2 Chronicles 20:20-30
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
20 They rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa, and as they went out Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God and you will be established; believe his prophets and you will succeed.”(A) 21 When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy splendor, as they went before the army, saying,
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his steadfast love endures forever.”(B)
22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.(C) 23 For the Ammonites and Moab attacked the inhabitants of Mount Seir, destroying them utterly, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.(D)
24 When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; they were corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped. 25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil from them, they found livestock[a] in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They spent three days taking the spoil because of its abundance. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the Lord; therefore that place has been called the Valley of Beracah[b] to this day. 27 Then all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had enabled them to rejoice over their enemies.(E) 28 They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets to the house of the Lord. 29 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.(F) 30 And the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.(G)
Read full chapter
2 Chronicles 20:20-30
New English Translation
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[a] and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe![b] Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.” 21 He met[c] 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.”[d]
22 When they began to shout and praise, the Lord suddenly attacked[e] the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir[f] who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men from Mount Seir[g] and annihilated them.[h] When they had finished off the men[i] of Seir, they attacked and destroyed one another.[j] 24 When the men of Judah[k] arrived at the observation post overlooking the wilderness and looked at[l] the huge army, they saw dead bodies on the ground; there were no survivors. 25 Jehoshaphat and his men[m] went to gather the plunder; they found a huge amount of supplies, clothing,[n] and valuable items. They carried away everything they could.[o] There was so much plunder, it took them three days to haul it off.[p]
26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, where[q] they praised the Lord. So that place is called the Valley of Berachah[r] 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[s] 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.[t]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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.
- 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).
- 2 Chronicles 20:21 tn Or “consulted.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:21 tn Or “is eternal.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:22 tn Heb “set ambushers against.” This is probably idiomatic here for launching a surprise attack.
- 2 Chronicles 20:22 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:23 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon and Moab stood against the residents of Mount Seir.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:23 tn Heb “to annihilate and to destroy.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:23 tn Heb “residents.”
- 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.
- 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.
- 2 Chronicles 20:24 tn Heb “turned toward.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:25 tn Or “army.”
- 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.
- 2 Chronicles 20:25 tn Heb “and they snatched away for themselves so that there was no carrying away.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:25 tn Heb “and they were three days looting the plunder for it was great.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:26 tn Heb “for there.”
- 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.
- 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.
- 2 Chronicles 20:30 tn Heb “and his God gave him rest all around.”
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.