2 Chronicles 20:2

2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom,[a] from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi).

2 Chronicles 20:2 in Other Translations

KJV
2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.
ESV
2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar" (that is, Engedi).
NLT
2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name for En-gedi.)
MSG
2 Jehoshaphat received this intelligence report: "A huge force is on its way from beyond the Dead Sea to fight you. There's no time to waste - they're already at Hazazon Tamar, the oasis of En Gedi."
CSB
2 People came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast multitude from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom has come [to fight] against you; they are already in Hazazon-tamar" (that is, En-gedi).

2 Chronicles 20:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 20:2

Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat
Deserters or spies, or some of the inhabitants of those parts where they had entered, who rode post haste to acquaint him with it:

saying, there cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea
on this side Syria;
that is, beyond the Dead or Salt sea, the sea of Sodom; the Targum is,

``beyond the west of Syria,''

that sea being the western boundary of it:

and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi;
(See Gill on Genesis 14:7).

2 Chronicles 20:2 In-Context

1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.
2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi).
3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.
4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard

Cross References 3

  • 1. 2 Chronicles 24:24
  • 2. S Genesis 14:7
  • 3. S 1 Samuel 23:29; Song of Songs 1:14

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. One Hebrew manuscript; most Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate "Aram"
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