2 Chronicles

Covers Solomon's reign and the kingdom of Judah's history, emphasizing faithfulness to God.

Chapter 20

1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

*After this event, the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some other groups, fought against Jehoshaphat in a battle.

2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.

*Then people came to Jehoshaphat and said, "A huge group is coming to attack you from the other side of the sea, near Syria. They are currently at a place called Hazazontamar, which is also known as Engedi."

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

*Jehoshaphat became afraid, so he looked for God's help and told everyone in Judah to not eat as a way of showing their need for God.

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

*Judah joined together and asked God for help. They came from all the cities in Judah to find God.

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,

*Jehoshaphat stood with the people of Judah and Jerusalem in God's house, in front of the new courtyard.

6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

*"The person asked, 'Lord God of our ancestors, aren't you the God in heaven? Don't you rule over all the non-Jewish people's kingdoms? And isn't it true that you have the power and strength in your hand, so no one can stand against you?'"

7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

*Are you not our God, who removed the original residents from this land for your people Israel, and gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham, your friend?

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

*And they lived there and constructed a sacred place for your name, saying,

9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

*If evil like a sword, judgment, disease, or hunger comes to us, and we stand in front of this house and pray to you in your presence (because your name is in this house), then you will listen and help us in our troubles.

10 And 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 from them, and destroyed them not;

*And now, look, the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—you didn't let Israel attack them when they left Egypt. Instead, they avoided each other, and Israel didn't destroy them.

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

*Look, I'm saying, they are kicking us out, just after giving us this land to call our own.

12 O 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.

*O our God, won't you judge them? We can't fight this big group coming at us. We don't know what to do. But we're watching and waiting for your help.

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

*Everyone from Judah gathered in front of God, including their young kids, women, and offspring.

14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;

*Then, the Spirit of God came to Jahaziel, who was a descendant of Zechariah, Benaiah, Jeiel, and Mattaniah. He belonged to the Levite group from the family of Asaph, while he was among the people gathered together.

15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

*He said, "Listen, all of Judah and people of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat, God says, 'Don't be scared or worried because of this big crowd. The fight isn't yours, but God's."

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

*Tomorrow, go down to face them. They're coming from the Ziz cliff. You'll find them at the end of the stream, near the Jeruel desert.

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

*In this battle, you don't have to fight. Just stay calm and watch as the Lord saves you, Judah and Jerusalem. Don't be afraid or sad. Tomorrow, go out against them because the Lord will be with you.

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

*Jehoshaphat bent down, facing the ground, and everyone from Judah and Jerusalem also bowed before God, worshiping Him.

19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

*The Levites, from the kids of the Kohathites and the kids of the Korhites, stood up to loudly praise the Lord God of Israel.

20 And 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 the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

*In the morning, they left for the wilderness of Tekoa. Jehoshaphat spoke to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, saying, "Listen to me! Trust in the LORD God, and you will be strong. Also, trust the prophets, and you will thrive."

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

*After talking with the people, he chose singers for the Lord, who would praise his holy beauty. They went ahead of the army, singing, "Praise the Lord, for his kindness lasts forever."

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

*When they started singing and praising, God surprised their enemies - the people from Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir - who were attacking Judah, and they lost.

23 For 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.

*The kids from Ammon and Moab fought the people on Mount Seir, trying to kill and destroy them completely. After they finished with the people of Seir, everyone turned on each other and destroyed each other.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

*When Judah approached the desert lookout, they saw a large number of dead bodies on the ground, and no one had survived.

25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

*When Jehoshaphat and his people arrived to take the loot from their enemies, they discovered an abundance of wealth with the dead bodies and valuable gems. They took more than they could carry, and it took them three days to gather all the loot because there was so much of it.

26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

*On the fourth day, they gathered in the Valley of Berachah to praise the Lord. This is why it's still called the Valley of Berachah today.

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

*Then everyone from Judah and Jerusalem went back, with Jehoshaphat leading the way, to happily return to Jerusalem because the LORD helped them celebrate against their enemies.

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

*They arrived in Jerusalem playing musical instruments like sing-along guitars, harps, and horns at the Lord's temple.

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

*All the kingdoms in those countries were afraid after hearing that the LORD was fighting for Israel against its enemies.

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

*So, King Jehoshaphat's land was peaceful because his God protected him from all sides.

31 And 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.

*King Jehoshaphat ruled Judah. He started ruling at age 35 and ruled for 25 years in Jerusalem. His mom's name was Azubah, daughter of Shilhi.

32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD.

*He followed his father Asa's path, never straying from it, and did what was pleasing to God.

33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

*However, the high places were not removed, because at that time, the people had not yet fully dedicated their hearts to the God of their ancestors.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.

*The rest of Jehoshaphat's actions, from beginning to end, can be found in Jehu's book, son of Hanani, which is in the records of Israel's kings.

35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:

*Then, King Jehoshaphat of Judah joined forces with King Ahaziah of Israel, who did many bad things.

36 And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongaber.

*He teamed up with someone to build ships for a trip to Tarshish. They built the ships in Eziongaber.

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

*Then Eliezer, son of Dodavah from Mareshah, spoke against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you teamed up with Ahaziah, the Lord has messed up your plans. As a result, the ships you were using couldn't make it to Tarshish."

read summary

Back to Chapters

Back to Books

* work in progress, there will be mistakes