|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Judah
Invaded |
|
|
 |
| 2 Chronicles 20:1 |
|
Now it came about after this that the sons of
Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war
against Jehoshaphat. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:2 |
|
Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat,
saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of Aram
and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi)." |
| |
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:3 |
|
Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention
to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. |
| |
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:4 |
|
So Judah gathered together to seek help from
the LORD; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Jehoshaphat's
Prayer |
| |
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:5 |
|
Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah
and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD before the new court, |
| |
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:6 |
|
and he said, "O LORD, the God of our fathers,
are You not God in the heavens? And are 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. |
| |
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:7 |
|
Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants
of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham
Your friend forever? |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:8 |
|
They have lived in it, and have built You a
sanctuary there for Your name, saying, |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:9 |
|
'Should evil come upon us, the sword, or 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 distress, and You will hear
and deliver us.' |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:10 |
|
Now behold, the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount
Seir, whom 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), |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:11 |
|
see how they are rewarding us by coming to drive
us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance. |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:12 |
|
O our God, will 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 our eyes are on You." |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:13 |
|
All Judah was standing before the LORD, with
their infants, their wives and their children. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Jahaziel
Answers the Prayer |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:14 |
|
Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit
of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son
of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:15 |
|
and he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants
of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not fear or
be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's. |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:16 |
|
Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they
will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley
in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:17 |
|
You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves,
stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.'
Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with
you." |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:18 |
|
Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to
the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the
LORD, worshiping the LORD. |
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:19 |
|
The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites
and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with
a very loud voice. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Enemies
Destroy Themselves |
| |
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:20 |
|
They rose early in the morning and went out
to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said,
"Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD
your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed." |
| |
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:21 |
|
When he had consulted with the people, he appointed
those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went
out before the army and said, "Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness
is everlasting." |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:22 |
|
When they began singing and praising, the LORD
set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against
Judah; so they were routed. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:23 |
|
For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against
the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished
with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:24 |
|
When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness,
they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground,
and no one had escaped. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:25 |
|
When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take
their spoil, they found much among them, including goods, garments and valuable
things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry. And they were
three days taking the spoil because there was so much. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Triumphant
Return to Jerusalem |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:26 |
|
Then on the fourth day they assembled in the
valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the LORD. Therefore they have named
that place "The Valley of Beracah" until today. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:27 |
|
Every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with
Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made
them to rejoice over their enemies. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:28 |
|
They came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres and
trumpets to the house of the LORD. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:29 |
|
And the dread of God was on all the kingdoms
of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:30 |
|
So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace,
for his God gave him rest on all sides. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:31 |
|
Now Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five
years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years.
And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:32 |
|
He walked in the way of his father Asa and did
not depart from it, doing right in the sight of the LORD. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:33 |
|
The high places, however, were not removed;
the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:34 |
|
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first
to last, behold, they are written in the annals of Jehu the son of Hanani, which
is recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Alliance
Displeases God |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:35 |
|
After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied
himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. He acted wickedly in so doing. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:36 |
|
So he allied himself with him to make ships
to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Chronicles 20:37 |
|
Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah
prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, "Because you have allied yourself with
Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works." So the ships were broken and could
not go to Tarshish. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
