went to fight against Jehoshaphat.
2 Some people came to tell Jehoshaphat, “A huge army is coming against you from across the sea near Syria; they are now in Hazazontamar, also known as Engedi.”
3 Jehoshaphat was afraid and decided to look for God, and he announced a fast in all of Judah.
4 Judah came together to ask for God’s help; from all Judah’s cities, they came to seek God.
5 Jehoshaphat stood among the people of Judah and Jerusalem, in God’s house, in front of the new courtyard.
6 And said, “O God of our ancestors, aren’t you the God in heaven? And don’t you rule over all the nations of the foreigners? And in your hand is there not strength and power, so that no one can stand against you?”
7 Aren’t you our God, who drove out the people of this land before your people Israel and gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham, your friend?
8 They lived there and built a holy place for your name, saying,
9 If bad things like war, punishment, sickness, or hunger happen to us, and we stand before this place where you are present (because this place carries your name) and call out to you in our trouble, then you will listen and help us.
10 Now, see, the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who you did not allow Israel to attack when they left Egypt, have not been destroyed because Israel turned away from them.
11 Look, I say, see how they pay us back by coming to throw us out of the land you gave us as our inheritance.
12 Our God, won’t you judge them? We have no power against this large group attacking us; we don’t know what to do, but we look to you for help.
13 Everyone from Judah stood before God with their children, their wives, and their little ones.
14 Then, the Spirit of God came upon Jahaziel, son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite from the family of Asaph, while he was with the group of people.
15 He said, “Listen, all Judah, people of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat, God tells you, don’t be afraid or worried because of this large army; the fight is not yours, it’s God’s.”
16 Tomorrow, go down to fight them. They will climb up by the cliff of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the stream, before the desert of Jeruel.
17 You don’t have to fight in this battle. Just take your positions, stand firm, and watch God save you, Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid or worried. Tomorrow, go face them, because God will be with you.
18 Jehoshaphat bent down with his face to the earth, and all Judah and the people of Jerusalem dropped to the ground before God, worshiping God.
19 The Levites, from the Kohathites and Korhites families, stood up to loudly praise God of Israel.
20 They got up early in the morning, left for the Tekoa desert, and as they started out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem; trust in God and you will be secure; trust his messengers and you will succeed.”
21 After talking with the people, he chose singers for God to praise the holy beauty. They went ahead of the soldiers, singing, “Praise God, for his kindness lasts forever.”
22 As they started to sing and praise, God set up ambushes against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the people of Mount Seir who had attacked Judah, and they were defeated.
23 The people of Ammon and Moab attacked those living on Mount Seir, planning to kill and eliminate them completely. After they finished with the Seir people, they all turned on each other and started killing one another.
24 When Judah reached the lookout tower in the desert, they saw the crowd, and there were all dead bodies on the ground, with no survivors.
25 When Jehoshaphat and his people arrived to collect the enemies’ goods, they found a lot of wealth and valuable jewels on the dead bodies. They took more than they could carry, and it took them three days to gather all the goods because there was so much.
26 On the fourth day, they gathered in Berachah Valley; there they praised God. So they named that place Berachah Valley, which it is still called today.
27 Then they all returned, every person from Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, to go back to Jerusalem happily; because God had made them joyful over their enemies.
28 They came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments, harps, and trumpets to the house of God.
29 All the kingdoms around were afraid of God because they heard that God fought against Israel’s enemies.
30 Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was peaceful because God gave him rest on all sides.
31 Jehoshaphat became king of Judah when he was 35 years old and ruled for 25 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, Shilhi’s daughter.
32 He followed his father Asa’s path without turning away, doing what was right in God’s eyes.
33 However, the high places were not removed because the people had not yet devoted their hearts to their ancestors’ God.
34 The other things Jehoshaphat did, from first to last, are recorded in Jehu son of Hanani’s writings, which are listed in the history book about Israel’s kings.
35 After this, Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, partnered with Ahaziah, the king of Israel, who was very wicked.
36 He partnered with him to build ships to sail to Tarshish, and they constructed the ships in Eziongeber.
37 Eliezer, Dodavah’s son from Mareshah, warned Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you teamed up with Ahaziah, God has ruined what you did. And the ships were wrecked so they couldn’t sail to Tarshish.”