Chapter 20
1 After this , the children of Moab , the children of Ammon , and with them some of the Meunites , came against Jehoshaphat to battle .
2 Then some came who told Jehoshaphat , saying, " A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea from Syria. Behold , they are in Hazazon Tamar" ( that is , En Gedi).
3 Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek the LORD . He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah .
4 Judah gathered themselves together to seek help from the LORD . They came out of all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD .
5 Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem , in the LORD ’s house , before the new court ;
6 and he said, " LORD , the God of our fathers, aren’t you God in heaven ? Aren’t you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations ? Power and might are in your hand , so that no one is able to withstand you .
7 Didn’t you , our God , drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel , and give it to the offspring of Abraham your friend forever ?
8 They lived in it , and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name , saying,
9 ‘ If evil comes on us — the sword , judgement, pestilence , or famine — we will stand before this house , and before you ( for your name is in this house ), and cry to you in our affliction , and you will hear and save .’
10 Now , behold , the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir , whom you would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt , but they turned away from them , and didn’t destroy them ;
11 behold , how they reward us , to come to cast us out of your possession , which you have given us to inherit .
12 Our God , will you not judge them ? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us . We don’t know what to do , but our eyes are on you ."
13 All Judah stood before the LORD , with their little ones , their wives, and their children .
14 Then the LORD ’s Spirit came on Jahaziel the son of Zechariah , the son of Benaiah , the son of Jeiel , the son of Mattaniah , the Levite , of the sons of Asaph, in the middle of the assembly ;
15 and he said, " Listen , all Judah , and you inhabitants of Jerusalem , and you , King Jehoshaphat . The LORD says to you , ‘Don’t be afraid , and don’t be dismayed because of this great multitude ; for the battle is not yours, but God ’s.
16 Tomorrow , go down against them . Behold , they are coming up by the ascent of Ziz . You will find them at the end of the valley , before the wilderness of Jeruel .
17 You will not need to fight this battle . Set yourselves , stand still , and see the salvation of the LORD with you , O Judah and Jerusalem . Don’t be afraid , nor be dismayed . Go out against them tomorrow , for the LORD is with you .’"
18 Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground ; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD , worshipping the LORD .
19 The Levites , of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites , stood up to praise the LORD , the God of Israel , with an exceedingly loud voice .
20 They rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa . As they went out , Jehoshaphat stood and said , " Listen to me , Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem ! Believe in the LORD your God , so you will be established ! Believe his prophets , so you will prosper ."
21 When he had taken counsel with the people , he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and give praise in holy array as they go out before the army , and say, " Give thanks to the LORD , for his loving kindness endures forever ."
22 When they began to sing and to praise , the LORD set ambushers against the children of Ammon , Moab , and Mount Seir , who had come against Judah ; and they were struck .
23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them . When they had finished the inhabitants of Seir , everyone helped to destroy each other .
24 When Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness , they looked at the multitude ; and behold , they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none who escaped .
25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their plunder , they found amongst them in abundance both riches and dead bodies with precious jewels , which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away . They took plunder for three days , it was so much .
26 On the fourth day , they assembled themselves in Beracah Valley , for there they blessed the LORD . Therefore the name of that place was called " Beracah Valley " to this day .
27 Then they returned , every man of Judah and Jerusalem , with Jehoshaphat in front of them , to go again to Jerusalem with joy ; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies .
28 They came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments, harps , and trumpets to the LORD ’s house .
29 The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel .
30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet , for his God gave him rest all around .
31 So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah . He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign . He reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem . His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi .
32 He walked in the way of Asa his father, and didn’t turn away from it , doing that which was right in the LORD ’s eyes .
33 However the high places were not taken away , and the people had still not set their hearts on the God of their fathers.
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat , first and last, behold , they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani , which is included in the book of the kings of Israel .
35 After this , Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel . The same did very wickedly .
36 He joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish . They made the ships in Ezion Geber.
37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat , saying, " Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works ." The ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish .