Jehoshaphat’s Prayer Against Moab and Ammon

2 Chronicles 20

After this, the children of Moab, the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. Then some came who told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea from Syria. They are already in Hazazon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek to YHWH. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. Judah gathered themselves together to seek help from YHWH. They came out of all the cities of Judah to seek YHWH.

Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of YHWH, before the new court; and he said, “YHWH, 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. Didn’t you, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it to the offspring+20:7 or, seed of Abraham your friend forever? They lived in it, and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name, saying, ‘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.’ Now, 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 away from them, and didn’t destroy them. Look how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us. We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

All Judah stood before YHWH, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

Then the Spirit of YHWH 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 middle of the assembly; and he said, “Y’all must listen, King Jehoshaphat along with all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. YHWH says to y’all, ‘Y’all must not be afraid or dismayed because of this vast number. For the battle is not y’all’s, but God’s. Tomorrow, y’all are to go down against them. Y’all will see them coming up by the ascent of Ziz and find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel. Y’all will not have to fight this battle. Take your* positions, stand still, and see the salvation of YHWH with y’all, Judah and Jerusalem. Y’all must be afraid or be dismayed. Go out against them tomorrow, for YHWH is with y’all.’”

Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before YHWH, worshiping YHWH. The Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise YHWH, the God of Israel, with an exceedingly loud voice.

They rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Y’all listen to me, Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem! Establish your trust in YHWH y’all’s God and y’all will be established! Establish your trust in ʜɪꜱ prophets, and y’all will succeed.”

When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to YHWH and give praise in holy array as they go out before the army, and say, “Y’all are to give thanks to YHWH, for ʜɪꜱ lovingkindness endures forever.” When they began to sing and to praise, YHWH set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. When they had finished the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy each other.

When Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness, they looked at the multitude, and they saw only dead bodies fallen to the earth. No one had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their plunder, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies with precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away. They took plunder for three days, it was so much. On the fourth day, they assembled themselves in Beracah+20:26 “Beracah” means “blessing”. Valley, for there they blessed YHWH. Therefore the name of that place was called “Beracah Valley” to this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for YHWH had made them to rejoice over their enemies. They came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments, harps, and trumpets to the house of YHWH. The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that YHWH fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.

Summary of Jehoshaphat’s Reign

So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign. He reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. He walked in the way of Asa his father, and didn’t turn away from it, doing that which was right in YHWH’s eyes. However the high places were not taken away, and the people had still not set their hearts on the God of their fathers.

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is included in the book of the kings of Israel.

After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very wickedly. He joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish. They made the ships in Ezion Geber. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, YHWH has destroyed your works.” The ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.