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20 They rose 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 inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in Yahweh your God, so you will be established! Believe his prophets, so you will prosper.”

21 When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to Yahweh, and give praise in holy array, as they go out before the army, and say, “Give thanks to Yahweh; for his loving kindness endures forever.” 22 When they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck. 23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. When they had finished the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy each other.

24 When Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness, they looked at the multitude; and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none who escaped. 25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their plunder, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away. They took plunder for three days, it was so much. 26 On the fourth day, they assembled themselves in Beracah[a] Valley, for there they blessed Yahweh. Therefore the name of that place was called “Beracah Valley” to this day. 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for Yahweh had made them to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments, harps, and trumpets to Yahweh’s house. 29 The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that Yahweh fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.

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Footnotes

  1. 20:26 “Beracah” means “blessing”.

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(A) in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.(B) 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his[a] holiness(C) as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

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

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

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[b] 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[c] 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(I) of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought(J) against the enemies of Israel. 30 And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest(K) on every side.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 20:21 Or him with the splendor of
  2. 2 Chronicles 20:25 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts corpses
  3. 2 Chronicles 20:26 Berakah means praise.