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Jehoshaphat stood before the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the Lord’s temple, in front of the new courtyard. He prayed: “O Lord God of our ancestors,[a] you are the God who lives in heaven[b] and rules over all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess strength and power; no one can stand against you. Our God, you drove out[c] the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it as a permanent possession[d] to the descendants of your friend[e] Abraham. They settled down in it and built in it a temple[f] to honor you,[g] saying, ‘If disaster comes on us in the form of military attack,[h] judgment, plague, or famine, we will stand in front of this temple before you, for you are present in this temple.[i] We will cry out to you for help in our distress, so that you will[j] hear and deliver us.’ 10 Now the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir are coming![k] When Israel came from the land of Egypt, you did not allow them to invade these lands.[l] They bypassed them and did not destroy them. 11 Look how they are repaying us! They come to drive us out of our allotted land which you assigned to us! 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us. We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help.”[m]

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 20:6 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 33).
  2. 2 Chronicles 20:6 tn Heb “are you not God in heaven?” The rhetorical question expects the answer “yes,” resulting in the positive statement “you are the God who lives in heaven” employed in the translation.
  3. 2 Chronicles 20:7 tn Heb “did you not drive out . . . ?” This is another rhetorical question which expects a positive response; see the note on the word “heaven” in the previous verse.
  4. 2 Chronicles 20:7 tn Heb “permanently.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 20:7 tn Or perhaps “your covenantal partner.” See Isa 41:8.
  6. 2 Chronicles 20:8 tn Or “sanctuary.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 20:8 tn Heb “for your name.” The word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor (thus the translation here, “to honor you).
  8. 2 Chronicles 20:9 tn Heb “sword.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 20:9 tn Heb “for your name is in this house.” The “name” of the Lord sometimes designates the Lord himself, being indistinguishable from the proper name. In this case the temple is referred to as a “house” where the Lord himself can reside.
  10. 2 Chronicles 20:9 tn Or “so that you may.”
  11. 2 Chronicles 20:10 tn Heb “now, look, the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir.”
  12. 2 Chronicles 20:10 tn Heb “whom you did not allow Israel to enter when they came from the land of Egypt.”
  13. 2 Chronicles 20:12 tn Heb “for [or “indeed”] upon you are our eyes.”

Jehoshaphat’s Prayer

Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord in front of the new courtyard; and he said, “Lord, God of our fathers, (A)are You not God in the heavens? And (B)are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. Did You not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land from Your people Israel, and (C)give it to the descendants of (D)Your friend Abraham forever? They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, (E)If disaster comes upon us, the sword, or judgment, or plague, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for (F)Your name is in this house), and cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear and save us.’ 10 Now behold, (G)the sons of Ammon, Moab, and [a]Mount Seir, (H)whom You did not allow Israel to invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (for they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), 11 see how they are rewarding us by (I)coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, (J)will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but (K)our eyes are on You.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 20:10 I.e., Edom