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2 Chronicles 19-20
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)

Summary of Jehoshaphat’s Reign

31 Jehoshaphat became king over Judah.(AP) He was 35 years old when he became king and reigned 25 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32 He walked in the way of Asa his father; he did not turn away from it but did what was right in the Lord’s sight. 33 However, the high places were not taken away;(AQ) the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.(AR)

34 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign from beginning to end are written in the Events of Jehu(AS) son of Hanani, which is recorded in the Book of Israel’s Kings.(AT)

Jehoshaphat’s Fleet of Ships

35 After this,(AU) Judah’s King Jehoshaphat made an alliance with Israel’s King Ahaziah, who was guilty of wrongdoing. 36 Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with him to make ships to go to Tarshish,(AV) and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. 37 Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you formed an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord has broken up what you have made.” So the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 19:2 Lit to his face
  2. 2 Chronicles 19:8 LXX, Vg; MT reads disputes and they returned to
  3. 2 Chronicles 20:1 LXX; MT reads Ammonites; 2Ch 26:7
  4. 2 Chronicles 20:2 Some Hb mss, Old Lat; other Hb mss read Aram
  5. 2 Chronicles 20:12 Lit but on You our eyes
  6. 2 Chronicles 20:21 Lit saying
  7. 2 Chronicles 20:25 LXX reads found cattle
  8. 2 Chronicles 20:25 Some Hb mss, Old Lat, Vg read goods, garments
  9. 2 Chronicles 20:26 = Blessing
Listen to 2 Chronicles 19-20
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2 Chronicles 19-20
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.

The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign(BB)

31 So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32 He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. 33 The high places,(BC) however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.

34 The other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu(BD) son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.

35 Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance(BE) with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose ways were wicked.(BF) 36 He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships.[g] After these were built at Ezion Geber, 37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships(BG) were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.[h]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 19:2 Or and make alliances with
  2. 2 Chronicles 20:1 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew Ammonites
  3. 2 Chronicles 20:2 One Hebrew manuscript; most Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate Aram
  4. 2 Chronicles 20:21 Or him with the splendor of
  5. 2 Chronicles 20:25 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts corpses
  6. 2 Chronicles 20:26 Berakah means praise.
  7. 2 Chronicles 20:36 Hebrew of ships that could go to Tarshish
  8. 2 Chronicles 20:37 Hebrew sail for Tarshish
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