2 Chronicles 20

Judah Invaded

1 Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the 1Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat.
2 Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of Aram and behold, they are in 2Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi )."
3 Jehoshaphat was afraid and 3turned his attention to seek the LORD, and 4proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
4 So Judah gathered together to 5seek help from the LORD; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD.

Jehoshaphat's Prayer

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD before the new court,
6 and he said, "O LORD, the God of our fathers, 6are You not God in the heavens? And 7are 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.
7 "Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before * Your people Israel and 8give it to the descendants of 9Abraham Your friend forever?
8 "They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying,
9 '10Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for 11Your name is in this house ) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us.'
10 "Now behold, 12the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, 13whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not destroy them),
11 see how they are rewarding us by 14coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance.
12 "O our God, 15will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but 16our eyes are on You."
13 All Judah was standing before the LORD, with their infants, their wives and their children.

Jahaziel Answers the Prayer

14 Then in the midst of the assembly 17the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph;
15 and he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, '18Do not fear or be dismayed because * of this great multitude, for 19the battle is not yours but God's.
16 'Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 'You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, 20stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, 21for the LORD is with you."
18 Jehoshaphat 22bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.
19 The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

Enemies Destroy Themselves

20 They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, 23put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed."
21 When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who 24praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, "25Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting."
22 When they began singing and praising, the LORD 26set ambushes against the sons of 27Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed.
23 For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, 28they helped to destroy one another.
24 When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and no one had escaped.
25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found much among them, including goods, garments and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry. And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much.

Triumphant Return to Jerusalem

26 Then on the fourth day they assembled in the valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the LORD. Therefore * they have named * that place "The Valley of Beracah " until today.
27 Every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, 29for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.
28 They came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres and trumpets to the house of the LORD.
29 And 30the dread of God was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, 31for his God gave him rest on all sides.
31 32Now Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five * years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five * years. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
32 He walked in the way of his father Asa and did not depart from it, doing right in the sight of the LORD.
33 33The high places, however, were not removed; 34the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first to last, behold, they are written in the annals of 35Jehu the son of Hanani, which is recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

Alliance Displeases God

35 36After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. He acted wickedly in so doing.
36 So he allied himself with him to make ships to go 37to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion-geber.
37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, "Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works." So the ships were broken and could not go to Tarshish.

Images for 2 Chronicles 20

Cross References 37

  • 1. 1 Chronicles 4:41; 2 Chronicles 26:7
  • 2. Genesis 14:7
  • 3. 2 Chronicles 19:3
  • 4. 1 Samuel 7:6; Ezra 8:21
  • 5. Joel 1:14
  • 6. Deuteronomy 4:39
  • 7. 1 Chronicles 29:11
  • 8. Isaiah 41:8
  • 9. James 2:23
  • 10. 2 Chronicles 6:28-30
  • 11. 2 Chronicles 6:20
  • 12. 2 Chronicles 20:1, 22
  • 13. Numbers 20:17-21
  • 14. Psalms 83:12
  • 15. Judges 11:27
  • 16. Psalms 25:15; Psalms 121:1, 2
  • 17. 2 Chronicles 15:1; 2 Chronicles 24:20
  • 18. Exodus 14:13; Deuteronomy 20:1-4; 2 Chronicles 32:7, 8
  • 19. 1 Samuel 17:47
  • 20. Exodus 14:13
  • 21. 2 Chronicles 15:2
  • 22. Exodus 4:31
  • 23. Isaiah 7:9
  • 24. 1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalms 29:2
  • 25. 1 Chronicles 16:34
  • 26. 2 Chronicles 13:13
  • 27. 2 Chronicles 20:10
  • 28. Judges 7:22; 1 Samuel 14:20
  • 29. Nehemiah 12:43
  • 30. 2 Chronicles 14:14; 2 Chronicles 17:10
  • 31. 2 Chronicles 14:6, 7; 2 Chronicles 15:15
  • 32. 1 Kings 22:41-43
  • 33. 2 Chronicles 17:6
  • 34. 2 Chronicles 19:3
  • 35. 2 Chronicles 19:2
  • 36. 1 Kings 22:48, 49
  • 37. 2 Chronicles 9:21

Footnotes 10

2 Chronicles 20 Commentaries

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