2 Chronicles 20:3

3 Frightened, Jehoshaphat decided to ask for the LORD's help. He announced a fast throughout Judah.

2 Chronicles 20:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 20:3

And Jehoshaphat feared
Exceedingly, as the Targum adds, not merely because of the number of his enemies, for he had forces enough to go forth against them, see ( 2 Chronicles 17:14-19 ) , but chiefly because the Lord had told him that wrath was upon him from him, ( 2 Chronicles 19:2 ) and he might fear that this was the time for the execution of it: and set himself to seek the Lord;
by prayer and supplication, with all seriousness, fervour, and constancy: and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah;
a day of humiliation and mourning for sin before the Lord; when they were ordered to abstain from bodily food and labour, that they might be fit and more at leisure for spiritual exercises.

2 Chronicles 20:3 In-Context

1 Later the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.

2 Some men reported to Jehoshaphat, "A large crowd is coming against you from the other side of the Dead Sea, from Edom. The crowd is already in Hazazon Tamar" (also called En Gedi).

3 Frightened, Jehoshaphat decided to ask for the LORD's help. He announced a fast throughout Judah.

4 The people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD's help. They came from every city in Judah.

5 In the new courtyard at the LORD's temple, Jehoshaphat stood in front of the people.