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19 But Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned to his palace in Jerusalem in peace. 2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and he said to King Jehoshaphat, “How do you help those who are wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord. 3 However, some good things are found in you for you swept away the Asherah poles from the land, and you set your heart to seek after God.”
The Reforms of Jehoshaphat
4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, but he went out among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and he brought them back to the Lord God of their fathers. 5 And he set judges in the land among all the fortified cities of Judah, one by one. 6 And he said to the judges, “Consider carefully what you do because you do not judge according to man but the Lord, and He is with you in the matter of judgment. 7 So now may the fear of the Lord be on you. Consider and act well because there is no injustice, partiality, or bribe taking with the Lord our God.”
8 Moreover, Jehoshaphat appointed in Jerusalem some from the Levites and the priests and some from the heads of the families of Israel, in order to render judgment and decide disputes before the Lord; and they lived in Jerusalem. 9 And he commanded them, “So you will act in the fear of the Lord, in honesty, and with a complete heart. 10 And any dispute that comes before you all from your brothers who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed or offenses against law or commandment, against statutes or judgments, you will warn them, lest they trespass against the Lord and wrath come upon you and your brothers. Do this, and you will not trespass.
11 “Note that Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king’s matters; also, the Levites will be officials before you. Deal courageously, and the Lord will be with the good.”
Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon
20 After that, the Moabites and the Ammonites, together with some Meunites,[a] came against Jehoshaphat for battle.
2 And some came and declared this to Jehoshaphat, “A large multitude is coming against you from across the Dead Sea from Edom; and observe, they are in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). 3 Then Jehoshaphat was fearful and set himself to seek the Lord, and he called for a fast throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah was assembled to seek the Lord; even from all the cities of Judah, they came to obtain aid from the Lord.
5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the midst of the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new courtyard, 6 and he said:
“O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In Your hand are strength and might, and there is no one who can oppose You. 7 Did You not, our God, drive out those who lived in this land before Your people Israel, and You gave it perpetually to the descendants of Abraham, who was in covenant love with You. 8 And they have dwelled in it and have built in it for You a sanctuary for Your name saying, 9 ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, then we will stand before this temple and before You because Your name is in this temple. And we will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver.’
10 “Now here are the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, when they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out of Your possession, which You have given us to inherit. 12 O our God, will You not render judgment on them? For we have not strength enough to stand before this great army that is coming against us. And we do not know what we should do, but our eyes are on You.”
13 Now all of Judah was standing before the Lord, even their infants, wives, and children.
14 And in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from the line of Asaph.
15 And he said, “Pay attention all Judah, and those dwelling in Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not fear, nor be dismayed because of this great army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow, go down against them. They will travel up by the Ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the back of the valley, before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 It will not be necessary for you to fight in this conflict. Take your positions, stand, and observe the deliverance of the Lord for you, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be filled with terror. Tomorrow, go out before them, and the Lord will be with you.”
18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed his face to the ground, and all Judah and those dwelling in Jerusalem fell before the Lord to worship Him. 19 And the Levites from the descendants of the Kohathites and Korahites rose up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a very loud voice.
20 So they rose up early in the morning and went out to the Wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and those dwelling in Jerusalem. Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be supported. Believe His prophets, and you will succeed.” 21 And he consulted with the people and then appointed singers for the Lord and those praising Him in holy attire as they went before those equipped for battle saying,
“Praise the Lord,
for His mercy endures forever.”
22 When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were defeated. 23 Then the Ammonites and Moabites stood up against those dwelling from Mount Seir to destroy and finish them. Then when they made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, each man attacked his companion to destroy each other.
24 And Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, and they turned to the vast army and saw only corpses lying on the ground. And no one was spared. 25 Then Jehoshaphat and his people came to gather their plunder, and they found among them an abundance of riches with the corpses, and precious jewelry, which they took for themselves, more than they could carry. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much to carry. 26 On the fourth day they gathered at the Valley of Berakah, because there they blessed the Lord. For this reason people have called the name of this place the Valley of Berakah until this day.
27 Then they all returned, every man from Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat as their head, to Jerusalem with joy because the Lord made them rejoice because of the death of their enemies. 28 So they entered Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets to the house of the Lord.
29 And it happened that the terror of God was on all the kingdoms of the lands who heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet, because his God gave him rest on all sides.
The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign(A)
31 And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began his reign, and he was king in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. The name of his mother was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He walked in the way of his father Asa, and he did not turn aside from doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. 33 Only the high places were not taken down. The people had yet to set their hearts to the God of their fathers.
34 And the remainder of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are taken up in the book of the kings of Israel.
35 Also, Jehoshaphat king of Judah was united with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. 36 Jehoshaphat joined with him to make ships to travel to Tarshish, and they made ships in Ezion Geber. 37 And Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, “Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will tear down your works.” So the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to journey to Tarshish.
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring good news of good things!”[a]
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”[b] 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes, indeed:
“Their voice went into all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.”[c]
19 But I say, did Israel not know? First, Moses says:
“I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation,
and by a foolish nation I will anger you.”[d]
20 And Isaiah is very bold and says:
“I was found by those who did not seek Me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for Me.”[e]
21 But to Israel He says:
“All day long I have stretched out My hands
to a disobedient and contrary people.”[f]
The Remnant of Israel
11 I say then, has God rejected His people? God forbid! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and destroyed Your altars. I alone am left, and they seek my life”?[g] 4 But what is the divine reply to him? “I have kept for Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[h] 5 So then at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. But if it is by works, then is it no longer by grace; otherwise work would no longer be work.
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it was seeking. But the elect obtained it, and the rest were hardened. 8 As it is written:
“God has given them a spirit of slumber,
eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
to this very day.”[i]
9 And David says:
“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see,
and always bow down their backs.”[j]
The Salvation of the Gentiles
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid! But through their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. 12 Now if their transgression means riches for the world, and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness mean?
Psalm 21
For the Music Director. A Psalm of David.
1 The king will rejoice in Your strength, O Lord,
and in Your salvation how greatly will he rejoice!
2 You have given him his heart’s desire,
and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
3 For You meet him with the blessings of goodness;
You set a crown of pure gold on his head.
4 He asked life of You, and You gave it him,
length of days forever and ever.
5 His glory is great in Your salvation;
honor and majesty You set on him.
6 For You place blessings on him forever;
You make him rejoice with gladness with Your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the Lord,
and by the lovingkindness of the Most High
he will not be moved.
8 Your hand will find out all Your enemies;
Your right hand will find out those who hate You.
9 You will make them as a fiery oven
in the time of Your appearance;
the Lord will swallow them up in His wrath,
and fire will devour them.
10 You will destroy their offspring from the earth,
and their descendants from among the children of men.
11 For they intended evil against You;
they devised evil thoughts they will not be able to accomplish.
12 For You will make them turn their back,
when You aim with Your bowstrings against their face.
13 Be exalted, Lord, by Your strength;
may we sing and make music to Your might.
4 The sluggard will not plow because of the cold;
therefore he will beg during harvest and have nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness,
but who can find a faithful man?
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.