The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

2 Chronicles 20

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Ketuvim — the Writings

2 Chronicles chapter 20 — part of the Ketuvim — the Writings in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “And it came to pass after this, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against…” — the complete text of all 37 verses is below, free to read online.

1And it came to pass after this, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

2Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying: `There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea from Aram; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar' --the same is En-gedi.

3And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek unto HaShem; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

4And Judah gathered themselves together, to seek help of HaShem; even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek HaShem.

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

6and he said: 'O HaShem, the G-d of our fathers, art not Thou alone G-d in heaven? and art not Thou ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? and in Thy hand is power and might, so that none is able to withstand Thee.

7Didst not Thou, O our G-d, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham Thy friend for ever?

8And they dwelt therein, and have built Thee a sanctuary therein for Thy name, saying:

9If evil come upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before Thee--for Thy name is in this house--and cry unto Thee in our affliction, and Thou wilt hear and save.

10And 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 aside from them, and destroyed them not;

11behold, they render unto us evil, to come to cast us out of Thy possession, which Thou hast given us to inherit.

12O our G-d, wilt Thou not execute judgment on them? for we have no might against this great multitude that cometh against us; neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon Thee.'

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

14Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, came the spirit of HaShem in the midst of the congregation;

15and he said: 'Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat: thus saith HaShem unto you: Fear not ye, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but G-d's.

16To-morrow go ye down against them; behold, they come up by the ascent of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of HaShem with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; fear not, nor be dismayed; to-morrow go out against them; for HaShem is with you.'

18And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before HaShem, worshipping HaShem.

19And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise HaShem, the G-d of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice.

20And 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 HaShem your G-d, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.'

21And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed them that should sing unto HaShem, and praise in the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and say: 'Give thanks unto HaShem, for His mercy endureth for ever.'

22And when they began to sing and to praise, HaShem set liers-in-wait against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, that were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23For 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.

24And when Judah came to the watch-tower of the wilderness, they looked upon the multitude; and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none that escaped.

25And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them, 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 spoil, it was so much.

26And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Beracah; for there they blessed HaShem; therefore the name of that place was called The valley of Beracah, unto this day.

27Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy; for HaShem had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

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

29And a terror from G-d was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that HaShem fought against the enemies of Israel.

30So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his G-d gave him rest round about.

31And 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.

32And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of HaShem.

33Howbeit the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts unto the G-d of their fathers.

34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the words of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is inserted in the book of the kings of Israel.

35And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel; the same did very wickedly;

36and he joined him with himself to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made the ships in Ezion-geber.

37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying: 'Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, HaShem hath made a breach in thy works.' And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

37 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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