2 Chronicles 20:3

3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced that no one in Judah should eat during this special time of prayer to God.

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 Meunites came to start a war with Jehoshaphat.

2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, "A large army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. They are already in Hazazon Tamar!" (Hazazon Tamar is also called En Gedi.)

3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced that no one in Judah should eat during this special time of prayer to God.

4 The people of Judah came together to ask the Lord for help; they came from every town in Judah.

5 The people of Judah and Jerusalem met in front of the new courtyard in the Temple of the Lord. Then Jehoshaphat stood up,