Except for vss. 20:31 to 20:34, this chapter contains information not found before in the bible.
וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵיכֵן בָּאוּ בְנֵי־מוֹאָב וּבְנֵי עַמּוֹן וְעִמָּהֶם מֵהָעַמּוֹנִים עַל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט לַמִּלְחָמָה׃ 20:1
2Chr. 20:1 And it was afterward children of Moab and children of Ammon came, and with them were more of the Ammonites, against Jehoshaphat to battle.
וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיַּגִּידוּ לִיהוֹשָׁפָט לֵאמֹר בָּא עָלֶיךָ הָמוֹן רָב מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם מֵאֲרָם וְהִנָּם בְּחַצְצוֹן תָּמָר הִיא עֵין 20:2
גֶּדִי׃
2Chr. 20:2 And they came and related to Jehoshaphat saying, “A great multitude from across the sea comes against you from Aram and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar.” That is En-gedi.
וַיִּרָא וַיִּתֵּן יְהוֹשָׁפָט אֶת־פָּנָיו לִדְרוֹשׁ לַיהוָה וַיִּקְרָא־צוֹם עַל־כָּל־יְהוּדָה׃ 20:3
2Chr. 20:3 And Jehoshaphat was afraid and set himself to seek for the Lord, and proclaimed a fast upon all of Judah.
וַיִּקָּבְצוּ יְהוּדָה לְבַקֵּשׁ מֵיְהוָה גַּם מִכָּל־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה בָּאוּ לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־יְהוָה׃ 20:4
2Chr. 20:4 And Judah assembled themselves to request from the Lord; even from all the cities of Judah did they come to seek the Lord.
וַיַּעֲמֹד יְהוֹשָׁפָט בִּקְהַל יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם בְּבֵית יְהוָה לִפְנֵי הֶחָצֵר הַחֲדָשָׁה׃ 20:5
2Chr. 20:5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem within the house of the Lord in front of the new court
וַיֹּאמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵינוּ הֲלֹא אַתָּה־הוּא אֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וְאַתָּה מוֹשֵׁל בְּכֹל מַמְלְכוֹת הַגּוֹיִם 20:6
וּבְיָדְךָ כֹּחַ וּגְבוּרָה וְאֵין עִמְּךָ לְהִתְיַצֵּב׃
2Chr. 20:6 and he said, “O Lord, God of our ancestors! Are You not Who is God in heaven, and You the Ruler throughout all kingdoms of the nations, and power and might are in Your ‘hand’ that none stand up against You?”
הֲלֹא אַתָּה אֱלֹהֵינוּ הוֹרַשְׁתָּ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת מִלִּפְנֵי עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַתִּתְּנָהּ לְזֶרַע אַבְרָהָם 20:7
אֹהַבְךָ לְעוֹלָם׃
2Chr. 20:7 “Did You, our God, not dispossess the inhabitants of this land from before Your people Israel and give it to the seed of Abraham, Your loved one, forever?”
וַיֵּשְׁבוּ־בָהּ וַיִּבְנוּ לְךָ בָּהּ מִקְדָּשׁ לְשִׁמְךָ לֵאמֹר׃ 20:8
2Chr. 20:8 “And they dwelled in it and built a sanctuary for You in it for Your name saying,
אִם־תָּבֹוא עָלֵינוּ רָעָה חֶרֶב שְׁפֹוט וְדֶבֶר וְרָעָב נַעַמְדָה לִפְנֵי הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה וּלְפָנֶיךָ כִּי שִׁמְךָ בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה 20:9
וְנִזְעַק אֵלֶיךָ מִצָּרָתֵנוּ וְתִשְׁמַע וְתֹושִׁיעַ׃
2Chr. 20:9 ‘Should the evil of sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, come upon us, we would stand before this house and before You, for Your name is in this house, and cry out to You from our distress, that You would hear and save.’
וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה בְנֵי־עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב וְהַר־שֵׂעִיר אֲשֶׁר לֹא־נָתַתָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לָבוֹא בָהֶם בְּבֹאָם מֵאֶרֶץ 20:10
מִצְרָיִם כִּי סָרוּ מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא הִשְׁמִידוּם׃
2Chr. 20:10 ’And now behold, children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, which You did not grant to Israel to go into on their coming from the land of Egypt that they turned aside from them and did not destroy them,
וְהִנֵּה־הֵם גֹּמְלִים עָלֵינוּ לָבוֹא לְגָרְשֵׁנוּ מִיְּרֻשָּׁתְךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹרַשְׁתָּנוּ׃ 20:11
2Chr. 20:11 and behold, they are trying to retaliate against us to come to expel us from Your possession that You gave us to inherit.’
אֱלֹהֵינוּ הֲלֹא תִשְׁפָּט־בָּם כִּי אֵין בָּנוּ כֹּחַ לִפְנֵי הֶהָמוֹן הָרָב הַזֶּה הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ לֹא נֵדַע 20:12
מַה־נַּעֲשֶׂה כִּי עָלֶיךָ עֵינֵינוּ׃
2Chr. 20:12 ‘O, our God, will You not execute judgment upon them? For there is not enough strength in us before this great multitude coming against us, and we will not know what we can do except our eyes being upon You.’”
וְכָל־יְהוּדָה עֹמְדִים לִפְנֵי יְהוָה גַּם־טַפָּם נְשֵׁיהֶם וּבְנֵיהֶם׃ 20:13
2Chr. 20:13 And all of Judah were standing before the Lord, even their little ones, their wives, and their grown children.
וְיַחֲזִיאֵל בֶּן־זְכַרְיָהוּ בֶּן־בְּנָיָה בֶּן־יְעִיאֵל בֶּן־מַתַּנְיָה הַלֵּוִי מִן־בְּנֵי אָסָף הָיְתָה עָלָיו רוּחַ יְהוָה בְּתוֹךְ 20:14
הַקָּהָל׃
2Chr. 20:14 And Jahaziel son of Zechariah son of Beniah son of Jeiel son of Mattaniah, the Levite, from the sons of Asaph, the spirit of the Lord was over him in the midst of the congregation,
וַיֹּאמֶר הַקְשִׁיבוּ כָל־יְהוּדָה וְיֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְהַמֶּלֶךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָט כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה לָכֶם אַתֶּם אַל־תִּירְאוּ 20:15
וְאַל־תֵּחַתּוּ מִפְּנֵי הֶהָמוֹן הָרָב הַזֶּה כִּי לֹא לָכֶם הַמִּלְחָמָה כִּי לֵאלֹהִים׃
2Chr. 20:15 and he said, “Pay attention, all of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and the king, Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘You must not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.’
מָחָר רְדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם הִנָּם עֹלִים בְּמַעֲלֵה הַצִּיץ וּמְצָאתֶם אֹתָם בְּסוֹף הַנַּחַל פְּנֵי מִדְבַּר יְרוּאֵל׃ 20:16
2Chr. 20:16 ‘Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will be coming up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the wilderness of Jeruel.’
לֹא לָכֶם לְהִלָּחֵם בָּזֹאת הִתְיַצְּבוּ עִמְדוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת־יְשׁוּעַת יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם אַל־תִּירְאוּ 20:17
וְאַל־תֵּחַתּוּ מָחָר צְאוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיהוָה עִמָּכֶם׃
2Chr. 20:17 Fighting in this is not for you; station yourselves, stand and watch the salvation of the Lord being with you; Judah and Jerusalem, you must not fear or be dismayed. Tomorrow come out before them, and the Lord will be with you.’”
וַיִּקֹּד יְהוֹשָׁפָט אַפַּיִם אָרְצָה וְכָל־יְהוּדָה וְיֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם נָפְלוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺת לַיהוָה׃ 20:18
2Chr. 20:18 And Jehoshaphat bowed down, nostrils to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, to prostrate themselves to the Lord.
וַיָּקֻמוּ הַלְוִיִּם מִן־בְּנֵי הַקְּהָתִים וּמִן־בְּנֵי הַקָּרְחִים לְהַלֵּל לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל לְמָעְלָה׃ 20:19
2Chr. 20:19 Then the Levites arose from the children of the Kohathites and from the children of the Korahites to give praise to the Lord, God of Israel, in an exceedingly loud voice.
וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַבֹּקֶר וַיֵּצְאוּ לְמִדְבַּר תְּקוֹעַ וּבְצֵאתָם עָמַד יְהוֹשָׁפָט וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמָעוּנִי יְהוּדָה וְיֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם 20:20
הַאֲמִינוּ בַּיהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְתֵאָמֵנוּ הַאֲמִינוּ בִנְבִיאָיו וְהַצְלִיחוּ׃
2Chr. 20:20 And they rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa, and with their going forth Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord, your God, that you are supported; believe in His prophets and prosper.
וַיִּוָּעַץ אֶל־הָעָם וַיַּעֲמֵד מְשֹׁרֲרִים לַיהוָה וּמְהַלְלִים לְהַדְרַת־קֹדֶשׁ בְּצֵאת לִפְנֵי הֶחָלוּץ וְאֹמְרִים הוֹדוּ 20:21
לַיהוָה כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃
2Chr. 20:21 Then he gave counsel to the people and stationed singers to the Lord and praise givers to the beauty of holiness, on emerging before the Deliverer and uttering, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy is forever.”
וּבְעֵת הֵחֵלּוּ בְרִנָּה וּתְהִלָּה נָתַן יְהוָה מְאָרְבִים עַל־בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן מוֹאָב וְהַר־שֵׂעִיר הַבָּאִים לִיהוּדָה 20:22
וַיִּנָּגֵפוּ׃
2Chr. 20:22 And at the time they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir who were coming to Judah, and they were stricken,
וַיַּעַמְדוּ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב עַל־יֹשְׁבֵי הַר־שֵׂעִיר לְהַחֲרִים וּלְהַשְׁמִיד וּכְכַלּוֹתָם בְּיוֹשְׁבֵי שֵׂעִיר עָזְרוּ 20:23
אִישׁ־בְּרֵעֵהוּ לְמַשְׁחִית׃
2Chr. 20:23 so that the children of Ammon took a stand against the inhabitants of mount Seir to utterly destroy and to annihilate. Then at their finishing with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped each one with his neighbor to destroy.
וִיהוּדָה בָּא עַל־הַמִּצְפֶּה לַמִּדְבָּר וַיִּפְנוּ אֶל־הֶהָמוֹן וְהִנָּם פְּגָרִים נֹפְלִים אַרְצָה וְאֵין פְּלֵיטָה׃ 20:24
2Chr. 20:24 And Judah came upon the lookout point to the wilderness and they turned to the multitude, and behold, they were corpses fallen away to the ground and there was no escaped remnant.
וַיָּבֹא יְהוֹשָׁפָט וְעַמּוֹ לָבֹז אֶת־שְׁלָלָם וַיִּמְצְאוּ בָהֶם לָרֹב וּרְכוּשׁ וּפְגָרִים וּכְלֵי חֲמֻדוֹת וַיְנַצְּלוּ לָהֶם 20:25
לְאֵין מַשָּׂא וַיִּהְיוּ יָמִים שְׁלוֹשָׁה בֹּזְזִים אֶת־הַשָּׁלָל כִּי רַב־הוּא׃
2Chr. 20:25 Then Jehoshaphat came, and his people, to plunder their spoil, and they found among them in abundance and substance (and dead bodies) and precious articles, and they stripped off for themselves without being able to carry, so they were three days in plundering the spoil because it was so much.
וּבַיּוֹם הָרְבִעִי נִקְהֲלוּ לְעֵמֶק בְּרָכָה כִּי־שָׁם בֵּרֲכוּ אֶת־יְהוָה עַל־כֵּן קָרְאוּ אֶת־שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא 20:26
עֵמֶק בְּרָכָה עַד־הַיּוֹם׃
2Chr. 20:26 Then on the fourth day they gathered to the valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the Lord. That is why they have called the name of that place the valley of Barachah until today.
וַיָּשֻׁבוּ כָּל־אִישׁ יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם וִיהוֹשָׁפָט בְּרֹאשָׁם לָשׁוּב אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם בְּשִׂמְחָה כִּי־שִׂמְּחָם יְהוָה 20:27
מֵאוֹיְבֵיהֶם׃
2Chr. 20:27 Then they turned back, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, to return to Jerusalem in joy, for the Lord had gladdened them more than their enemies.
וַיָּבֹאוּ יְרוּשָׁלִַם בִּנְבָלִים וּבְכִנֹּרוֹת וּבַחֲצֹצְרוֹת אֶל־בֵּית יְהוָה׃ 20:28
2Chr. 20:28 And they entered Jerusalem amid psalteries and amid harps and amid trumpets, to the house of the Lord.
וַיְהִי פַּחַד אֱלֹהִים עַל כָּל־מַמְלְכוֹת הָאֲרָצוֹת בְּשָׁמְעָם כִּי נִלְחַם יְהוָה עִם אוֹיְבֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 20:29
2Chr. 20:29 And the dread of God was upon all the kingdoms of the lands at their hearing that the Lord had made war with the enemies of Israel.
וַתִּשְׁקֹט מַלְכוּת יְהוֹשָׁפָט וַיָּנַח לוֹ אֱלֹהָיו מִסָּבִיב׃ 20:30
2Chr. 20:30 And the reign of Jehoshaphat was peaceful as his God gave rest to him from every direction.
וַיִּמְלֹךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָט עַל־יְהוּדָה בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה בְּמָלְכוֹ וְעֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִַם 20:31
וְשֵׁםאִמּוֹ עֲזוּבָה בַּת־שִׁלְחִי׃
2Chr. 20:31 And Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years of age on his becoming king, and he was king over Judah twenty-five years, was king in Jerusalem. And the name of his mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
This verse and the next two are similar to 1Kin. 22:42 to 22:44.
וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ אָבִיו אָסָא וְלֹא־סָר מִמֶּנָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה׃ 20:32
2Chr. 20:32 And he walked in the path of his father, Asa, and did not depart from it, doing the right thing in the eyes of the Lord.
אַךְ הַבָּמוֹת לֹא־סָרוּ וְעוֹד הָעָם לֹא־הֵכִינוּ לְבָבָם לֵאלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיהֶם׃ 20:33
2Chr. 20:33 Nevertheless the high places had not been removed and still the people had not made their heart ready for the God of their ancestors.
וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יְהוֹשָׁפָט הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְהָאַחֲרֹנִים הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים בְּדִבְרֵי יֵהוּא בֶן־חֲנָנִי אֲשֶׁר הֹעֲלָה 20:34
עַל־סֵפֶר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
2Chr. 20:34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the first and the last, behold, they are written in the words of Jehu son of Hanani, which he inserted in the book of the kings of Israel.
This verse is reminiscent of 1Kin. 22:46.
וְאַחֲרֵיכֵן אֶתְחַבַּר יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה עִם אֲחַזְיָה מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא הִרְשִׁיעַ לַעֲשׂוֹת׃ 20:35
2Chr. 20:35 Then after this, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, joined himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel. He was doing wickedly,
וַיְחַבְּרֵהוּ עִמּוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֳנִיּוֹת לָלֶכֶת תַּרְשִׁישׁ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ אֳנִיּוֹת בְּעֶצְיוֹן גָּבֶר׃ 20:36
2Chr. 20:36 but he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Etzion-geber.
וַיִּתְנַבֵּא אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן־דֹּדָוָהוּ מִמָּרֵשָׁה עַל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט לֵאמֹר כְּהִתְחַבֶּרְךָ עִם־אֲחַזְיָהוּ פָּרַץ יְהוָה 20:37
אֶת־מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וַיִּשָּׁבְרוּ אֳנִיּוֹת וְלֹא עָצְרוּ לָלֶכֶת אֶל־תַּרְשִׁישׁ׃
2Chr. 20:37 And Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, “Because of your alliance with Ahaziah the Lord is breaking down your works.” And the ships were so broken down that they were not retained to go to Tarshish.
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