Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon

20 After this, the Moabites(A) and Ammonites with some of the Meunites[a](B) came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.

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

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

Lord, the God of our ancestors,(H) are you not the God who is in heaven?(I) You rule over all the kingdoms(J) of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.(K) Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land(L) before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?(M) They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary(N) for your Name, saying, ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine,(O) 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;(P) 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(Q) you gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, will you not judge them?(R) 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.(S)

13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.

14 Then the Spirit(T) of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah,(U) 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(V) because of this vast army. For the battle(W) 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(X) 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(Y) 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(Z) in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.(AA) 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his[c] holiness(AB) as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
    for his love endures forever.”(AC)

22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes(AD) against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites(AE) and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir(AF) to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.(AG)

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[d] 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[e] 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(AH) of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought(AI) against the enemies of Israel. 30 And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest(AJ) on every side.

The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign(AK)

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,(AL) 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(AM) son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.

35 Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance(AN) with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose ways were wicked.(AO) 36 He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships.[f] 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(AP) were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.[g]

Footnotes

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

约沙法禁食祈祷以败敌

20 此后,摩押人和亚扪人,又有米乌尼人,一同来攻击约沙法 有人来报告约沙法说:“从海外亚兰[a]那边有大军来攻击你,如今他们在哈洗逊他玛,就是隐基底。” 约沙法便惧怕,定意寻求耶和华,在犹大全地宣告禁食。 于是犹大人聚会,求耶和华帮助,犹大各城都有人出来寻求耶和华。

约沙法犹大耶路撒冷的会中,站在耶和华殿的新院前, 说:“耶和华我们列祖的神啊,你不是天上的神吗?你不是万邦万国的主宰吗?在你手中有大能大力,无人能抵挡你。 我们的神啊,你不是曾在你民以色列人面前驱逐这地的居民,将这地赐给你朋友亚伯拉罕的后裔永远为业吗? 他们住在这地,又为你的名建造圣所,说: ‘倘有祸患临到我们,或刀兵灾殃,或瘟疫饥荒,我们在急难的时候站在这殿前向你呼求,你必垂听而拯救,因为你的名在这殿里。’ 10 从前以色列人出埃及地的时候,你不容以色列人侵犯亚扪人、摩押人和西珥山人,以色列人就离开他们,不灭绝他们。 11 看哪,他们怎样报复我们,要来驱逐我们出离你的地,就是你赐给我们为业之地。 12 我们的神啊,你不惩罚他们吗?因为我们无力抵挡这来攻击我们的大军,我们也不知道怎样行,我们的眼目单仰望你。” 13 犹大众人和他们的婴孩、妻子、儿女都站在耶和华面前。

14 那时,耶和华的灵在会中临到利未亚萨的后裔玛探雅的玄孙、耶利的曾孙、比拿雅的孙子、撒迦利雅的儿子雅哈悉 15 他说:“犹大众人、耶路撒冷的居民和约沙法王,你们请听。耶和华对你们如此说:不要因这大军恐惧惊惶,因为胜败不在乎你们,乃在乎神。 16 明日你们要下去迎敌。他们是从洗斯坡上来,你们必在耶鲁伊勒旷野前的谷口遇见他们。 17 犹大耶路撒冷人哪,这次你们不要争战,要摆阵站着,看耶和华为你们施行拯救。不要恐惧,也不要惊惶,明日当出去迎敌,因为耶和华与你们同在。” 18 约沙法就面伏于地,犹大众人和耶路撒冷的居民也俯伏在耶和华面前,叩拜耶和华。 19 哥辖族和可拉族的利未人都起来,用极大的声音赞美耶和华以色列的神。

敌遭歼灭

20 次日清早众人起来,往提哥亚的旷野去。出去的时候,约沙法站着说:“犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民哪,要听我说!信耶和华你们的神,就必立稳;信他的先知,就必亨通。” 21 约沙法既与民商议了,就设立歌唱的人颂赞耶和华,使他们穿上圣洁的礼服,走在军前赞美耶和华,说:“当称谢耶和华,因他的慈爱永远长存!” 22 众人方唱歌赞美的时候,耶和华就派伏兵击杀那来攻击犹大人的亚扪人、摩押人和西珥山人,他们就被打败了。 23 因为亚扪人和摩押人起来击杀住西珥山的人,将他们灭尽;灭尽住西珥山的人之后,他们又彼此自相击杀。

24 犹大人来到旷野的望楼,向那大军观看,见尸横遍地,没有一个逃脱的。 25 约沙法和他的百姓就来收取敌人的财物,在尸首中见了许多财物、珍宝,他们剥脱下来的多得不可携带。因为甚多,直收取了三日。 26 第四日,众人聚集在比拉迦[b]谷,在那里称颂耶和华,因此那地方名叫比拉迦谷,直到今日。 27 犹大人和耶路撒冷人都欢欢喜喜地回耶路撒冷约沙法率领他们,因为耶和华使他们战胜仇敌,就欢喜快乐。 28 他们弹琴、鼓瑟、吹号来到耶路撒冷,进了耶和华的殿。 29 列邦诸国听见耶和华战败以色列的仇敌,就甚惧怕。 30 这样,约沙法的国得享太平,因为神赐他四境平安。

31 约沙法犹大王,登基的时候年三十五岁,在耶路撒冷做王二十五年。他母亲名叫阿苏巴,乃示利希的女儿。 32 约沙法效法他父亚撒所行的,不偏左右,行耶和华眼中看为正的事。 33 只是丘坛还没有废去,百姓也没有立定心意归向他们列祖的神。 34 约沙法其余的事,自始至终,都写在哈拿尼的儿子耶户的书上,也载入《以色列诸王记》上。

约沙法与亚哈谢联盟

35 此后,犹大约沙法以色列亚哈谢交好,亚哈谢行恶太甚。 36 二王合伙造船要往他施去,遂在以旬迦别造船。 37 那时玛利沙多大瓦的儿子以利以谢约沙法预言说:“因你与亚哈谢交好,耶和华必破坏你所造的。”后来那船果然破坏,不能往他施去了。

Footnotes

  1. 历代志下 20:2 “亚兰”又作“以东”。
  2. 历代志下 20:26 就是“称颂”的意思。