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2 Chronicles 20
New English Translation

The Lord Gives Jehoshaphat Military Success

20 Later the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites,[a] attacked Jehoshaphat. 2 Messengers[b] arrived and reported to Jehoshaphat, “A huge army is attacking you from the other side of the Dead Sea,[c] from the direction of Edom.[d] Look, they are in Hazazon Tamar (that is, En Gedi).” 3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord’s advice.[e] He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast. 4 The people of Judah[f] assembled to ask for the Lord’s help;[g] they came from all the cities of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help.[h]

5 Jehoshaphat stood before the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the Lord’s temple, in front of the new courtyard. 6 He prayed: “O Lord God of our ancestors,[i] you are the God who lives in heaven[j] and rules over all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess strength and power; no one can stand against you. 7 Our God, you drove out[k] the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it as a permanent possession[l] to the descendants of your friend[m] Abraham. 8 They settled down in it and built in it a temple[n] to honor you,[o] saying, 9 ‘If disaster comes on us in the form of military attack,[p] judgment, plague, or famine, we will stand in front of this temple before you, for you are present in this temple.[q] We will cry out to you for help in our distress, so that you will[r] hear and deliver us.’ 10 Now the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir are coming![s] When Israel came from the land of Egypt, you did not allow them to invade these lands.[t] They bypassed them and did not destroy them. 11 Look how they are repaying us! They come to drive us out of our allotted land which you assigned to us! 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us. We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help.”[u]

13 All the men of Judah[v] were standing before the Lord, along with their infants, wives, and children. 14 Then in the midst of the assembly, the Lord’s Spirit came upon Jachaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph. 15 He said: “Pay attention, all you people of Judah,[w] residents of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Don’t be afraid and don’t panic[x] because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them as[y] they come up the Ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the ravine in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not fight in this battle. Take your positions, stand, and watch the Lord deliver you,[z] O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid and don’t panic![aa] Tomorrow march out toward them; the Lord is with you!’”

18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground, and all the people of Judah[ab] and the residents of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord and worshiped him.[ac] 19 Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the Lord God of Israel.[ad]

20 Early the next morning they marched out to the wilderness of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, you people of Judah[ae] and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe![af] Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.” 21 He met[ag] with the people and appointed musicians to play before the Lord and praise his majestic splendor. As they marched ahead of the warriors they said: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his loyal love endures.”[ah]

22 When they began to shout and praise, the Lord suddenly attacked[ai] the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir[aj] who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men from Mount Seir[ak] and annihilated them.[al] When they had finished off the men[am] of Seir, they attacked and destroyed one another.[an] 24 When the men of Judah[ao] arrived at the observation post overlooking the wilderness and looked at[ap] the huge army, they saw dead bodies on the ground; there were no survivors. 25 Jehoshaphat and his men[aq] went to gather the plunder; they found a huge amount of supplies, clothing,[ar] and valuable items. They carried away everything they could.[as] There was so much plunder, it took them three days to haul it off.[at]

26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, where[au] they praised the Lord. So that place is called the Valley of Berachah[av] to this very day. 27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat leading them; the Lord had given them reason to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They entered Jerusalem to the sound of stringed instruments and trumpets and proceeded to the temple of the Lord. 29 All the kingdoms of the surrounding lands were afraid of God[aw] when they heard how the Lord had fought against Israel’s enemies. 30 Jehoshaphat’s kingdom enjoyed peace; his God made him secure on every side.[ax]

Jehoshaphat’s Reign Ends

31 Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother[ay] was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved.[az] 33 However, the high places were not eliminated; the people were still not devoted to the God of their ancestors.[ba]

34 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from start to finish, are recorded in the Annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are included in the Scroll of the Kings of Israel.[bb]

35 Later King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who[bc] did evil. 36 They agreed[bd] to make large seagoing merchant ships;[be] they built the ships in Ezion Geber. 37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, “Because[bf] you made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will shatter what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and unable to go to sea.[bg]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 20:1 tc The Hebrew text has “Ammonites,” but they are mentioned just before this. Most translations, following some mss of the LXX, read “Meunites” (see 2 Chr 26:7; so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
  2. 2 Chronicles 20:2 tn Heb “they”; the implied referent (messengers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. 2 Chronicles 20:2 tn Heb “the Sea”; in context (“from the direction of Edom”) this must refer to the Dead Sea, which has been specified in the translation for clarity (cf. NEB, NLT).
  4. 2 Chronicles 20:2 tc Most Hebrew mss, the LXX, and Vulgate read “from Aram” (i.e., Syria), but this should be emended to “Edom,” which is the reading of one Hebrew ms and the Old Latin.
  5. 2 Chronicles 20:3 tn Heb “and he set his face to seek the Lord.”
  6. 2 Chronicles 20:4 tn The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the people of Judah.
  7. 2 Chronicles 20:4 tn Heb “to seek from the Lord.” The verb here (בָּקַשׁ, baqash) is different from the one translated “seek” in v. 3 (דָּרַשׁ, darash).
  8. 2 Chronicles 20:4 tn Heb “to seek the Lord.” The verb here (בָּקַשׁ, baqash) is different from the one translated “seek” in v. 3 (דָּרַשׁ, darash).
  9. 2 Chronicles 20:6 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 33).
  10. 2 Chronicles 20:6 tn Heb “are you not God in heaven?” The rhetorical question expects the answer “yes,” resulting in the positive statement “you are the God who lives in heaven” employed in the translation.
  11. 2 Chronicles 20:7 tn Heb “did you not drive out . . . ?” This is another rhetorical question which expects a positive response; see the note on the word “heaven” in the previous verse.
  12. 2 Chronicles 20:7 tn Heb “permanently.”
  13. 2 Chronicles 20:7 tn Or perhaps “your covenantal partner.” See Isa 41:8.
  14. 2 Chronicles 20:8 tn Or “sanctuary.”
  15. 2 Chronicles 20:8 tn Heb “for your name.” The word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor (thus the translation here, “to honor you”).
  16. 2 Chronicles 20:9 tn Heb “sword.”
  17. 2 Chronicles 20:9 tn Heb “for your name is in this house.” The “name” of the Lord sometimes designates the Lord himself, being indistinguishable from the proper name. In this case the temple is referred to as a “house” where the Lord himself can reside.
  18. 2 Chronicles 20:9 tn Or “so that you may.”
  19. 2 Chronicles 20:10 tn Heb “now, look, the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir.”
  20. 2 Chronicles 20:10 tn Heb “whom you did not allow Israel to enter when they came from the land of Egypt.”
  21. 2 Chronicles 20:12 tn Heb “for [or “indeed”] upon you are our eyes.”
  22. 2 Chronicles 20:13 tn Heb “Judah.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the men of Judah.
  23. 2 Chronicles 20:15 tn Heb “all Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the people of Judah. Unlike the previous instance in v. 13 where infants, wives, and children are mentioned separately, this reference appears to include them all.
  24. 2 Chronicles 20:15 tn Or perhaps “don’t get discouraged.”
  25. 2 Chronicles 20:16 tn Heb “look.”
  26. 2 Chronicles 20:17 tn Heb “the deliverance of the Lord with you.”
  27. 2 Chronicles 20:17 tn Or perhaps “don’t get discouraged.”
  28. 2 Chronicles 20:18 tn Heb “all Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See the note on the word “Judah” in v. 15.
  29. 2 Chronicles 20:18 tn Heb “to worship the Lord.”
  30. 2 Chronicles 20:19 tn Heb “arose to praise the Lord God of Israel with a very loud voice.”
  31. 2 Chronicles 20:20 tn Heb “O Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See the note on the word “Judah” in v. 15.
  32. 2 Chronicles 20:20 tn There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text. The Hiphil verb form הַאֲמִינוּ (haʾaminu, “trust”) and the Niphal form תֵאָמֵנוּ (teʾamenu, “you will be safe”) come from the same verbal root (אָמַן, ʾaman).
  33. 2 Chronicles 20:21 tn Or “consulted.”
  34. 2 Chronicles 20:21 tn Or “is eternal.”
  35. 2 Chronicles 20:22 tn Heb “set ambushers against.” This is probably idiomatic here for launching a surprise attack.
  36. 2 Chronicles 20:22 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir.”
  37. 2 Chronicles 20:23 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon and Moab stood against the residents of Mount Seir.”
  38. 2 Chronicles 20:23 tn Heb “to annihilate and to destroy.”
  39. 2 Chronicles 20:23 tn Heb “residents.”
  40. 2 Chronicles 20:23 tn Heb “they helped, each one his fellow, for destruction.” The verb עָזַר (ʿazar), traditionally understood as the well-attested verb meaning “to help,” is an odd fit in this context. It is possible that it is from a homonymic root, perhaps meaning to “attack.” This root is attested in Ugaritic in a nominal form meaning “young man, warrior, hero.” For a discussion of the proposed root, see HALOT 811 s.v. II עזר.
  41. 2 Chronicles 20:24 tn Heb “Judah.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the men of Judah.
  42. 2 Chronicles 20:24 tn Heb “turned toward.”
  43. 2 Chronicles 20:25 tn Or “army.”
  44. 2 Chronicles 20:25 tc The MT reads פְגָרִים (fegarim, “corpses”), but this seems odd among a list of plunder. A few medieval Hebrew mss and the Vulgate read בְגָדִים (vegadim, “clothing”), which fits the context much better.
  45. 2 Chronicles 20:25 tn Heb “and they snatched away for themselves so that there was no carrying away.”
  46. 2 Chronicles 20:25 tn Heb “and they were three days looting the plunder for it was great.”
  47. 2 Chronicles 20:26 tn Heb “for there.”
  48. 2 Chronicles 20:26 sn The name Berachah, which means “blessing” in Hebrew, is derived from the verbal root “to praise [or “to bless”],” which appears earlier in the verse.
  49. 2 Chronicles 20:29 tn Heb “and the terror of God [or “a great terror”] was upon all the kingdoms of the lands.” It is uncertain if אֱלֹהִים (ʾelohim) should be understood as a proper name here (“God”), or taken in an idiomatic superlative sense.
  50. 2 Chronicles 20:30 tn Heb “and his God gave him rest all around.”
  51. 2 Chronicles 20:31 tn Heb “The name of his mother.”
  52. 2 Chronicles 20:32 tn Heb “he walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn from it, doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.”
  53. 2 Chronicles 20:33 tn Heb “and still the people did not set their heart[s] on the God of their fathers.”
  54. 2 Chronicles 20:34 tn Heb “the rest of the events of Jehoshaphat, the former and the latter, look, they are written in the records of Jehu son of Hanani, which are taken up in the scroll of the kings of Israel.”
  55. 2 Chronicles 20:35 tn Heb “he.” The pronoun has been translated as a relative pronoun for stylistic reasons.
  56. 2 Chronicles 20:36 tn Heb “he made an alliance with him.”
  57. 2 Chronicles 20:36 tn Heb “make ships to go to Tarshish.” This probably refers to large ships either made in or capable of traveling to the distant western port of Tarshish; a “Tarshish-ship” was essentially a large seagoing merchant ship.
  58. 2 Chronicles 20:37 tn Heb “when.”
  59. 2 Chronicles 20:37 tn Heb “to go to Tarshish.”
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2 Chronicles 20
Lexham English Bible

The Prayer of Jehoshaphat

20 And it happened that afterward, the Moabites,[a] the Ammonites,[b] and some of the Meunites[c] came against Jehoshaphat for war. 2 And they came and reported it to Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude from beyond the sea, from Aram,[d] is coming against you. Now behold, they are in Hazazon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). 3 Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek Yahweh. And he called for a fast through all Judah. 4 And Judah assembled to seek after Yahweh; even from all the cities of Judah they came to seek Yahweh.

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of Yahweh before the new courtyard. 6 And he said, “O Yahweh, God of our ancestors,[e] are you not God in heaven? Now you rule in all the kingdoms of the nations, and in your hand are power and might, and there is none who can resist against you. 7 O, our God, did you yourself not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it to the descendants[f] of Abraham your friend forever? 8 And they lived in it and built for you a sanctuary for your name in it, saying, 9 ‘If disaster, a sword, punishment, disease, or famine come upon us, we shall stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you out of our trouble, then you will hear and save us.’ 10 And now, look, the people[g] of Moab and Ammon and Mount Seir whom you did not allow Israel to come against when they came from Egypt, from whom they turned aside and did not destroy, 11 now behold, they are rewarding us by coming to dispossess us from your possession which you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O our God, will you not judge them, for there is no power in us before this great multitude that is coming against us. Now we do not know what we shall do, for our eyes are upon you.”

13 And all Judah was standing before Yahweh, and also their little children, their wives, and their children. 14 Then the Spirit of Yahweh came upon Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite from the descendants[h] of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat, thus says Yahweh to you: ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed before this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they are coming up the ascent of Ziz. And you will find them at the end of the valley facing the desert of Jeruel. 17 There will be no need for you to fight in this battle. Take your stand! Stand and see the deliverance of Yahweh among you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out before them and Yahweh will be with you.’” 18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed his face[i] down to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before Yahweh to worship Yahweh. 19 Then the Levites, from the Kohathites[j] and from the Korahites[k] stood up to praise Yahweh the God of Israel with an exceedingly[l] loud voice.

God Delivers Judah and Jerusalem

20 And they rose up early in the morning and went out to the desert of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in Yahweh your God, and you shall be established! Believe in his prophets, and you shall succeed!” 21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed singers to Yahweh who were giving praise to the splendor of his holiness when they went out before the army. And they said, “Give thanks to Yahweh, for his loyal love is everlasting!”

22 And when[m] they began with singing and praise, Yahweh set ambushes against the people[n] of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who were coming against Judah. And they were defeated 23 when the people[o] of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to destroy and demolish them. And when the inhabitants of Seir had made an end of them, each helped to destroy his comrade.

24 And Judah came against the watchtower of the wilderness. And they looked at the crowd, and behold, corpses were lying on the ground. There was none who had escaped. 25 When Jehoshaphat came with his people to plunder their booty, they found among them in abundance possessions, corpses, and precious items. And they took plunder for themselves until they could carry no more.[p] And they were three days in plundering the booty, for it was abundant. 26 And on the fourth day, they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, for there they blessed Yahweh. Therefore the name of that place is called the Valley of Berakah up to this day. 27 And all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned, and Jehoshaphat was at their head in returning to Jerusalem with joy, for Yahweh caused them to rejoice over their enemies. 28 And they came to Jerusalem with harps, stringed instruments, and trumpets to the house of Yahweh. 29 And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the earth when they heard that Yahweh had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at rest, since his God gave rest to him all around.

The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign

31 So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign. And he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 32 And he walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn aside from it, to do what was right in the eyes of Yahweh. 33 Only the high places were not removed. The people still had not yet set their heart on the God of their ancestors.[q] 34 Now the rest of the words of Jehoshaphat, from the first to the last, behold, they are written in the chronicles[r] of Jehu the son of Hanani, which are recorded in the scroll of the kings of Israel.

35 And afterward Jehoshaphat the king of Judah joined with Ahaziah the king of Israel, who acted wickedly. 36 He joined with him to build ships to go to Tarshish. And they built the ships in Ezion Geber. 37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because of your joining with Ahaziah, Yahweh will break down your works.” And the ships were destroyed and were not able to go to Tarshish.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 20:1 Literally “sons/children of Moab”
  2. 2 Chronicles 20:1 Literally “sons/children of Ammon”
  3. 2 Chronicles 20:1 The Hebrew term is difficult; it may also mean “Ammonim”
  4. 2 Chronicles 20:2 Or “Syria”
  5. 2 Chronicles 20:6 Or “fathers”
  6. 2 Chronicles 20:7 Or “seed”
  7. 2 Chronicles 20:10 Or “sons”
  8. 2 Chronicles 20:14 Or “sons”
  9. 2 Chronicles 20:18 Literally “nostrils”
  10. 2 Chronicles 20:19 Literally “sons of the Kohathites”
  11. 2 Chronicles 20:19 Literally “sons of the Korahites”
  12. 2 Chronicles 20:19 Literally “above”
  13. 2 Chronicles 20:22 Or “on time” or “at the time”
  14. 2 Chronicles 20:22 Or “sons”
  15. 2 Chronicles 20:23 Or “sons”
  16. 2 Chronicles 20:25 Literally “until not carrying”
  17. 2 Chronicles 20:33 Or “fathers”
  18. 2 Chronicles 20:34 Or “words”
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