² Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army^(A) is coming against you from Edom,^[a] from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar^(B)” (that is, En Gedi).^{(C) 3} Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast^(D) for all Judah. ⁴ The people of Judah^(E) came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

⁵ Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard ⁶ and said:

¹⁵ He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged^(A) because of this vast army. For the battle^(B) is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see^(C) the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

¹⁸ Jehoshaphat bowed down^(D) with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord.

Do Not Worry^(A)

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry^(B) about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.^(C) Are you not much more valuable than they?^{(D) 27} Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[a]?^(E)

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor^(F) was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?^{(G) 31} So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.^{(H) 33} But seek first his kingdom^(I) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.^{(J) 34} Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.