1
It happened after this, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonim, came against Yehoshafat to battle.
2
Then some came who told Yehoshafat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea from Aram. Behold, they are in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi).
3
Yehoshafat was alarmed, and set himself to seek to the Yahuah. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Yehudah.
4
Yehudah gathered themselves together, to seek help from the Yahuah. They came out of all the cities of Yehudah to seek the Yahuah.
5
Yehoshafat stood in the assembly of Yehudah and Yerushalayim, in the house of the Yahuah, before the new court;
6
and he said, "O Yahuah, the Elohim of our fathers, aren't you Elohim 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.
7
Did you not, our Elohim, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Yisra’el, and give it to the seed of Abraham your friend forever?
8
They lived in it, and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name, saying,
9
'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.'
10
Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Yisra’el invade, when they came out of the land of Mitzrayim, but they turned aside from them, and did not 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 Elohim, 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 our eyes are on you."
13
All Yehudah stood before the Yahuah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
14
Then the Spirit of the Yahuah came on Jahaziel the son of Zekharyahu, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Leviy, of the sons of Asaf, in the midst of the assembly;
15
and he said, "Listen, all Yehudah, and you inhabitants of Yerushalayim, and you king Yehoshafat. Thus says the Yahuah to you, 'Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but Elohim's.
16
Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they are coming up by the ascent of Ziz. You shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
17
You will not need to fight this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Yahuah with you, O Yehudah and Yerushalayim. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Yahuah is with you.'"
18
Yehoshafat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Yehudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim fell down before the Yahuah, worshipping the Yahuah.
19
The Leviyim, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise the Yahuah, the Elohim of Yisra’el, 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, Yehoshafat stood and said, "Listen to me, Yehudah, and you inhabitants of Yerushalayim! Believe in the Yahuah your Elohim, so you shall be established! Believe his prophets, so you shall prosper."
21
When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Yahuah, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to the Yahuah; for his loving kindness endures forever.
22
When they began to sing and to praise, the Yahuah set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Yehudah; 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 Yehudah came to the place overlooking 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 Yehoshafat and his people came to take their spoil, 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 the Yahuah: therefore the name of that place was called The valley of Beracah to this day.
27
Then they returned, every man of Yehudah and Yerushalayim, and Yehoshafat in their forefront, to go again to Yerushalayim with joy; for the Yahuah had made them to rejoice over their enemies.
28
They came to Yerushalayim with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets to the house of the Yahuah.
29
The fear of Elohim was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that the Yahuah fought against the enemies of Yisra’el.
30
So the realm of Yehoshafat was quiet; for his Elohim gave him rest all around.
31
Yehoshafat reigned over Yehudah: he was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Yerushalayim: and his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
32
He walked in the way of Asa his father, and did not turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Yahuah.
33
However the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts to the Elohim of their fathers.
34
Now the rest of the acts of Yehoshafat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Yehu the son of Hanani, which is inserted in the book of the kings of Yisra’el.
35
After this Yehoshafat king of Yehudah joined himself with Achazyahu king of Yisra’el. 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 Yehoshafat, saying, "Because you have joined yourself with Achazyahu, the Yahuah has destroyed your works." The ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.