Bible Chapter Summary
2 Chronicles 20 Summary
Jehoshaphat's Victory Through Prayer and Praise
The children of Moab and Ammon with other allies invade Judah from beyond the sea and camp at Hazazon-tamar (En-gedi). Jehoshaphat fears and sets himself to seek the Lord, proclaiming a fast throughout Judah. The people gather to ask the Lord for help, and Jehoshaphat stands in the house of the Lord and prays, reminding God of His power over all kingdoms and His gift of the land to Abraham's seed. He recalls that the people dwelt in the land and built a sanctuary where they can cry to God in affliction. He appeals to the Lord to judge the enemies who are now trying to cast them out. As Jehoshaphat and all Judah stand before the Lord in prayer, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon Jahaziel the Levite, who prophesies that the battle is not theirs but God's, and commands them to stand still and see the Lord's salvation. Jehoshaphat bows before the Lord in worship, and the Levites praise with a loud voice. The next morning Jehoshaphat exhorts the people to believe in the Lord and His prophets. He appoints singers to praise the Lord as they go before the army. When they begin to sing and praise, the Lord sets ambushments against the enemies, who fight and destroy one another, with Moab and Ammon destroying the inhabitants of Mount Seir, then turning on each other. When Judah comes to the watchtower, they find the multitude dead upon the earth with none escaped. They spend three days gathering abundant spoil, gold, and precious jewels. On the fourth day they assemble in the valley of Berachah and bless the Lord, giving the valley its name. They return to Jerusalem with joy, instruments, harps, and trumpets, and all the kingdoms hear that the Lord fought against Israel's enemies.
Key themes
Key verses
2 Chronicles 20:3-4
“And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 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.”
2 Chronicles 20:15-17
“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. 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. 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.”
2 Chronicles 20:21-22
“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. 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.”
2 Chronicles 20:24-27
“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. 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. 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. 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.”
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