2 Chronicles

20 And after this the Bene-Moab and the Bene-ʽAmmon, and with them some of the Meʽunites, came against Jehoshaphat for war. 2 And they came and reported to Jehoshaphat “There has come in against you a great host from the other side of the sea, from Edom, and here they are at Haseson-Tamar”—that is, ʽEn-Gedi.

3 And Jehoshaphat was afraid, and turned his face to invoke Jehovah, and proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4* And Judah gathered to seek from Jehovah; also out of all the cities of Judah they came in to seek Jehovah. 5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at Jehovah’s house, in front of the new court, 6 and said “Jehovah, God of our fathers, is it not true that you are God in heaven and you rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in your hands are power and might, and there is no way to stand one’s ground with you? 7 did not you, our God, dispossess the inhabitants of this country before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham who loved you? 8 and they settled in it and have built you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying 9* ‘If there comes upon us disaster, a warfare, a judgment, a pestilence, a famine, we will stand before this house and before you, because your name is in this house, and cry to you out of our distress, and you will hear and save.’ 10 And now here are the sons of ʽAmmon and Moab and the highlands of Seʽir, whom you did not let Israel go in among when they came out of Egypt, for they turned out from them and did not root them out,— 11 here are they requiting us by coming in to expel us from our possession which you bestowed on us. 12 Our God, will you not pass judgment on them? for there is no power in us before this great host that is coming against us, and we do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” 13 And all Judah were standing before Jehovah, babies and women and children and all.

14 And Jahaziel the son of Zecariah the son of Benajah the son of Jeʽiel the son of Mattaniah the Levite, one of the sons of Asaph, had Jehovah’s spirit come upon him in the midst of the assembly; 15 and he said “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat! Says Jehovah to you, Be not you afraid nor dismayed at this great host; for the war is not yours but God’s. 16 Go down against them tomorrow; there they are, coming up Flowery Slope, and you will find them at the end of the arroyo, the east face of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You do not have to fight on this occasion: take your places, stand still, and see Jehovah’s succor on your side, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid nor dismayed; go out tomorrow to confront them, and Jehovah will be with you.” 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem threw themselves down before Jehovah to do reverence to Jehovah, 19 and the Levites, some of the sons of the Kehathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise Israel’s God Jehovah’ with loudest voice.

20 And the first thing in the morning they went out to the wilderness of Tekoaʽ; and as they went out Jehoshaphat stood and said “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: have confidence in your God Jehovah and you will have permanence; have confidence in his prophets and you will have success.” 21 And, after consulting with the people, he stationed singers for Jehovah and praisers of holy grandeur going out before the armed men and saying “Give thanks to Jehovah, because his friendship lasts forever.” 22 And at the moment when they began with carol and praise, Jehovah brought ambushed enemies against the Bene-ʽAmmon, Moab, and the highlanders of Seʽir, and they were beaten; 23 and the Bene-ʽAmmon and Moab stood against the ones from the highland of Seʽir to exterminate them without quarter, and when they had finished with the ones from Seʽir they helped each other to wreck. 24 And Judah came to the lookout toward the wilderness and faced toward the host, and there they were, corpses fallen on the ground and no survivors. 25 And Jehoshaphat and his people went in to plunder the booty and found beasts in great numbers, and chattels and clothing and valuables, and helped themselves to more than they could carry; and they were three days plundering the booty, it was so great. 26 And on the fourth day they assembled in Blessing Vale (because they blessed Jehovah there; that is why they named that place Blessing Vale and it bears the name to this day). 27 And all the men of Judah and Jerusalem came back, with Jehoshaphat at their head, coming back to Jerusalem with festivity because Jehovah had gladdened them by relief from their enemies; 28 and they came into Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, up to Jehovah’s house. 29 And the dread of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that Jehovah had fought Israel’s enemies. 30 And Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was quiet, and Jehovah gave him rest on all sides.

31 And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah, being thirty-five years old at his accession to the throne and reigning twenty-five years at Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was ʽAzubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 And he walked in the path of his father Asa and never turned from it, doing what Jehovah approved; 33 only the heights were not removed, and the people had not directed their hearts to their fathers’ God. 34 And as to the rest of the history of Jehoshaphat, first and last, it is recorded in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which was put into the book of the kings of Israel.

35 And later on King Jehoshaphat of Judah associated himself with King Ahaziah of Israel, who had a bad record, 36 and took him as his associate for building ships to go to Spain; and they built ships at Ghesjon-Geber. 37* But Eliʽezer the son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat “As you have associated yourself with Ahaziah, Jehovah has burst your works”; and his ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Spain.