The Second Book of Chronicles, starting at chapter 19
{19:1} Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace
to Jerusalem. {19:2} Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet
him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, "Should you help the wicked, and
love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, wrath is on you from
before the LORD. {19:3} Nevertheless there are good things found in
you, in that you have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have
set your heart to seek God."
{19:4} Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem: and he went out again among
the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought
them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers. {19:5} He set judges
in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by
city, {19:6} and said to the judges, "Consider what you do: for you
don't judge for man, but for the LORD; and he is with you in the
judgment. {19:7} Now therefore let the fear of the LORD be on you.
Take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God,
nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes."
{19:8} Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed Levites and
priests, and of the heads of the fathers' households of Israel, for
the judgment of the LORD, and for controversies. They returned to
Jerusalem. {19:9} He commanded them, saying, "Thus you shall do in the
fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. {19:10}
Whenever any controversy shall come to you from your brothers who
dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and
commandment, statutes and ordinances, you shall warn them, that they
not be guilty towards the LORD, and so wrath come on you and on your
brothers. Do this, and you shall not be guilty. {19:11} Behold,
Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the LORD; and
Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all
the king's matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you.
Deal courageously, and may the LORD be with the good."
{20:1} 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. {20:2} 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).
{20:3} Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek to the LORD.
He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. {20:4} Judah gathered
themselves together, to seek help from the LORD. They came out of all
the cities of Judah to seek the LORD. {20:5} Jehoshaphat stood in the
assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the
new court; {20:6} 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. {20:7} Didn't 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? {20:8} They lived in it, and have built
you a sanctuary in it for your name, saying, {20:9} 'If evil comes on
us--the sword, judgment, 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.' {20:10} 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; {20:11} behold,
how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your possession, which
you have given us to inherit. {20:12} 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 our eyes are on you."
{20:13} All Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones,
their wives, and their children. {20:14} Then the Spirit of the LORD
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
midst of the assembly; {20:15} and he said, "Listen, all Judah, and
you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat. Thus says the
LORD to you, 'Don't be afraid, neither be dismayed by reason of this
great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. {20:16}
Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they are coming up by the
ascent of Ziz. You shall find them at the end of the valley, before
the wilderness of Jeruel. {20:17} 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.'"
{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,
worshipping the LORD. {20:19} 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 exceeding loud voice. {20:20}
They rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of
Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to
me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your
God, so you shall be established! Believe his prophets, so you shall
prosper."
{20:21} When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed
those who should sing to the LORD, and give praise in holy array, as
they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to the LORD; for
his loving kindness endures forever. {20:22} 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. {20:23} 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. {20:24} 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.
{20:25} When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, 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. {20:26} On the fourth day they assembled themselves in
the valley of Beracah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the
name of that place was called The valley of Beracah to this day.
{20:27} Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and
Jehoshaphat in their forefront, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for
the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. {20:28} They
came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments and harps and
[1>]shofars[<1] to the house of the LORD. {20:29} The fear of God was
on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that the LORD
fought against the enemies of Israel. {20:30} So the realm of
Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest all around. {20:31}
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. {20:32} 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 the LORD. {20:33} However the high
places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their
hearts to the God of their fathers. {20:34} 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. {20:35} After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah
joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very
wickedly: {20:36} and he joined himself with him to make ships to go
to Tarshish; and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. {20:37} 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 broken, so that
they were not able to go to Tarshish.
{21:1} Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David: and Jehoram his son reigned in his
place. {21:2} He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, and
Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah; all
these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. {21:3} Their father
gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things,
with fortified cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram,
because he was the firstborn. {21:4} Now when Jehoram was risen up
over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he
killed all his brothers with the sword, and various also of the
princes of Israel. {21:5} Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he
began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. {21:6} He
walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab;
for he had the daughter of Ahab as wife: and he did that which was
evil in the sight of the LORD. {21:7} However the LORD would not
destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made
with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his
children always. {21:8} In his days Edom revolted from under the hand
of Judah, and made a king over themselves. {21:9} Then Jehoram passed
over with his captains, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up
by night, and struck the Edomites who surrounded him, along with the
captains of the chariots. {21:10} So Edom revolted from under the hand
of Judah to this day: then Libnah revolted at the same time from under
his hand, because he had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers.
{21:11} Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and
made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute, and led
Judah astray. {21:12} A letter came to him from Elijah the prophet,
saying, "Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father, 'Because
you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the
ways of Asa king of Judah, {21:13} but have walked in the way of the
kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
to play the prostitute, like the house of Ahab did, and also have
slain your brothers of your father's house, who were better than
yourself: {21:14} behold, the LORD will strike with a great plague
your people, and your children, and your wives, and all your
substance; {21:15} and you shall have great sickness by disease of
your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day
by day.'"
{21:16} The LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the
Philistines, and of the Arabians who are beside the Ethiopians:
{21:17} and they came up against Judah, and broke into it, and carried
away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his
sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him,
except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. {21:18} After all this the
LORD struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. {21:19} It
happened, in process of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels
fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died of severe diseases.
His people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
{21:20} Thirty-two years old was he when he began to reign, and he
reigned in Jerusalem eight years: and he departed without being
desired; and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the
tombs of the kings.
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Footnotes:
[1] {20:28} or, trumpets
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