2 Chronicles 20:5-12

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, ¹are You not God in the heavens? And ²are 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 ³give it to the descendants of ⁴Abraham Your friend forever?

8 "They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying,

9 '⁵Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for ⁶Your name is in this house ) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us.'

10 "Now behold, ⁷the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, ⁸whom 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 ⁹coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance.

12 "O our God, ¹⁰will 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 ¹¹our eyes are on You."

2 Chronicles 20:5-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 20

Jehoshaphat having notice of a numerous army coming against him, 2Ch 20:1,2, betakes himself to fasting and prayer with his people, 2Ch 20:3-13, when they were immediately assured of victory by a prophet, which filled them with joy and thankfulness, 2Ch 20:14-21, and accordingly their enemies destroyed one another, and Jehoshaphat and his people returned to Jerusalem rejoicing and praising God, 2Ch 20:22-30, and the chapter is closed with an account of the latter part of Jehoshaphat's reign, 2Ch 20:31-37.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 4:39
• 2. 1 Chronicles 29:11
• 3. Isaiah 41:8
• 4. James 2:23
• 5. 2 Chronicles 6:28-30
• 6. 2 Chronicles 6:20
• 7. 2 Chronicles 20:1, 22
• 8. Numbers 20:17-21
• 9. Psalms 83:12
• 10. Judges 11:27
• 11. Psalms 25:15; Psalms 121:1, 2

Footnotes

• [a]. I.e. Edom