1 It happened after this, that the children of Moab, and the
children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against
Jehoshaphat to battle. 2 Then there came some who told Jehoshaphat,
saying, There comes a great multitude against you from beyond the sea from
Syria; and, behold, they are in Hazazon Tamar (the same is En Gedi).
3 Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek to Yahweh; and he proclaimed
a fast throughout all Judah. 4 Judah gathered themselves together, to seek
help of Yahweh: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek
Yahweh. 5 Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the
house of Yahweh, before the new court; 6 and he said, Yahweh, the God
of our fathers, aren’t you God in heaven? and aren’t you ruler over all the
kingdoms of the nations? and in your hand is power and might, so that none is
able to withstand you. 7 Did not you, our God, drive out the inhabitants
of this land before your people Israel, and give it to the seed of Abraham
your friend forever? 8 They lived therein, and have built you a sanctuary
therein for your name, saying, 9 If evil come on us, the sword, judgment,
or 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 aside 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;
neither know we what to do: but out eyes are on you. 13 All Judah stood
before Yahweh, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
14 Then 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, came the
Spirit of Yahweh in the midst of the assembly; 15 and he said, Listen
you, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king
Jehoshaphat: Thus says Yahweh to you, Don’t be afraid you, neither be
dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but
God’s. 16 Tomorrow go you down against them: behold, they come up by
the ascent of Ziz; and you shall find them at the end of the valley,
before the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You shall not need to fight in
this battle: set yourselves, stand you still, and see the
salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; don’t be afraid, nor be
dismayed: tomorrow go out against them: for Yahweh 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 Yahweh, worshipping Yahweh.
19 The Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of
the Korahites, stood up to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel, with an
exceeding loud voice. 20 They rose early in the morning, and went forth
into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and
said, Hear me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in
Yahweh your God, so shall you be established; believe his prophets, so
shall you prosper. 21 When he had taken counsel with the people, he
appointed those who should sing to Yahweh, and give praise in holy array, as
they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to Yahweh; for his
loving kindness endures forever. 22 When they began to sing and to praise,
Yahweh set liers-in-wait 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, utterly to
kill and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of
Seir, everyone helped to destroy another. 24 When Judah came to the
watch-tower of 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 the spoil of them, they
found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies, and precious
jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry
away: and they were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. 26 On
the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Beracah; for there
they blessed Yahweh: therefore the name of that place was called The valley
of Beracah to this day. 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and
Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem
with joy; for Yahweh had made them to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They
came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets to the house of
Yahweh. 29 The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when
they heard that Yahweh fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the
realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest round about.
31 Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty-five years old when he
began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem: and his
mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He walked in the way
of Asa his father, and didn’t turn aside from it, doing that which was right
in the eyes of Yahweh. 33 However the high places were not taken away;
neither as yet had the people set their hearts to 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 inserted in
the book of the kings of Israel. 35 After this did Jehoshaphat king of
Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel; the same did very wickedly:
36 and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and
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, Yahweh has destroyed your works. The ships were
broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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