[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 lovingkindness 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.
