Font Size
1 Kings 22:10-28
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 Kings 22:10-28
Holman Christian Standard Bible
10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah,(A) clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were on the threshing floor(B) at the entrance to Samaria’s gate, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11 Then Zedekiah(C) son of Chenaanah made iron horns(D) and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.’” 12 And all the prophets were prophesying the same: “March up to Ramoth-gilead(E) and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”
Micaiah’s Message of Defeat
13 The messenger(F) who went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”
14 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives,(G) I will say whatever the Lord says to me.”(H)
15 So he went to the king, and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should we refrain?”
Micaiah told him, “March up and succeed. Yahweh will hand it over to the king.”
16 But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of Yahweh?”
17 So Micaiah said:
I saw all Israel scattered on the hills
like sheep without a shepherd.(I)
And the Lord said,
“They have no master;
let everyone return home in peace.”(J)
18 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?”
19 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne,(K) and the whole heavenly host(L) was standing by Him at His right hand and at His left hand. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’(M) So one was saying this and another was saying that.
21 “Then a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
22 “The Lord asked him, ‘How?’
“He said, ‘I will go and become a lying spirit(N) in the mouth of all his prophets.’
“Then He said, ‘You will certainly entice him and prevail.(O) Go and do that.’
23 “You see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced disaster against you.”
24 Then Zedekiah(P) son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Did[a] the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?”(Q)
25 Micaiah replied, “You will soon see when you go to hide yourself in an inner chamber on that day.”(R)
26 Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son,(S) 27 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison(T) and feed him only bread and water[b] until I come back safely.’”
28 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.”(U) Then he said, “Listen, all you people!”[c](V)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 22:24 Lit Which way did
- 1 Kings 22:27 Lit him on bread of oppression and water of oppression
- 1 Kings 22:28 LXX omits Then he said, “Listen, all you people!”
1 Kings 22:10-28
New International Version
1 Kings 22:10-28
New International Version
10 Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor(A) by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. 11 Now Zedekiah(B) son of Kenaanah had made iron horns(C) and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’”
12 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
13 The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”(D)
14 But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.”(E)
15 When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?”
“Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
16 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
17 Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered(F) on the hills like sheep without a shepherd,(G) and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’”
18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”
19 Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne(H) with all the multitudes(I) of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’
“One suggested this, and another that. 21 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’
22 “‘By what means?’ the Lord asked.
“‘I will go out and be a deceiving(J) spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.
“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’
23 “So now the Lord has put a deceiving(K) spirit in the mouths of all these prophets(L) of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster(M) for you.”
24 Then Zedekiah(N) son of Kenaanah went up and slapped(O) Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from[a] the Lord go when he went from me to speak(P) to you?” he asked.
25 Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide(Q) in an inner room.”
26 The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son 27 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison(R) and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’”
28 Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken(S) through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!”
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 22:24 Or Spirit of
2 Chronicles 18:9-27
Holman Christian Standard Bible
2 Chronicles 18:9-27
Holman Christian Standard Bible
9 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were sitting on the threshing floor at the entrance to Samaria’s gate,(A) and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 10 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.’” 11 And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “March up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”
Micaiah’s Message of Defeat
12 The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”
13 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, I will say whatever my God says.”[a](B)
14 So he went to the king, and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should I[b] refrain?”
Micaiah said, “March up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you.”
15 But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of Yahweh?”
16 So Micaiah said:
I saw all Israel scattered on the hills
like sheep without a shepherd.(C)
And the Lord said,
“They have no master;
let each return home in peace.”
17 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?”
18 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and the whole heavenly host was standing at His right hand and at His left hand.(D) 19 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ So one was saying this and another was saying that.
20 “Then(E) a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
“The Lord asked him, ‘How?’
21 “So he said, ‘I will go and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’
“Then He said, ‘You will entice him and also prevail. Go and do that.’
22 “Now, you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into the mouth of[c] these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced disaster against you.”
23 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the spirit from the Lord leave me to speak to you?”
24 Micaiah replied, “You will soon see when you go to hide yourself in an inner chamber on that day.”(F)
25 Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and return him(G) to Amon, the governor of the city,(H) and to Joash, the king’s son, 26 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison(I) and feed him only bread and water[d] until I come back safely.’”
27 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he said, “Listen, all you people!”(J)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Chronicles 18:13 LXX, Vg add to me; 1Kg 22:14
- 2 Chronicles 18:14 LXX reads we; 1Kg 22:15
- 2 Chronicles 18:22 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg add all; 1Kg 22:23
- 2 Chronicles 18:26 Lit him on bread of oppression and water of oppression
2 Chronicles 18:9-27
New International Version
2 Chronicles 18:9-27
New International Version
9 Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. 10 Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns, and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’”
11 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead(A) and be victorious,” they said, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
12 The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”
13 But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says.”(B)
14 When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”
“Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for they will be given into your hand.”
15 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
16 Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel(C) scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd,(D) and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’”
17 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”
18 Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne(E) with all the multitudes of heaven standing on his right and on his left. 19 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’
“One suggested this, and another that. 20 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’
“‘By what means?’ the Lord asked.
21 “‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit(F) in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.
“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’
22 “So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours.(G) The Lord has decreed disaster for you.”
23 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped(H) Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from[a] the Lord go when he went from me to speak to you?” he asked.
24 Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.”
25 The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son, 26 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison(I) and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’”
27 Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!”
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 18:23 Or Spirit of
1 Kings 22:29-35
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 Kings 22:29-35
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Ahab’s Death
29 Then(A) the king of Israel and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.(B) 30 But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise(C) myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.(D)
31 Now the king of Aram had ordered his 32 chariot commanders,(E) “Do not fight with anyone at all except the king of Israel.”(F)
32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
34 But a man drew his bow(G) without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle,[a] for I am badly wounded!”(H) 35 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening,(I) and blood from his wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 22:34 LXX; MT reads camp
1 Kings 22:29-35
New International Version
1 Kings 22:29-35
New International Version
Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead(A)
29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise,(B) but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
31 Now the king of Aram(C) had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king(D) of Israel.” 32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “Surely this is the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him, but when Jehoshaphat cried out, 33 the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel and stopped pursuing him.
34 But someone drew his bow(E) at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” 35 All day long the battle raged, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died.
2 Chronicles 18:28-34
Holman Christian Standard Bible
2 Chronicles 18:28-34
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Ahab’s Death
28 Then the king of Israel and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead. 29 But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.(A)
30 Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”
31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out(B) and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him. 32 When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
33 But a man drew his bow without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to the charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle,[a] for I am badly wounded!”(C) 34 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then he died at sunset.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Chronicles 18:33 LXX, Vg; MT reads camp
2 Chronicles 18:28-34
New International Version
2 Chronicles 18:28-34
New International Version
Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead(A)
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised(B) himself and went into battle.
30 Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” 31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “This is the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out,(C) and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him, 32 for when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him.
33 But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the breastplate and the scale armor. The king told the chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” 34 All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.(D)
1 Kings 22:36-40
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 Kings 22:36-40
Holman Christian Standard Bible
36 Then the cry rang out in the army as the sun set, declaring:
Each man to his own city,
and each man to his own land!(A)
37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria.(B) 38 Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed in it, according to the word of the Lord that He had spoken.(C)
39 The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, including the ivory palace(D) he built, and all the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.(E) 40 Ahab rested with his fathers,(F) and his son Ahaziah(G) became king in his place.
Read full chapter
1 Kings 22:36-40
New International Version
1 Kings 22:36-40
New International Version
36 As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army: “Every man to his town. Every man to his land!”(A)
37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him there. 38 They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed),[a] and the dogs(B) licked up his blood, as the word of the Lord had declared.
39 As for the other events of Ahab’s reign, including all he did, the palace he built and adorned with ivory,(C) and the cities he fortified, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 40 Ahab rested with his ancestors. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 22:38 Or Samaria and cleaned the weapons
1 Kings 22:51-53
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 Kings 22:51-53
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Israel’s King Ahaziah
51 Ahaziah(A) son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria(B) in the seventeenth year of Judah’s King Jehoshaphat(C) and reigned over Israel two years. 52 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.(D) He walked in the way of his father,(E) in the way of his mother,(F) and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.(G) 53 He served Baal and worshiped him.(H) He provoked the Lord God of Israel just as his father had done.(I)
Read full chapter
1 Kings 22:51-53
New International Version
1 Kings 22:51-53
New International Version
Ahaziah King of Israel
51 Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 52 He did evil(A) in the eyes of the Lord, because he followed the ways of his father and mother and of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. 53 He served and worshiped Baal(B) and aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, just as his father(C) had done.
2 Chronicles 19:1-20:30
Holman Christian Standard Bible
2 Chronicles 19:1-20:30
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jehu’s Rebuke of Jehoshaphat
19 Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned to his home in Jerusalem in peace. 2 Then Jehu(A) son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him[a] and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Do you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?(B) Because of this, the Lord’s wrath is on you.(C) 3 However, some good is found in you, for you have removed the Asherah poles from the land and have decided to seek God.”(D)
Jehoshaphat’s Reforms
4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and once again he went out among the people from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.(E) 5 He appointed judges in all the fortified cities of the land of Judah, city by city.(F) 6 Then he said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the matter of judgment.(G) 7 And now, may the terror of the Lord be on you. Watch what you do, for there is no injustice or partiality or taking bribes with the Lord our God.”(H)
8 Jehoshaphat also appointed in Jerusalem some of the Levites and priests and some of the heads of the Israelite families for deciding the Lord’s will and for settling disputes of the residents of[b] Jerusalem. 9 He commanded them, saying, “In the fear of the Lord, with integrity, and with a whole heart, you are to do the following: 10 for every dispute that comes to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities—whether it regards differences of bloodguilt, law, commandment, statutes, or judgments(I)—you are to warn them, so they will not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath will not come on you and your brothers.(J) Do this, and you will not incur guilt.
11 “Note that Amariah, the chief priest, is over you in all matters related to the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all matters related to the king, and the Levites are officers in your presence. Be strong; may the Lord be with those who do what is good.”(K)
War against Eastern Enemies
20 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites,[c](L) came to fight against Jehoshaphat. 2 People came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom[d] has come to fight against you; they are already in Hazazon-tamar”(M) (that is, En-gedi). 3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved(N) to seek the Lord. Then he proclaimed a fast(O) for all Judah, 4 who gathered to seek the Lord. They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.
Jehoshaphat’s Prayer
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the Lord’s temple before the new courtyard. 6 He said:
Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, are You not the God who is in heaven,(P) and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations?(Q) Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You. 7 Are You not our God who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel(R) and who gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham(S) Your friend? 8 They have lived in the land and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name and have said, 9 “If disaster comes on us—sword or judgment, pestilence or famine(T)—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your name is in this temple.(U) We will cry out to You because of our distress, and You will hear and deliver.”
10 Now here are the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir.(V) You did not let Israel invade them when Israel came out of the land of Egypt, but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.(W) 11 Look how they repay us by coming to drive us out of Your possession that You gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, will You not judge them?(X) For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to You.[e](Y)
God’s Answer
13 All Judah was standing before the Lord with their infants, their wives, and their children. 14 In the middle of the congregation, the Spirit of the Lord came on(Z) Jahaziel (son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants), 15 and he said, “Listen carefully, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number,(AA) for the battle is not yours, but God’s.(AB) 16 Tomorrow, go down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.(AC) He is with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged.(AD) Tomorrow, go out to face them, for Yahweh is with you.’”(AE)
18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord to worship Him.(AF) 19 Then the Levites from the sons of the Kohathites and the Korahites(AG) stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel shouting with a loud voice.
Victory and Plunder
20 In the morning they got up early and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were about to go out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in Yahweh your God, and you will be established;(AH) believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.” 21 Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of His holiness.(AI) When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing:[f]
Give thanks to the Lord,
for His faithful love endures forever.(AJ)
22 The moment they began their shouts and praises, the Lord set an ambush(AK) against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites turned against the inhabitants of Mount Seir and completely annihilated them.(AL) When they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped destroy each other.(AM)
24 When Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the large army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; nobody had escaped. 25 Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to gather the plunder. They found among them[g] an abundance of goods on the bodies[h] and valuable items. So they stripped them until nobody could carry any more. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much. 26 They assembled in the Valley of Beracah[i] on the fourth day, for there they praised the Lord. Therefore, that place is still called the Valley of Beracah today.
27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem turned back with Jehoshaphat their leader, returning joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord enabled them to rejoice over their enemies. 28 So they came into Jerusalem to the Lord’s temple with harps, lyres, and trumpets.
29 The terror of God(AN) was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that Yahweh had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was quiet, for his God gave him rest on every side.(AO)
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 19:2 Lit to his face
- 2 Chronicles 19:8 LXX, Vg; MT reads disputes and they returned to
- 2 Chronicles 20:1 LXX; MT reads Ammonites; 2Ch 26:7
- 2 Chronicles 20:2 Some Hb mss, Old Lat; other Hb mss read Aram
- 2 Chronicles 20:12 Lit but on You our eyes
- 2 Chronicles 20:21 Lit saying
- 2 Chronicles 20:25 LXX reads found cattle
- 2 Chronicles 20:25 Some Hb mss, Old Lat, Vg read goods, garments
- 2 Chronicles 20:26 = Blessing
2 Chronicles 19:1-20:30
New International Version
2 Chronicles 19:1-20:30
New International Version
19 When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, 2 Jehu(A) the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, “Should you help the wicked(B) and love[a] those who hate the Lord?(C) Because of this, the wrath(D) of the Lord is on you. 3 There is, however, some good(E) in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles(F) and have set your heart on seeking God.(G)”
Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges
4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 5 He appointed judges(H) in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. 6 He told them, “Consider carefully what you do,(I) because you are not judging for mere mortals(J) but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. 7 Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice(K) or partiality(L) or bribery.”
8 In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites,(M) priests(N) and heads of Israelite families to administer(O) the law of the Lord and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. 9 He gave them these orders: “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord. 10 In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord;(P) otherwise his wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.
11 “Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and the Levites will serve as officials before you. Act with courage,(Q) and may the Lord be with those who do well.”
Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon
20 After this, the Moabites(R) and Ammonites with some of the Meunites[b](S) came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.
2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army(T) is coming against you from Edom,[c] from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar(U)” (that is, En Gedi).(V) 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast(W) for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah(X) 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:
“Lord, the God of our ancestors,(Y) are you not the God who is in heaven?(Z) You rule over all the kingdoms(AA) of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.(AB) 7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land(AC) before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?(AD) 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary(AE) for your Name, saying, 9 ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine,(AF) we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
10 “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt;(AG) so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession(AH) you gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, will you not judge them?(AI) For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.(AJ)”
13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.
14 Then the Spirit(AK) of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah,(AL) a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
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(AM) because of this vast army. For the battle(AN) 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(AO) 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(AP) with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith(AQ) in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.(AR)” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his[d] holiness(AS) as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”(AT)
22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes(AU) against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites(AV) and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir(AW) to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.(AX)
24 When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. 25 So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing[e] and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah[f] to this day.
27 Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.
29 The fear(AY) of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought(AZ) against the enemies of Israel. 30 And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest(BA) on every side.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 19:2 Or and make alliances with
- 2 Chronicles 20:1 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew Ammonites
- 2 Chronicles 20:2 One Hebrew manuscript; most Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate Aram
- 2 Chronicles 20:21 Or him with the splendor of
- 2 Chronicles 20:25 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts corpses
- 2 Chronicles 20:26 Berakah means praise.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.