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Yahweh Eradicates the Multitude

20 And they rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, (A)establish your faith in Yahweh your God and you will be established. Establish your faith in His prophets and succeed.” 21 When he had taken counsel with the people, he caused those who sang to Yahweh and those who (B)praised Him to stand in holy attire, as they went out before the army, saying, “(C)Give thanks to Yahweh, for His lovingkindness endures forever.” 22 When they began singing for joy and praising, Yahweh (D)set ambushes against the sons of (E)Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were [a]defeated. 23 Indeed, the sons of Ammon and Moab stood against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to devote them to destruction and to utterly eradicate them; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, (F)they helped to bring one another to ruin.

24 Now Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, and they turned toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses fallen on the ground, and no one had escaped. 25 So Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil and found much among them, including goods, [b]garments, and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry. And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much.

Jehoshaphat Returns to Jerusalem

26 Then on the fourth day they assembled in the valley of [c]Beracah, for there they blessed Yahweh. Therefore they have named that place “The Valley of [d]Beracah” until today. 27 And every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with gladness, (G)for Yahweh had made them glad over their enemies. 28 And they came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets to the house of Yahweh. 29 And (H)the dread of God was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that Yahweh had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet, (I)for his God gave him rest all around.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 20:22 Lit smitten
  2. 2 Chronicles 20:25 As in several ancient mss; others corpses
  3. 2 Chronicles 20:26 Lit blessing
  4. 2 Chronicles 20:26 Lit blessing

20 They got up early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and you residents of Jerusalem. Have faith in the Lord your God, and you will find him to be faithful. Believe his prophets and you will succeed.”

21 After he consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness,[a] as they went out ahead of the army, singing:

Give thanks to the Lord, for his mercy endures forever.

22 At the time when they began the jubilant songs of praise to the Lord, he set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who were marching against Judah, and they were routed, 23 because the men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to destroy them and wipe them out. When they were finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped destroy each other.

24 When Judah came to a spot overlooking the wilderness and looked out toward that horde, they saw nothing but dead bodies lying on the ground. No one had escaped.

25 Jehoshaphat and his people came to gather the spoils. They found huge amounts of equipment and valuables among the bodies. They collected so much for themselves that they could not carry it. It took them three days to gather the spoils because there was so much.

26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they blessed the Lord. That is why that place is named the Valley of Berakah[b] to this day.

27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem joyfully returned to Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat at their head, because the Lord had given them reason to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They came to Jerusalem to the House of the Lord with harps, lyres, and trumpets.

29 The dread of the Lord was upon all the kingdoms of the lands, when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel.

30 Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was quiet. His God gave him rest on every side.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 20:21 Or in the splendor of holiness or in holy attire
  2. 2 Chronicles 20:26 Berakah means blessing.