War against Jehoshaphat
And it was after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle.
And they came and told Jehoshaphat, saying: “A great multitude is coming against you from across the sea, from Aram — and look, they are at Hazazon-tamar” — that is, En-gedi.
And Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he set his face to seek the LORD; and he proclaimed a fast over all Judah.
And Judah gathered to seek help from the LORD; even from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
Jehoshaphat’s Prayer
And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
and said: “LORD, God of our fathers — are you not God in the heavens? And you rule over all the kingdoms of the nations; and in your hand are power and might, and there is none who can take a stand against you.
Did you not, our God, dispossess the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it to the seed of Abraham, the one who loves you, forever?
And they have lived in it, and have built you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying:
‘If evil comes upon us — sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine — we will stand before this house and before you, for your name is in this house; and we will cry out to you from our distress, and you will hear and save.’
And now — look, the sons of Ammon, and Moab, and Mount Seir, whom you did not let Israel enter when they came from the land of Egypt — for they turned aside from them and did not destroy them —
look how they are repaying us: coming to drive us out from your possession, which you gave us to possess.
Our God, will you not judge them? For there is no power in us before this great multitude coming against us. And we — we do not know what to do; but our eyes are on you.”
And all Judah was standing before the LORD — even their little ones, their wives, and their sons.
The Prophecy of Jahaziel
And Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph — the Spirit of the LORD came on him in the middle of the assembly.
And he said: “Pay attention, all Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. Thus says the LORD to you: You — do not fear, and do not be shattered before this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
Tomorrow, go down against them. Look — they are coming up by the ascent of Ziz; and you will find them at the end of the ravine, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
It is not for you to fight in this. Take your stand; stand still — and see the salvation of the LORD with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear, and do not be shattered. Tomorrow, go out before them — and the LORD will be with you.”
And Jehoshaphat bowed low, face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, to bow down to the LORD.
And the Levites, of the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, rose to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a great voice, on high.
The Enemies Destroy Themselves
And they rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said: “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Trust in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld. Trust his prophets — and succeed.”
And he took counsel with the people; and he set standing singers to the LORD, praising in the splendor of holiness, going out before the armed men, and saying: “Give thanks to the LORD — for his loyal love is forever.”
And at the time they began with singing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who were coming against Judah — and they were struck down.
For the sons of Ammon and Moab stood against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, to devote them to destruction and annihilate them; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped destroy one another.
And Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness; and they turned toward the multitude — and look, corpses, fallen to the earth, with none escaped.
And Jehoshaphat and his people came to plunder their spoil; and they found among them in abundance goods, and corpses, and precious articles; and they stripped off for themselves more than could be carried. And they were three days plundering the spoil — for it was much.
The Joyful Return
And on the fourth day they assembled at the Valley of Beracah — for there they blessed the LORD; therefore they called the name of that place the Valley of Beracah, to this day.
And every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned, with Jehoshaphat at their head, to return to Jerusalem with joy — for the LORD had given them joy over their enemies.
And they came to Jerusalem with harps, and with lyres, and with trumpets, to the house of the LORD.
And the dread of God came on all the kingdoms of the lands, when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet — for his God gave him rest all around.
Summary of Jehoshaphat’s Reign
And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it — doing the upright in the eyes of the LORD.
Only, the high places were not removed; and the people had not yet set their heart toward the God of their fathers.
And the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the first and the last — look, they are written in the records of Jehu the son of Hanani, which were taken up into the book of the kings of Israel.
Jehoshaphat’s Fleet Is Wrecked
And after this, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, allied himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel — he who acted wickedly.
And he allied with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made the ships at Ezion-geber.
And Eliezer the son of Dodavahu, from Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying: “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has broken down your works.” And the ships were wrecked, and could not manage to go to Tarshish.