1It happened some time afterwards that the Moabites, the Ammonites, and some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat.
2News was brought to him of an attack by a great horde from beyond the Dead Sea, from Edom; they were already at Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi.
3Jehoshaphat in alarm resolved to seek guidance of the LORD, and proclaimed a fast for all Judah.
4The Judahites gathered to ask counsel of the LORD, coming from every town in the land to consult him.
5Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD in front of the new court,
6and said, “LORD God of our forefathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations; in your hand are strength and power, and there is none who can withstand you.
7You, our God, dispossessed the inhabitants of this land in favour of your people Israel, and gave it for ever to the descendants of your friend Abraham.
8They have lived in it and built a sanctuary in it for your name, saying,
9‘Should any disaster befall us, whether war or flood, pestilence or famine, we shall stand before this house and before you, for in this house is your name, and we shall cry to you in our distress, and you will hear and save.’
10You did not allow the Israelites, when they came out of Egypt, to enter the land of the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the people of the hill-country of Seir, so they turned aside and left them alone and did not destroy them.
11Now see how these people repay us: they are coming to drive us out of your possession which you gave to us.
12Judge them, God our God, for we have not the strength to face this great host which is invading our land; we do not know what we ought to do, but our eyes look to you.”
13As all the men of Judah stood before the LORD, with their dependants, their wives, and their children,
14there, in the midst of the assembly, the spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the line of Asaph,
15and he said, “Pay attention, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat; this is the word of the LORD to you: Do not fear or be dismayed by this great horde, for the battle is in God's hands, not yours.
16Go down to engage them tomorrow as they come up by the ascent of Ziz; you will find them at the end of the wadi, east of the wilderness of Jeruel.
17It is not you who will fight this battle; stand firm and wait, and you will see the deliverance worked by the LORD for you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; go out tomorrow to face them, for the LORD is with you.”
18Jehoshaphat bowed low to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD in obeisance to him.
19Then the Levites of the lines of Kohath and Korah stood up and praised the LORD the God of Israel with mighty voice.
20They rose early next morning to go out to the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were about to start, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: hold firmly to your faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will succeed.”
21After consulting with the people, he appointed men to sing to the LORD and praise the splendour of his holiness as they marched out before the armed troops, singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures for ever.”
22As soon as their loud shouts of praise were heard, the LORD misled the Ammonites and Moabites and the men of the hill-country of Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.
23It turned out that the Ammonites and Moabites had taken up a position against the men of the hill-country of Seir, and set themselves to annihilate and destroy them; and when they had exterminated the men of Seir, they savagely attacked one another.
24When Judah came to the watch-tower in the wilderness and looked towards the enemy host, there they were all lying dead on the ground; none had escaped.
25Jehoshaphat and his men, coming to collect the booty, found many cattle and a large quantity of equipment, clothing, and articles of value, which they plundered until they could carry away no more. They spent three days gathering the booty, there was so much of it.
26On the fourth day they assembled in the valley of Berakah, the name that it bears to this day because there they blessed the LORD.
27Afterwards, with Jehoshaphat at their head, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned home to the city in triumph; for the LORD had given them cause to triumph over their enemies.
28They entered Jerusalem with lutes, lyres, and trumpets playing, and went into the house of the LORD.
29The dread of God fell upon the rulers of every country, when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30With God giving Jehoshaphat security on all sides, his realm enjoyed peace.
31Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he came to the throne, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years; his mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
32He followed in the footsteps of Asa his father and did not deviate from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
33But the shrines were allowed to remain, and the people did not set their hearts on the God of their forefathers.
34The other events of Jehoshaphat's reign, from first to last, are recorded in the history of Jehu son of Hanani, which is included in the annals of the kings of Israel.
35Later King Jehoshaphat of Judah allied himself with King Ahaziah of Israel: he did wrong
36in joining with him to build ships for trade with Tarshish; these were built in Ezion-geber.
37But Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah denounced Jehoshaphat with this prophecy: “Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the LORD will bring your work to nothing.” So the ships were wrecked and could not make the voyage to Tarshish.
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