2 Chronicles 20

1And it came to pass after this, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

1Later on, the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites, came to declare war against Jehoshaphat.

2Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea from Syria; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (the same is En-gedi).

2Some men came and warned Jehoshaphat, 'A massive army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. They are already in Hazazon-tamar' (which is En-gedi).

3And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek unto Jehovah; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

3Jehoshaphat was afraid and decided to ask the LORD for guidance. He announced a fast for everyone throughout Judah.

4And Judah gathered themselves together, to seek help of Jehovah: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek Jehovah.

4People from all over Judah gathered to seek help from the LORD; they came from every town in the land to seek him.

5And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of Jehovah, before the new court;

5Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD, in front of the new courtyard.

6and he said, O Jehovah, the God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and art not thou ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? and in thy hand is power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee.

6He prayed: 'LORD, God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can stand against you.

7Didst not thou, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and give it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

7Our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land to make room for your people Israel? Did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham?

8And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

8Your people have lived here and built this temple to honor your name. They said,

9If evil come upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before thee (for thy name is in this house), and cry unto thee in our affliction, and thou wilt hear and save.

9"If disaster strikes us—whether the sword of judgment, plague, or famine—we will stand in your presence before this temple where your Name is. We will cry out to you in our misery, and you will hear us and save us."

10And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and destroyed them not;

10But now, look at these people from Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir. You did not let Israel invade them when they came out of Egypt; the Israelites turned away and did not destroy them.

11behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

11See how they are repaying us! They have come to throw us out of the land you gave us as an inheritance.

12O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

12Our God, won't you punish them? We are powerless against this huge army that is attacking us. We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on you.'

13And all Judah stood before Jehovah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

13All the men of Judah stood there before the LORD with their infants, wives, and children.

14Then 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, came the Spirit of Jehovah in the midst of the assembly;

14Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the middle of the assembly.

15and he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat: Thus saith Jehovah unto you, Fear not ye, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

15He said, 'Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says to you: "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.

16To-morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the ascent of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

16Tomorrow, march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in the Desert of Jeruel.

17Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of Jehovah with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; fear not, nor be dismayed: to-morrow go out against them; for Jehovah is with you.

17You will not even need to fight this battle. Take your positions, stand still, and watch the LORD save you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you."'

18And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Jehovah, worshipping Jehovah.

18Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD.

19And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise Jehovah, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice.

19Then some Levites from the Kohathite and Korahite clans stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voices.

20And 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, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in Jehovah your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

20Early the next morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, 'Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Trust in the LORD your God and you will be safe. Trust his prophets and you will succeed.'

21And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed them that should sing unto Jehovah, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks unto Jehovah; for his lovingkindness endureth for ever.

21After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and praise him for the splendor of his holiness. They marched out in front of the army, singing: 'Give thanks to the LORD, for his faithful love endures forever.'

22And when they began to sing and to praise, Jehovah set liers-in-wait against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, that were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

22The moment they began to sing and praise, the LORD set traps for the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

23For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

23The Ammonites and Moabites turned against the people from Mount Seir and completely destroyed them. After they finished off the men from Seir, they turned on each other and slaughtered one another.

24And when Judah came to the watch-tower of the wilderness, they looked upon the multitude; and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none that escaped.

24When the men of Judah reached the lookout point in the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground. No one had escaped.

25And 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.

25So Jehoshaphat and his men went to gather the equipment. They found a huge amount of equipment, clothing, and high-value items—more than they could carry. There was so much loot that it took them three days to collect it all.

26And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Beracah; for there they blessed Jehovah: therefore the name of that place was called The valley of Beracah unto this day.

26On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Beracah, where they praised the LORD. That is why the place is called the Valley of Blessing to this day.

27Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for Jehovah had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

27Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, led by Jehoshaphat, returned to Jerusalem full of joy, because the LORD had given them reason to rejoice over their enemies.

28And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of Jehovah.

28They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the LORD, playing harps, lyres, and trumpets.

29And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that Jehovah fought against the enemies of Israel.

29The fear of God fell on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the LORD himself had fought against the enemies of Israel.

30So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest round about.

30So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God gave him rest on every side.

31And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

31Jehoshaphat ruled over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

32And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah.

32He followed the example of his father Asa and did not turn away from it; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.

33Howbeit the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

33However, the outdoor shrines were not removed, and the people still had not fully committed their hearts to the God of their ancestors.

34Now 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.

34The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in the annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are included in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

35And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel; the same did very wickedly:

35Later, King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who was a very wicked man.

36and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made the ships in Ezion-geber.

36They agreed to build a fleet of trading ships to go to Tarshish; they built them at Ezion-geber.

37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, Jehovah hath destroyed thy works. And the ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

37Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, 'Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made.' The ships were wrecked and were never able to sail to Tarshish.