² Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom,^[a] from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in ^(A)Hazazon-tamar” (that is, ^(B)Engedi). ³ Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face ^(C)to seek the Lord, and ^(D)proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. ⁴ And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

⁵ And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, ⁶ and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not ^(E)God in heaven? You ^(F)rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. ^(G)In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. ⁷ Did you not, our God, ^(H)drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of ^(I)Abraham your friend? ⁸ And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, ^9 (J)‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment,^[b] or pestilence, or famine, ^(K)we will stand before this house and before you—^(L)for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’

¹² O our God, will you not ^(A)execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but ^(B)our eyes are on you.”

¹⁴ And ^(A)the Spirit of the Lord came^[a] upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. ¹⁵ And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ^(B)‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, ^(C)for the battle is not yours but God's. ¹⁶ Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of ^(D)the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. ^17 (E)You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ ^(F)Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, ^(G)and the Lord will be with you.”

¹⁸ Then Jehoshaphat ^(H)bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. ¹⁹ And the Levites, of the ^(I)Kohathites and the ^(J)Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

²⁰ And they rose early in the morning and went out into ^(K)the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! ^(L)Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” ²¹ And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him ^(M)in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,

²² And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ^(O)an ambush against the men of ^(P)Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.