2 Chronicles 20
Common English Bible
Jehoshaphat’s victory
20 Some time later, the Moabites and the Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites,[a] attacked Jehoshaphat. 2 Jehoshaphat was told, “A large army from beyond the sea, from Edom,[b] is coming to attack you. They are already at Hazazon-tamar!” (that is, En-gedi). 3 Frightened, Jehoshaphat decided to seek the Lord’s help and proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 People from all of Judah’s cities came to ask the Lord for help. 5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the Lord’s temple in front of the new courtyard. 6 “Lord, the God of our ancestors, you alone are God in heaven. You rule all the kingdoms of the nations. You are so powerful that no one can oppose you. 7 You, our God, drove out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave this land to the descendants of your friend Abraham forever. 8 They have lived in it and have built a sanctuary in honor of your name in it, saying, 9 ‘If calamity, sword, flood,[c] plague, or famine comes upon us, we will stand before this temple, before you, because your name is in this temple. We will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’ 10 So look here! The Ammonites, the Moabites, and those from Mount Seir—the people you wouldn’t let Israel invade when they came out of Egypt’s land, so Israel avoided them and didn’t destroy them— 11 here they are, returning the favor by coming to drive us out of your possession that you gave to us! 12 Our God, won’t you punish them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We don’t know what to do, and so we are looking to you for help.”
13 All Judah was standing before the Lord, even their little ones, wives, and children. 14 Then the Lord’s spirit came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah son of Benaiah son of Jeiel son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the line of Asaph, as he stood in the middle of the assembly.
15 “Pay attention, all of Judah, every inhabitant of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat,” Jahaziel said. “This is what the Lord says to you: Don’t be afraid or discouraged by this great army because the battle isn’t yours. It belongs to God! 16 March out against them tomorrow. Since they will be coming through the Ziz pass, meet them at the end of the valley that opens into the Jeruel wilderness. 17 You don’t need to fight this battle. Just take your places, stand ready, and watch how the Lord, who is with you, will deliver you, Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid or discouraged! Go out tomorrow and face them. The Lord will be with you.”
18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord in worship. 19 Levites from the lines of Kohath and Korah stood up to loudly praise the Lord, the God of Israel.
20 Early the next morning they went into the Tekoa wilderness. When they were about to go out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and every inhabitant of Jerusalem! Trust the Lord your God, and you will stand firm; trust his prophets and succeed!”
21 After consulting with the people, Jehoshaphat appointed musicians to play for the Lord, praising his majestic holiness. They were to march out before the warriors, saying, “Give thanks to the Lord because his faithful love lasts forever!” 22 As they broke into joyful song and praise, the Lord launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites, the Moabites, and those from Mount Seir who were invading Judah, so that they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and the Moabites turned on those from Mount Seir, completely destroying them. Once they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy each other!
24 When Judah arrived at the point overlooking the wilderness, all they could see were corpses lying all over the ground. There were no survivors. 25 When Jehoshaphat and his army came to take the loot, they found a great amount of cattle,[d] goods, clothing,[e] and other valuables—much more than they could carry. In fact, there was so much it took three days to haul it away. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in Blessing Valley, where they blessed the Lord. That’s why it is called Blessing Valley to this day. 27 Then everyone from Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, joyfully returned home to Jerusalem because the Lord had given them reason to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They entered Jerusalem accompanied by harps, lutes, and trumpets, and they went to the Lord’s temple.
29 The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against Israel’s enemies. 30 As a result, Jehoshaphat’s rule was peaceful because his God gave him rest on all sides.
Jehoshaphat’s last days
31 Jehoshaphat ruled over Judah. He was 35 years old when he became king, and he ruled for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah; she was Shilhi’s daughter. 32 Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa and didn’t turn aside from it, doing what was right in the Lord’s eyes, 33 with the exception that he didn’t remove the shrines. The people were still not committed with all their hearts to the God of their ancestors. 34 The rest of Jehoshaphat’s deeds, from beginning to end, are written in the records of Jehu, Hanani’s son, which are included in the records of Israel’s kings.
35 Sometime later, Judah’s King Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with Israel’s King Ahaziah, which caused him to sin. 36 They agreed to build a fleet of Tarshish-styled ships, and they built them in Ezion-geber. 37 Eliezer, Dodavahu’s son from Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat: “Because you have formed an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and couldn’t sail to Tarshish.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 20:1 LXX; MT Ammonites
- 2 Chronicles 20:2 OL; MT Aram
- 2 Chronicles 20:9 LXX; MT judgment
- 2 Chronicles 20:25 LXX; MT among them
- 2 Chronicles 20:25 Vulg; MT corpses
2 Chronicles 20
English Standard Version
Jehoshaphat's Prayer
20 After this (A)the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites,[a] came against Jehoshaphat for battle. 2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom,[b] from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in (B)Hazazon-tamar” (that is, (C)Engedi). 3 Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face (D)to seek the Lord, and (E)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 (F)God in heaven? You (G)rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. (H)In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. 7 Did you not, our God, (I)drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of (J)Abraham your friend? 8 And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, 9 (K)‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment,[c] or pestilence, or famine, (L)we will stand before this house and before you—(M)for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ 10 And now behold, the men of (N)Ammon and Moab and (O)Mount Seir, whom (P)you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, (Q)and whom they avoided and did not destroy— 11 behold, they reward us (R)by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. 12 O our God, will you not (S)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 (T)our eyes are on you.”
13 Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 14 And (U)the Spirit of the Lord came[d] 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, (V)‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, (W)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 (X)the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 (Y)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.’ (Z)Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, (AA)and the Lord will be with you.”
18 Then Jehoshaphat (AB)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 (AC)Kohathites and the (AD)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 (AE)the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! (AF)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 (AG)in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,
(AH)“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his steadfast love endures forever.”
22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set (AI)an ambush against the men of (AJ)Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 23 For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, (AK)they all helped to destroy one another.
The Lord Delivers Judah
24 When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there[e] were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. 25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah,[f] for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, (AL)for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. 28 They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. 29 (AM)And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, (AN)for his God gave him rest all around.
31 (AO)Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He walked in the way of Asa his father and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. 33 (AP)The high places, however, were not taken away; (AQ)the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers.
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of (AR)Jehu the son of Hanani, (AS)which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
The End of Jehoshaphat's Reign
35 (AT)After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. 36 He joined him in building ships to go to (AU)Tarshish, and they built the ships in Ezion-geber. 37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, (AV)“Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 20:1 Compare 26:7; Hebrew Ammonites
- 2 Chronicles 20:2 One Hebrew manuscript; most Hebrew manuscripts Aram (Syria)
- 2 Chronicles 20:9 Or the sword of judgment
- 2 Chronicles 20:14 Or was
- 2 Chronicles 20:24 Hebrew they
- 2 Chronicles 20:26 Beracah means blessing
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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
