⁹ The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was greatly distressed.

Invasion from the East

20 After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites,^[a] came against Jehoshaphat for battle. ² Messengers^[b] came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom,^[c] from beyond the sea; already they are at Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).^(A)

⁵ In those times it was not safe for anyone to go or come, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands.^(A)

Ethiopian Invasion Repulsed

⁹ Zerah the Cushite came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots and came as far as Mareshah.^(A)

¹⁵ Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams, so I have summoned you to tell me what I should do.”^(A)

³ For whenever the Israelites put in seed, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east would come up against them.^{(A) 4} They would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the land, as far as the neighborhood of Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel, nor any sheep or ox or donkey.^{(B) 5} For they and their livestock would come up, and they would even bring their tents, as thick as locusts; neither they nor their camels could be counted, so they wasted the land as they came in.^(C)

Ehud

¹² The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened King Eglon of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord.^{(A) 13} In alliance with the Ammonites and the Amalekites, he went and defeated Israel, and they took possession of the city of palms.^(B)

⁶⁵ Among those nations you shall find no ease, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a languishing spirit.^(A)