King Jehoshaphat of Judah faced a vast invading army from Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir. Fearing, he proclaimed a fast and sought the Lord, receiving a prophetic word that the battle was God's. Judah went forth with singers praising God, and the Lord caused the enemy armies to destroy each other, resulting in a miraculous victory and abundant spoil for Judah.
Then some came who told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea from Syria. Behold, they are in Hazazon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi).
and he said, “LORD, the God of our fathers, aren’t you God in heaven? Aren’t you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in your hand, so that no one is able to withstand you.
‘If evil comes on us—the sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this house, and before you, (for your name is in this house), and cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’
Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and didn’t destroy them;
Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us; neither know we what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly;
and he said, “Listen, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat. Thus says the LORD to you, ‘Don’t be afraid, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they are coming up by the ascent of Ziz. You shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
You will not need to fight this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’”
The Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice.
They rose early in the morning, and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, so you shall be established! Believe his prophets, so you shall prosper.”
When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to the LORD; for his loving kindness endures forever.
When they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck.
For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to kill and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another.
When Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness, they looked at the multitude; and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were no one who escaped.
When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their plunder, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in taking the plunder, it was so much.
On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Beracah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of that place was called The valley of Beracah to this day.
Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in their forefront, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.
Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is inserted in the book of the kings of Israel.
Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” The ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
Study Notes for 2 Chronicles 20
Verse 1
This coalition of traditional enemies (Moab, Ammon, and implied Edomites/Meunites) launched a massive invasion, presenting a threat far greater than Judah could handle militarily.
Verse 3
Jehoshaphat’s fear was not paralyzing, but productive: he immediately directed his focus and the nation's efforts toward seeking the Lord, establishing a model for responding to national crisis.
Verse 6
The prayer begins by affirming God’s universal sovereignty and power over all nations, establishing the theological premise that God alone is capable of defeating this great threat.
Verse 7
By recalling the promise of the land given to 'Abraham thy friend,' Jehoshaphat appeals to God’s covenant faithfulness and reputation.
Verse 9
This echoes Solomon's dedication prayer (2 Chr 6:28-30), asserting that the temple is the designated place where God promised to hear and respond to national distress.
Verse 12
This verse is the climax of the prayer, expressing complete human helplessness ('we have no might'; 'neither know we what to do') and total dependence ('our eyes are upon thee').
Verse 14
Jahaziel was a Levite, not a professional prophet, indicating that God may use anyone within the community of faith to deliver His word.
Verse 15
The core theological message: 'the battle is not yours, but God's.' This shifts the responsibility and the required resources for victory entirely to YHWH.
Verse 17
The command to 'stand ye still' is not passive inaction but a call to faith, trusting God to demonstrate His deliverance without Judah needing to resort to military force (cf. Exod 14:13).
Verse 20
Jehoshaphat links faith to stability and prosperity, urging the people to trust not only in God but also in His specific prophetic word, demonstrating genuine spiritual leadership.
Verse 21
Placing the unarmed singers at the front of the army was a radical act of faith, prioritizing worship over conventional military strategy and proclaiming God’s eternal mercy.
Verse 22
The miracle began precisely 'when they began to sing and to praise.' God set 'ambushments,' causing the enemy coalition to turn on itself, fulfilling the promise that Judah would not have to fight.
Verse 26
The Valley of Berachah (meaning 'Blessing') was named because the people assembled there specifically to bless and thank the Lord, transforming the place of victory into a place of worship.
Verse 33
Despite Jehoshaphat’s personal piety and reforms, he failed to eradicate the local high places, showing the difficulty in changing deeply ingrained popular religious practices.
Verse 35
This renewed alliance with the wicked Northern Kingdom (Ahaziah) demonstrates Jehoshaphat's persistent political failure to trust God fully, despite the divine warnings received earlier (2 Chr 19:2).
Verse 37
The prophecy confirms God's judgment against Jehoshaphat’s faithless alliance, resulting in the immediate destruction of the enterprise, illustrating that disobedience negates previous successes.
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