Chronological
Chapter 19
Jehoshaphat Rebuked. 1 When King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned in safety to his palace in Jerusalem, 2 Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went forth to meet him, and he said to the king: “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord will strike you. 3 Even so, some good can be found in you, for you have removed the sacred poles from the land and have set your heart on seeking God.”
Jehoshaphat’s Appointments. 4 Jehoshaphat resided in Jerusalem, but he regularly went forth among the people, from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 5 He also appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.
6 Jehoshaphat said to the judges: “Pay careful attention to what you are doing. You are to judge not on behalf of human beings but on behalf of the Lord, who will be with you when you pronounce sentence. 7 Now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful in your judgments, for the Lord, our God, will not tolerate the perversion of justice, or partiality, or the taking of bribes.”
8 Jehoshaphat also appointed some of the Levites, priests, and heads of families in Jerusalem to administer justice in the name of the Lord and to settle disputes. 9 He gave them this command: “You shall act at all times in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart. 10 Whenever a case is brought before you from your kinsmen who live in other towns, whether in regard to bloodshed or offenses against the law or the commandments, statutes, or ordinances, then you shall instruct them in such a way that they do not incur guilt before the Lord; and the wrath of the Lord will not descend upon you and your kindred. 11 Amariah, the chief priest, will be your superior in all matters that concern the Lord; and Zebadiah, the son of Ishmael, the leader of the house of Judah, is your superior in all matters that concern the king,[a] while the Levites will serve as your officers. Act firmly and with courage, and may the Lord be with those on the side of the good.”
Chapter 20
War against Edom. 1 A short time afterward, the Moabites and the Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites,[b] came to engage Jehoshaphat in battle. 2 The following communiqué was sent to Jehoshaphat: “A great multitude is coming forth against you from Edom, from beyond the sea.[c] They are already at Hazazon-tamar, that is, En-gedi.” 3 Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and he hastened to seek the guidance of the Lord, while proclaiming a fast throughout all Judah. 4 The people of Judah assembled, to seek help from the Lord, as they came from all the towns of Judah to consult the Lord.
Prayer of Jehoshaphat. 5 Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new court 6 and said: “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God in heaven, and do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hands are power and might, and there is no one who can withstand you. 7 Was it not you, our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land for your people Israel and gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham? 8 They have lived in it and have built you a sanctuary there to honor your name, saying: 9 ‘Should any disaster befall us, whether the sword of judgment or war or blood or pestilence or famine, we shall stand before this temple that bears your name and call out to you in our distress, and you will hear our cries and save us.’
10 “But now, behold the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the people of Mount Seir, whom you would not permit the Israelites to invade when they came from the land of Egypt and whom they avoided and made no attempt to destroy them. 11 See how these people repay us by coming forth to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O God will you not pass judgment against them? For we are powerless against this vast horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are turned toward you.”
13 Prophecy of Victory. All the men of Judah were standing before the Lord, with their infants, their wives, and their children. 14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly.
15 Jahaziel said: “Listen attentively, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not fear or lose heart at the sight of this vast horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. 16 March down against them tomorrow. They will be coming up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will encounter them at the end of the gorge near the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will have no need to fight in this battle. Take your position, stand firm, and behold the victory of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed. Go forth against them tomorrow, for the Lord will be with you.’ ”
18 Then Jehoshaphat knelt down with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord to worship him. 19 After that, the Levites from among the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and sang the praises of the Lord, the God of Israel, with a powerful voice.
20 Overcoming the Invaders. Early the next morning they rose and hastened to set out for the wilderness of Tekoa. As they departed, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Hold firmly to your faith in the Lord, your God, and you will be secure. Believe in his prophets and you will be successful.”
21 After conferring with the people, Jehoshaphat appointed some to sing to the Lord and praise the splendor of his holiness as they marched forth at the head of the army:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”
22 At the moment they began their hymn of praise, the Lord set an ambush against the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the people from Mount Seir who were invading Judah. As a result, they were routed. 23 For the Ammonites and the Moabites turned against the people of Mount Seir and completely destroyed them. Then, when they had finished off the inhabitants of Mount Seir, they proceeded to destroy each other.
24 When the warriors of Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness and looked toward the multitude, what they beheld were nothing but corpses lying on the ground. No one had escaped. 25 Then, when Jehoshaphat and his men came to collect the booty, they found an immense number of livestock as well as personal property, clothing, and precious articles which they took for themselves until they were unable to carry any more. They spent three days gathering the booty because of its abundance.
26 On the fourth day they all assembled, in the Valley of Berakah,[d] the name that it bears to this day, because it was there that they blessed the Lord. 27 Then all the people of Judah and Jerusalem returned to Jerusalem with joy, since the Lord had given them reason to rejoice over their triumph against their enemies.
28 They entered Jerusalem to the sound of lyres, harps, and trumpets and went into the house of the Lord. 29 The fear of God fell upon all the kingdoms of the neighboring countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 And thereafter Jehoshaphat’s kingdom enjoyed peace, since God gave him rest on every side.
31 Jehoshaphat’s Many Deeds. Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah; she was the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He followed the example of his father Asa, and he did not deviate from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. 33 However, the high places were not abolished, and the people had not as yet fixed their hearts on the God of their fathers.[e]
34 The remainder of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Jehu, the son of Hanani, which is included in the book of the kings of Israel.[f]
35 Later King Jehoshaphat of Judah allied himself with King Ahaziah of Israel, who was guilty of wicked deeds. 36 [g]Jehoshaphat joined Ahaziah in the building of ships to sail to Tarshish. The fleet was built at Ezion-geber. 37 As a result, Eliezer, the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah, then prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying: “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked, and they were never fit to sail to Tarshish.
Chapter 21
1 [h]Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. His son Jehoram succeeded him as king. 2 Jehoram’s brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All of these were sons of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. 3 Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold, and other valuable possessions, as well as fortified cities in Judah. However, he bestowed the kingship upon Jehoram because he was the firstborn.
The Evil Deeds of Jehoram. 4 When Jehoram had firmly established himself on his father’s throne, he put all of his brothers to the sword as well as some of the princes of Israel. 5 He was thirty-two years old when he ascended the throne, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years.
6 Jehoram followed the practices of the kings of Israel as the house of Ahab had done, for he had married one of Ahab’s daughters, and he did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. 7 However, the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant that he had made with David and because of his promise to give him and his descendants a lamp forever.
8 During the reign of Jehoram, Edom revolted against the rule of Judah and appointed its own king. 9 Therefore, Jehoram crossed over into Edom with his commanders and all his chariots. He set out during the night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders.
10 However, Edom has remained in rebellion against the sovereignty of Judah to the present day. Libnah revolted against the rule of Jehoram at the same time because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his fathers, 11 and because he had established shrines in the hill country of Judah, leading the inhabitants of Jerusalem into idolatry and the people of Judah into apostasy.
12 Retribution. A letter came to Jehoram from the prophet Elijah with this message: “Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David: ‘You have not followed the example of your father Jehoshaphat, nor of Asa, king of Judah,[i] 13 but have instead followed the example of the kings of Israel and have led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into apostasy, just as the house of Ahab did. Also, you have murdered your brothers, members of your father’s house, who were far more worthy than you.
14 “ ‘Because of all this, the Lord will cause a great affliction to affect your people, your children, your wives, and all your property. 15 Moreover, you yourself will suffer greatly from a severe disease afflicting your bowels that will eventually cause them to protrude.’ ”
16 Then the Lord aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs who dwelt near the Ethiopians.[j] 17 They attacked Judah, invaded it, and carried away all the wealth that was found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and his wives. Not a son was left to him except the youngest, Jehoahaz.
18 After all this the Lord struck down Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels. 19 In the course of time, after two years had gone by, his bowels came forth as a result of his disease, and he died in unbearable agony. His people did not bother to make a funeral pyre for him as they had done for his ancestors.
20 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. He passed away with none of the people exhibiting any sign of regret, and he was buried in the City of David, although not in the tombs of the kings.
Chapter 22
Ahaziah. 1 The people of Jerusalem then chose Jehoram’s youngest son Ahaziah[k] as his successor, since the troops who had come into the camp with the Arabs had killed all the older sons. Thus Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, reigned as King of Judah.
2 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he ascended the throne, and he reigned in Jerusalem for one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. 3 He too followed the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him to pursue evil practices. 4 [l]To his own destruction he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they became his advisors.
5 Ahaziah even followed their advice when he made an alliance with Jehoram, the son of King Ahab of Israel, to make war against King Hazael of Aram, at Ramoth-gilead. In that conflict Jehoram was wounded by the Arameans. 6 As a result, Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to visit Jehoram, the son of Ahab, in Jezreel.
7 However, it was ordained by God that the visit of Ahaziah to Jehoram should be the occasion of his downfall. For when he arrived there, he went forth with Jehoram to meet Jehu, the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. 8 While Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he also encountered the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers, and he killed them.
9 Then Jehu went forth in search of Ahaziah, and his men captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. They brought Ahaziah to Jehu, who put him to death. However, they buried him, for they said: “He was the grandson of Jehoshaphat who sought the Lord with all his heart.” As a result, there was no one remaining from the house of Ahaziah who was strong enough to rule.
10 When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, was told that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy all the royal offspring of the house of Judah. 11 However, Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, secretly took Joash, the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were about to be killed, and she put him with his nurse in a bedroom.
In this way, Jehosheba, who was the daughter of King Jehoram and the wife of Jehoiada the priest, as well as a sister of Ahaziah, hid Joash from Athaliah so that she was unable to kill him. 12 Joash remained hidden with them in the house of God for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.
Chapter 23
Athaliah Opposed. 1 In the seventh year Jehoiada bolstered his courage and entered into a covenant with regimental commanders: Azariah, son of Jehoram; Ishmael, son of Jehohanan; Azariah, son of Obed; Maaseiah, son of Adaiah; and Elishaphat, son of Zichri. 2 They went throughout Judah, gathering the Levites from all the cities of Judah as well as the heads of the families of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.
3 Then the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the temple of God. Jehoiada said to them: “Here is the king’s son! He will reign as king, as the Lord promised concerning the sons of David. 4 This is what you must do: one-third of you, priests and Levites, who come on duty on the Sabbath, are to guard the gates. 5 Another third are to be assigned to the king’s palace, and the final third are to be stationed at the Foundation Gate, while all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord. 6 Allow no one to enter the house of the Lord except the priests and the Levites who are on duty. They may enter because they are holy, but all the other people must continue to observe the instructions of the Lord. 7 The Levites shall station themselves by surrounding the king on all sides, each one with his weapon drawn, and anyone who tries to enter the temple is to be put to death. They must remain with the king wherever he goes.”
8 The Levites and all Judah did everything that the priest Jehoiada had commanded. Each one brought his own men, both those who came on duty on the Sabbath and those who were scheduled to go off duty, since Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed any of the divisions. 9 Then the priest handed over to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that belonged to King David and that were stored in the house of God.
10 After that, Jehoiada the priest stationed all the people, each one with a weapon in his hand, from the south side to the north side of the temple and around the altar, while forming a circle around the king. 11 Then they brought forth the king’s son, placed the crown on his head, presented him with the covenant, and proclaimed him king. When Jehoiada and his sons had anointed him, they shouted: “Long live the king!”
12 When Athaliah heard the shouts of the people as they ran forth to proclaim him as king, she went into the house of the Lord where the people had assembled. 13 As she looked on, she beheld the king standing by his pillar[m] at the entrance, with the officers and the trumpeters at the king’s side, and with the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, while the singers with their musical instruments were leading the celebrations. Thereupon Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out: “Treason! Treason!”
14 Immediately Jehoiada the priest gave the following orders to the captains who were in command of the troops: “Take her outside between the ranks. If anyone tries to follow her, put him to death by the sword!” Then the priest made it clear: “Do not put her to death in the temple of the Lord.” 15 After that they seized her and brought her to the entrance of the Horse Gate of the palace, and there they put her to death.
16 After that, Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king that they should be the Lord’s people. 17 Then all the people went to the temple of Baal and demolished it. They smashed its altars and its images, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. 18 Jehoiada entrusted the supervision of the temple of the Lord to the Levitical priests whom David had designated to present burnt offerings to the Lord, as prescribed in the law of Moses, with singing and rejoicing as David had ordained. 19 He also stationed guards at the gates of the Lord’s temple to ensure that no one should enter who was in any way unclean.
20 Then Jehoiada took with him the captains of units of a hundred, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land and escorted the king down from the house of the Lord. Entering the palace through the Upper Gate, they seated the king on the royal throne. 21 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet and serene after Athaliah had been put to death by the sword.
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