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Jehoshaphat Returns to Jerusalem
19 Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in peace to his house in Jerusalem. 2 (A)And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him to his face and said to King Jehoshaphat, “(B)Should you help the wicked and love those who hate Yahweh and [a](C)so bring wrath on yourself from Yahweh? 3 But (D)some good has been found in you, for (E)you have purged the [b]Asheroth from the land and you (F)have set your heart to seek God.”
4 So Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. Indeed, he returned and went out among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and (G)caused them to return back to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges
5 And he appointed (H)judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, in each city. 6 And he said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for (I)you do not judge for man but for Yahweh who is with you [c]when you render judgment. 7 So now then let the dread of Yahweh be upon you; [d]be careful what you do, because [e]with Yahweh our God (J)there is no unrighteousness (K)or partiality or the taking of a bribe.”
8 In Jerusalem also Jehoshaphat appointed some (L)of the Levites and priests, and some of the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, for the judgment of Yahweh and to judge [f]disputes. So they returned to Jerusalem. 9 Then he commanded them saying, “Thus you shall do in the fear of Yahweh, faithfully and wholeheartedly. 10 (M)Whenever any dispute comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, you shall warn them so that they may not be guilty before Yahweh and (N)wrath may not come on you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not be guilty. 11 And behold, Amariah the chief priest will be over you in [g](O)all that pertains to Yahweh, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in [h]all that pertains to the king. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. (P)Be strong and act, and Yahweh be with the one who is good.”
War Against Judah
20 Now it happened after this, that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the [i](Q)Ammonites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. 2 Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of [j]Aram and behold, they are in (R)Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi).” 3 And Jehoshaphat was afraid and [k](S)set his face to seek Yahweh, and (T)called for a fast throughout all Judah. 4 So Judah gathered together to (U)seek help from Yahweh; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek Yahweh.
Jehoshaphat Before the Assembly
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of Yahweh before the new court, 6 and he said, “O Yahweh, the God of our fathers, (V)are You not God in the heavens? And (W)are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can take their stand against You. 7 Did You not, O our God, dispossess the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and (X)give it to the seed of (Y)Abraham Your friend forever? 8 And they have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying, 9 ‘(Z)Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for (AA)Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and save us.’ 10 So now, behold, (AB)the sons of Ammon and Moab and [l]Mount Seir, (AC)whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), 11 and behold, they are rewarding us by (AD)coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have caused us to possess. 12 O our God, (AE)will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; and we do not know what we should do, but (AF)our eyes are on You.”
13 Now all Judah was standing before Yahweh, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
Yahweh’s Spirit Comes upon Jahaziel
14 Then in the midst of the assembly (AG)the Spirit of Yahweh came 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; 15 and he said, “Pay attention, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says Yahweh to you, ‘(AH)Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for (AI)the battle is not yours but God’s. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You need not fight in this battle; take your stand—(AJ)stand and see the salvation of Yahweh on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, (AK)for Yahweh is with you.”
18 So Jehoshaphat (AL)bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh, worshiping Yahweh. 19 Then the Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, rose up to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
Yahweh Eradicates the Multitude
20 And they rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, (AM)establish your faith in Yahweh your God and you will be established. Establish your faith in His prophets and succeed.” 21 When he had taken counsel with the people, he caused those who sang to Yahweh and those who (AN)praised Him to stand in holy attire, as they went out before the army, saying, “(AO)Give thanks to Yahweh, for His lovingkindness endures forever.” 22 When they began singing for joy and praising, Yahweh (AP)set ambushes against the sons of (AQ)Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were [m]defeated. 23 Indeed, the sons of Ammon and Moab stood against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to devote them to destruction and to utterly eradicate them; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, (AR)they helped to bring one another to ruin.
24 Now Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, and they turned toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses fallen on the ground, and no one had escaped. 25 So Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil and found much among them, including goods, [n]garments, and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry. And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much.
Jehoshaphat Returns to Jerusalem
26 Then on the fourth day they assembled in the valley of [o]Beracah, for there they blessed Yahweh. Therefore they have named that place “The Valley of [p]Beracah” until today. 27 And every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with gladness, (AS)for Yahweh had made them glad over their enemies. 28 And they came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets to the house of Yahweh. 29 And (AT)the dread of God was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that Yahweh had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet, (AU)for his God gave him rest all around.
31 (AV)Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 And he walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it, doing what is right in the sight of Yahweh. 33 (AW)The high places, however, were not taken away; (AX)the people had not yet set their hearts to the God of their fathers.
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first [q]to last, behold, they are written in the chronicles of (AY)Jehu the son of Hanani, which is [r]recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahaziah
35 (AZ)Afterwards, Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. He acted wickedly [s]in so doing. 36 So he allied himself with him to make ships to go (BA)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 allied yourself with Ahaziah, Yahweh has destroyed your works.” So the ships were broken and could not go to Tarshish.
14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him (A)whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without (B)a preacher? 15 And how will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “(C)How beautiful are the feet of those who (D)proclaim good news of good things!”
16 However, they (E)did not all heed the [a]good news, for Isaiah says, “(F)Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from (G)hearing, and hearing by (H)the word [b]of Christ.
18 But I say, have they never heard? On the contrary, they have;
19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says,
“(J)I will (K)make you jealous by that which is not a nation,
By a nation without understanding will I anger you.”
20 And Isaiah is very bold and says,
“(L)I was found by those who did not seek Me,
I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”
21 But as for Israel He says, “(M)All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
God Has Not Rejected Israel
11 I say then, has God (N)rejected His people? (O)May it never be! For (P)I too am an Israelite, a seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 [d](Q)God has not rejected His people whom He (R)foreknew. (S)Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, (T)they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” 4 But what does the divine response say to him? “(U)I have left for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 In this way then, at the present time, (V)a remnant according to God’s [e]gracious choice has also come to be. 6 But (W)if it is by grace, it is no longer of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
7 What then? What (X)Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but the chosen obtained it, and the rest were (Y)hardened; 8 just as it is written,
“[f](Z)God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,
Down to this very day.”
9 And David says,
“(AA)Let their table become a snare and a trap,
And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10 (AB)Let their eyes be darkened to see not,
And bend their backs forever.”
Gentiles Grafted In
11 (AC)I say then, did they stumble so as to fall? (AD)May it never be! But by their transgression (AE)salvation has come to the Gentiles, to (AF)make them jealous. 12 Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their [g](AG)fullness be!
The King Trusts in Yahweh
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
21 O Yahweh, in Your strength the king will (A)be glad,
And in Your [a]salvation how greatly he will rejoice!
2 You have (B)given him his heart’s desire,
And You have not withheld the request of his lips. [b]Selah.
3 For You (C)meet him with the blessings of good things;
You set a (D)crown of fine gold on his head.
4 He asked life of You,
You (E)gave it to him,
(F)Length of days forever and ever.
5 His (G)glory is great through Your [c]salvation,
(H)Splendor and majesty You bestow upon him.
6 For You make him [d]most (I)blessed forever;
You make him joyful (J)with gladness in Your presence.
7 For the king (K)trusts in Yahweh,
And through the lovingkindness of the Most High (L)he will not be shaken.
8 Your hand will (M)find out all your enemies;
Your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9 You will make them (N)as a fiery oven in the time of your [e]anger;
Yahweh will (O)swallow them up in His wrath,
And (P)fire will devour them.
10 Their [f]offspring You will destroy from the earth,
And their (Q)seed from among the sons of men.
11 Though they [g](R)intended evil against You
And (S)devised a scheme,
They will not succeed.
12 For You will (T)make them turn their back;
You will [h]aim (U)with Your bowstrings at their faces.
13 Be exalted, O Yahweh, in Your strength;
We will (V)sing and praise Your might.
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