1-4 Jehoshaphat, invaded by Moab, proclaims a fast 5-13 His prayer 14-19 The prophecy of Jahaziel 20,21 Jehoshaphat exhorts the people, and sets singers to praise the Lord 22-25 The great overthrow of his enemies 26-30 The people, having blessed God at Berachah, return in triumph 31-34 Jehoshaphat's reign 35-37 His convoy of ships, according to the prophecy of Eliezer, unhappily perish.

after this also 2Ch 19:5,11 32:1

the children of Moab Ps 83:5-8 Isa 7:1 8:9,10 16:6

came against 2Ch 19:2 Jer 10:24 Re 3:19

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.

beyond the sea. That is, the Dead or Salt Sea, the western and northern boundary of Edom, which is the reading of one of Dr. Kennicott's MSS (89) instead of {aram}, `Syria.' Ge 14:3 Nu 34:12 Jos 3:16

Hazazon-tamar Ge 14:7

En-gedi Jos 15:62 1Sa 23:29 So 1:14

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

feared Ge 32:7-11,24-28 Ps 56:3,4 Isa 37:3-6 Jon 1:16 Mt 10:28

himself [heb] his face
seek the Lord 2Ch 11:16 19:3

proclaimed Jud 20:26 1Sa 7:6 Ezr 8:21-23 Es 4:16 Jer 36:9 Da 9:3 Joe 1:14 2:12-18 Jon 3:5-9

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.

ask help of the Lord Ps 24:5,6 50:15 60:10-12

the cities 2Ch 19:5 Ps 69:35

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

Jehoshaphat 2Ch 6:12,13 34:31 2Ki 19:15-19

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?

O Lord Ex 3:6,15,16 1Ch 29:18

God in heaven De 4:39 Jos 2:11 1Ki 8:23 Ps 115:3 Isa 57:15,16 66:1 Mt 6:9

rulest not 1Ch 29:11,12 Ps 47:2,8 Jer 27:5-8 Da 4:17,25,32-35

in thine hand 1Ch 29:11,12 Ps 62:11 Mt 6:13

none is able Ac 11:17

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?

our God 2Ch 14:11 Ge 17:7 Ex 6:7 10:5-7 20:2 1Ch 17:21-24

who [heb] thou
drive out Ex 33:2 Ps 44:2

gavest Ge 12:7 13:15 Jos 24:3,13 Ne 9:8

thy friend Isa 41:8 Joh 11:11 15:15 Jas 2:23

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

built thee 2Ch 2:4 6:10

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, when evil 2Ch 6:28-30 1Ki 8:33,37

and in thy presence Mt 18:20

thy name 2Ch 6:20 Ex 20:24 23:21

is in this house. Several MSS. with the Syriac, Arabic, and Vulgate, read {nikra}, `is invoked:' `thy name is invoked in this house.'

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;

whom thou Nu 20:17-21 De 2:4,5,9,19 Jud 11:15-18

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

how they reward us Six of Dr. Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. and {raah}, `evil:' `Behold they reward us {evil.}' which is also the reading of the Targum. Ge 44:4 Ps 7:4 35:12 Pr 17:13 Jer 18:20

to cast us Jud 11:23,24 Ps 83:3-12

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.

wilt De 32:36 Jud 11:27 1Sa 3:13 Ps 7:6,8 9:19 43:1 Isa 2:4 42:4 Joe 3:12 Re 19:11

we have 2Sa 14:11 1Sa 14:6 2Co 1:8,9

neither 2Ki 6:15

our eyes Ps 25:15 121:1,2 123:1,2 141:8 Jon 2:4

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

all Judah De 29:10 Ezr 10:1 Jon 3:5 Ac 21:5

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 upon Isa 58:9 65:24 Da 9:20,21 Ac 10:4,31

came the Spirit 2Ch 15:1 24:20 Nu 11:25,26 24:2

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.

Be not afraid 2Ch 32:7,8 Ex 14:13,14 De 1:29,30 20:1,4 31:6,8 Jos 11:6 Ne 4:14 Ps 17:1,2 Isa 41:10-16 43:1,2

the battle 2Ch 32:8 1Sa 17:47

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.

cliff [heb] ascent
Ziz The cliff of Ziz was probably near Ziza, which Ptolemy places in Arabia Petraea, long. 69:5d lat 31d

brook. or, valley
the wilderness The wilderness of jeruel seems, form ver. 20, to have been a part of the wilderness of Tekoa.

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.

not need 2Ch 20:22,23 Ex 14:13,14,25

stand ye still Ps 46:10,11 Isa 30:7,15 La 3:26 3:26

for the Lord 2Ch 15:2 32:8 Nu 14:9 Ps 46:7,11 Isa 8:9,10 41:10 Am 5:14 Mt 1:23 28:20 Ro 8:31 2Ti 4:22

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.

bowed his head 2Ch 7:3 Ge 24:26 Ex 4:31

fell before Job 1:20 Ps 95:6

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.

Levites 1Ch 15:16-22 16:5,42 23:5 25:1-7

Korhites Ps 44:1 49:1

a loud 2Ch 5:13 Ezr 3:12,13 Ne 12:42,43 Ps 81:1 95:1,2

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.

Tekoa 2Ch 11:6 2Sa 14:2 1Ch 4:5 Jer 6:1

Hear ye 2Ch 20:15

Believe in the Lord Isa 7:9 26:3 Joh 11:40 14:1 Ro 8:31 Heb 11:6

believe his Ex 14:31 Lu 16:31 Joh 5:46,47 13:20

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.

consulted 1Ch 13:1,2 Pr 11:14

appointed 2Ch 29:25-30 30:21 Ezr 3:10,11 Ne 12:27

that should praise [heb] praisers of
the beauty 1Ch 16:29 Ps 29:2 50:2 90:17 96:9

Praise the Lord 2Ch 5:13 7:3,6 1Ch 16:34,41 Ezr 3:11 Ps 106:1 107:1 136:1-26 Jer 33:11

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 [heb] in the time that they, etc.
to sing and to. [heb] in singing and.
the Lord set ambushments Houbigant's version is, `the Lord set against the children of Amon and Moab ambushments of those who came from mount Seir against Judah; and the children of Ammon and Moab were smitten: but they afterwards rose up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, and utterly destroyed them who being destroyed, they rose up one against one another, and mutually destroyed each other.' Jud 7:22 1Sa 14:16,20 2Ki 6:17 Ps 35:5,6 Isa 19:2 Eze 38:21

were smitten. or, smote one another.

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.

mount Seir Ge 14:6 36:8,9 De 2:5 Jos 24:4 Eze 35:2,3

to destroy another [heb] for the destruction

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.

they were dead Ex 14:30 1Ch 5:22 Ps 110:6 Isa 37:36 Jer 33:5

none escaped [heb]
there was not an escaping Ezr 9:14

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.

they found Ex 12:35,36 1Sa 30:19,20 2Ki 7:9-16 Ps 68:12 Ro 8:37

dead bodies Instead of {pegarim,} `dead bodies,' eight MSS. and several ancient editions read {begadim.} `garments' None of the ancient versions, except the Chaldee, have {dead bodies}: {garments} would therefore appear to be a true reading; and the succeeding clause should be rendered, `which they seized for themselves.'

precious jewels Ex 3:22 Nu 31:15 Jud 8:24-26 Pr 3:15

it was so much Eze 39:8,9

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.

Berachah. that is, Blessing. Having previously sought deliverance by fasting and prayer, and received the assurance of it with grateful joy, Jehoshaphat and his army returned immediate and fervent thanks and praise to the Lord, who had in so wonderful a manner performed his promise. Scott, who quotes the following from Bp. Patrick: `They did not return every man to his own home; but first went back to Jerusalem, to bless the Lord again for hearing their prayer and making good his promises.'

blessed Ex 15:1-19 2Sa 22:1 Ps 103:1,2 107:21,22 Lu 1:68 Re 19:1-6

the name Ge 28:19 32:20 Ex 17:15 1Sa 7:12 Isa 62:4 Ac 1:19

unto this day 2Ch 5:9

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.

forefront [heb] head 2Sa 6:14,15 Mic 2:13 Heb 6:20

the Lord 1Sa 2:1 Ne 12:43 Ps 20:5 30:1 Isa 35:10 51:11 Re 18:20

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

with psalteries Instead of celebrating his own heroism or the valour of his troops on this memorable occasion, this excellent prince sung with his whole army the praises of jehovah, the God of hosts, who disposes of the victory according to his pleasure. This conduct was becoming the descendant and successor of David, the man after God's own heart, and of a religious people, the peculiar inheritance of Jehovah 2Sa 6:5 1Ch 13:8 23:5 25:6 Ps 57:8 92:3 149:3 150:3-5 Re 14:2,3

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.

the fear 2Ch 17:10 Ge 35:5 Ex 23:27 Jos 5:1 2Ki 7:6

they had heard Ex 15:14-16 Jos 2:9-11 9:9-11

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

his God 2Ch 14:6,7 15:15 Jos 23:1 2Sa 7:1 Job 34:29 Pr 16:7 Joh 14:27

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.

A.M. 3090-3115 B.C. 914-889
Jehoshaphat 1Ki 22:41-44

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 walked 2Ch 17:3-6

the way 2Ch 14:2-5,11-13 1Ki 15:11

departed not 2Ch 16:7-12 Ps 18:21 36:3

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.

the high places 2Ch 14:3 17:6

had not 2Ch 12:14 19:3 30:19 De 29:4 1Sa 7:3

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 2Ch 12:15 13:22 16:11

book [heb] words
Jehu the son of Hanani 2Ch 19:2 1Ki 16:1,7

is mentioned [heb] was made to ascend

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

A.M. 3108 B.C. 896
did Jehoshaphat 1Ki 22:48,49

who did very 2Ki 1:2-16

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

And he joined `At first Jehoshaphat was unwilling, 1ki 22:28,49.'
Tarshish `Tarsos in the great sea,' says the Targumist, by which is meant a a place in the Mediterranean, called the Great Sea by the Hebrews. 1Ki 10:22

Tharshish
Ezion-gaber 1Ki 9:26

Ezion-geber

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.

Because 2Ch 19:2 Jos 7:11,12 Pr 13:20

the Lord 2Ch 16:9 Pr 9:6 13:20 Heb 12:6 Re 3:19

And the ships 1Ki 22:48

to Tarshish 2Ch 9:21