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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>2 Chronicles 20 New American Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_chronicles/20.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcc/2_chronicles/20-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NABRE</a> > 2 Chronicles 20</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_chronicles/19.htm" title="2 Chronicles 19">◄</a> 2 Chronicles 20 <a href="../2_chronicles/21.htm" title="2 Chronicles 21">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New American Bible Revised Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><section id="ch14020" class="chapter"> <h1 id="cn14020" class="cn"></h1> <p class="pf"><span class="hemb">Invasion from Edom.</span> <span id="v14020001" class="ver">1</span><a id="rfn14020001-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn14020001-1">*</a> After this the Moabites, the Ammonites, and with them some Meunites came to fight against Jehoshaphat. <span id="v14020002" class="ver">2</span>Jehoshaphat was told: “A great multitude is coming against you from across the sea, from Edom; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (which is En-gedi). <span id="v14020003" class="ver">3</span>Frightened, Jehoshaphat resolved to consult the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. <span id="v14020004" class="ver">4</span>Then Judah gathered to seek the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>’s help; from every one of the cities of Judah they came to seek the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>.<a id="ren14020004-a" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en14020004-a">a</a></p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Jehoshaphat’s Prayer.</span> <span id="v14020005" class="ver">5</span>Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> before the new court, <span id="v14020006" class="ver">6</span>and he said: “<span class="tetr">Lord</span>, God of our ancestors, are you not God in heaven, and do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand is power and might, and no one can withstand you.<a id="ren14020006-b" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en14020006-b">b</a> <span id="v14020007" class="ver">7</span>Was it not you, our God, who dispossessed the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham, your friend? <span id="v14020008" class="ver">8</span>They have dwelt in it and they built in it a sanctuary for your name. They have said: <span id="v14020009" class="ver">9</span>‘If evil comes upon us, the sword of 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 in our affliction, and you will hear and save!’<a id="ren14020009-c" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en14020009-c">c</a> <span id="v14020010" class="ver">10</span>And now, see the Ammonites, Moabites, and those of Mount Seir whom you did not allow Israel to invade when they came from the land of Egypt, but instead they passed them by and did not destroy them:<a id="ren14020010-d" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en14020010-d">d</a> <span id="v14020011" class="ver">11</span>See how they are now repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you have given us. <span id="v14020012" class="ver">12</span>O our God, will you not bring judgment on them? We are powerless before this vast multitude that is coming against us. We ourselves do not know what to do, so our eyes are turned toward you.”</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Victory Prophesied.</span> <span id="v14020013" class="ver">13</span>All Judah was standing before the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. <span id="v14020014" class="ver">14</span>And the spirit of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> came upon Jahaziel, son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the clan of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly, <span id="v14020015" class="ver">15</span>and he said: “Pay attention, all of Judah, inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! The <span class="tetr">Lord</span> says to you: Do not fear or be dismayed at the sight of this vast multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. <span id="v14020016" class="ver">16</span>Go down against them tomorrow. You will see them coming up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will come upon them at the end of the wadi which opens on the wilderness of Jeruel. <span id="v14020017" class="ver">17</span>You will not have to fight in this encounter. Take your places, stand firm, and see the salvation of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>; he will be with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed. Tomorrow go out to meet them, and the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> will be with you.”<a id="ren14020017-e" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en14020017-e">e</a> <span id="v14020018" class="ver">18</span>Then Jehoshaphat knelt down with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> in worship. <span id="v14020019" class="ver">19</span>Levites from among the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to sing the praises of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, the God of Israel, their voices ever louder.</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">The Invaders Destroyed.</span> <span id="v14020020" class="ver">20</span>Early in the morning they went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were going out, Jehoshaphat halted and said: “Listen to me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Let your faith in the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, your God, be firm, and you will be firm.<a id="ren14020020-f" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en14020020-f">f</a> Have faith in his prophets and you will succeed.” <span id="v14020021" class="ver">21</span><a id="rfn14020021-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn14020021-1">*</a> After taking counsel with the people, he appointed some to sing to the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> and some to praise the holy Splendor as it went forth at the head of the army. They sang: “Give thanks to the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, whose love endures forever.”<a id="ren14020021-g" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en14020021-g">g</a> <span id="v14020022" class="ver">22</span>At the moment they began their jubilant praise, the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> laid an ambush against the Ammonites, Moabites, and those of Mount Seir who were coming against Judah, so that they were defeated. <span id="v14020023" class="ver">23</span>For the Ammonites and Moabites set upon the inhabitants of Mount Seir and exterminated them according to the ban.<a id="ren14020023-h" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en14020023-h">h</a> And when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, each helped to destroy the other.</p> <p><span id="v14020024" class="ver">24</span>When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness and looked toward the throng, there were only corpses fallen on the ground, with no survivors. <span id="v14020025" class="ver">25</span>Jehoshaphat and his people came to gather the spoils, and they found an abundance of cattle and personal property, garments and precious vessels. They took so much that they were unable to carry it all; it took them three days to gather the spoils, there was so much of it. <span id="v14020026" class="ver">26</span>On the fourth day they held an assembly in the Valley of Berakah<a id="rfn14020026-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn14020026-1">*</a>—for there they blessed the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>; that is why the place is called the Valley of Berakah to this day. <span id="v14020027" class="ver">27</span>Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned to Jerusalem with joy; for the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> had given them joy over their enemies. <span id="v14020028" class="ver">28</span>They came to Jerusalem, with harps, lyres, and trumpets, to the house of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>. <span id="v14020029" class="ver">29</span>And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the surrounding lands when they heard how the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> had fought against the enemies of Israel. <span id="v14020030" class="ver">30</span>Thereafter Jehoshaphat’s kingdom had peace, for his God gave him rest on every side.</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Jehoshaphat’s Other Deeds.</span> <span id="v14020031" class="ver">31</span><a id="ren14020031-i" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en14020031-i">i</a> Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah, daughter of Shilhi. <span id="v14020032" class="ver">32</span>He walked in the way of Asa his father unceasingly, doing what was right in the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>’s sight. <span id="v14020033" class="ver">33</span>Nevertheless, the high places did not disappear and the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.</p> <p><span id="v14020034" class="ver">34</span>The rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, are recorded in the chronicle of Jehu, son of Hanani, which was incorporated into the book of the kings of Israel. <span id="v14020035" class="ver">35</span>After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel—he acted wickedly. <span id="v14020036" class="ver">36</span><a id="ren14020036-j" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en14020036-j">j</a> He joined with him in building ships to go to Tarshish; the fleet was built at Ezion-geber. <span id="v14020037" class="ver">37</span>But Eliezer, son of Dodavahu from Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat. He said: “Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> will shatter your work.” And the ships were wrecked and were unable to sail to Tarshish.</p> </section> <br /><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="intro.htm"><span class="ac">Book Introduction</span></a></h1><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="footnotes.htm"><span class="ac">Footnotes</span></a></h1></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the <i>New American Bible, revised edition</i> © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../2_chronicles/19.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="2 Chronicles 19"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="2 Chronicles 19" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../2_chronicles/21.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="2 Chronicles 21"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="2 Chronicles 21" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchap.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>