2 Chronicles 20
The Singers Went Out Ahead of the Army
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Moab and Ammon Come Against Judah
20:1After this, the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, with some of the Minaeans, came against Jehoshaphat for war.
20:2People came and informed Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude has arrived against you from beyond the sea, from Syria. Look, they are at Asasanthamar, that is, Engaddi.”
20:3Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord. He proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.
20:4Judah assembled to seek the Lord. They came from all the cities of Judah to seek the Lord.
The Prayer of Jehoshaphat
20:5Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah in Jerusalem, in the Lord’s house before the new courtyard.
20:6He said, “Lord, God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In Your hand is mighty strength, and no one can resist You.
20:7Was it not You, Lord, who destroyed this land’s inhabitants before Your people Israel and gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham, Your beloved?
20:8They lived in it and built a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying,
20:9‘If calamities come upon us—sword, judgment, death, famine—we will stand before this house and before You, for Your name is upon this house. We will cry to You from affliction, and You will hear and save.’
20:10Now look at the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, through whom You would not let Israel pass when they came out from Egypt’s land. They turned aside from them and did not destroy them.
20:11Now look: they are attempting to come out against us and expel us from our inheritance, which You gave us.
20:12Lord our God, will You not judge among them? We have no strength to resist this great multitude that has come against us, and we do not know what to do to them. But our eyes are on You.”
20:13All Judah stood before the Lord, with their children and the women.
The Spirit Comes upon Oziel
20:14The Spirit of the Lord came upon Oziel son of Zacharias, of the sons of Banaias, of the sons of Eleel, of Manthanias the Levite, from Asaph’s sons, in the assembly.
20:15He said, “Listen, all Judah, inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you yourselves: Do not fear or be terrified before this great crowd, because the battle array belongs to God, not to you.
20:16Tomorrow go down against them. Look, they are coming up by the ascent of Asas. You will find them at the edge of the river of the wilderness of Jeriel.
20:17You will not have to wage war. Understand these things and see the Lord’s salvation with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be terrified about going out tomorrow to meet them, and the Lord will be with you.”
20:18Jehoshaphat bowed on his face, and all Judah and Jerusalem’s inhabitants fell before the Lord to worship the Lord.
20:19The Levites from the sons of Kaath and the sons of Kore stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a loud voice raised high.
The Singers Go Out Before the Army
20:20They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Thekoe. As they went out, Jehoshaphat stood, cried out, and said, “Hear me, Judah and Jerusalem’s inhabitants. Trust in the Lord your God, and you will be trusted. Trust in His prophet, and you will prosper.”
20:21He consulted the people and appointed psalm singers and those giving praise, to give thanks and praise the holy things as they went out before the army. They said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy is forever.”
20:22When His praise of thanksgiving began, the Lord set the sons of Ammon to fight against Moab and Mount Seir, who had come out against Judah, and they were routed.
20:23The sons of Ammon and Moab rose against Mount Seir’s inhabitants to destroy and wipe them out. When they had finished Seir’s inhabitants, they rose against one another to be destroyed.
20:24Judah reached the wilderness lookout and looked out and saw the multitude. There they were: all dead, fallen on the ground, with no survivor.
The Spoil and the Vale of Blessing
20:25Jehoshaphat and his people came to plunder their spoils. They found many herds, baggage, spoils, and precious articles, and plundered them for themselves. They spent three days plundering the spoils, because they were so many.
20:26On the fourth day they assembled in the Vale of Blessing, for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore they called that place the Valley of Blessing, as it is to this day.
20:27Every man of Judah returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, in great rejoicing, because the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies.
20:28They entered Jerusalem with nablas, kinyras, and trumpets, going to the Lord’s house.
20:29Terror from the Lord came upon all the kingdoms of the earth when they heard that the Lord had fought against Israel’s adversaries.
20:30Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, and his God gave him rest all around.
The Reign of Jehoshaphat
20:31Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azouba daughter of Sali.
20:32He walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not turn aside from doing what was right before the Lord.
20:33However, the high places still existed, and the people still had not directed their heart toward the Lord, the God of their fathers.
20:34The rest of Jehoshaphat’s acts, first and last, are written in the accounts of Jehu son of Anani, who wrote down a book of the kings of Israel.
The Ships Broken at Gasion-gaber
20:35After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah entered a partnership with Ahaziah king of Israel—this man acted lawlessly—
20:36in undertaking the work and going to him to make ships to sail to Tharsis; and he made ships at Gasion-gaber.
20:37Eliezer son of Dodia from Marisa prophesied against Jehoshaphat: “Because you befriended Ahaziah, the Lord has shattered your work, and your ships have been wrecked.” He was unable to go to Tharsis.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.