2 Chronicles 20:20-37
The LORD Sets Ambushes
20Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.”
21Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.”
22The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated.
23The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
24When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
25Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to carry off the plunder, and they found on the bodies an abundance of goods and valuables—more than they could carry away. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much.
26On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.
27Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies.
28So they entered Jerusalem and went into the house of the LORD with harps, lyres, and trumpets.
29And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
31So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
32And Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
33The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.
34As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
35Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly.
36They agreed to make ships to go to Tarshish, and these were built in Ezion-geber.
37Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” So the ships were wrecked and were unable to sail to Tarshish.
Berean Standard Bible
Jehoshaphat and the people rise early and go into the wilderness. Jehoshaphat tells them to believe in the LORD and to believe His prophets so they will prosper. He appoints singers to go before the army, praising the LORD's loving devotion.
As the singers begin, the LORD sets ambushes against the invading armies. The enemy forces turn against one another until no one is left. Judah arrives at the overlook and sees only dead bodies. It takes three days to gather the equipment because there is so much.
On the fourth day they assemble in the Valley of Beracah and bless the LORD there. They return to Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets because the LORD has given them joy over their enemies. The victory becomes worship, not a reason for Judah to boast in itself.
Jehoshaphat's kingdom has peace, but the chapter also records his later alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel. Eliezer rebukes him, saying that because he joined Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed his works. The ships are wrecked and cannot sail. Deliverance does not make every later partnership wise.
Questions
1 Who went before Judah's army?
AnswerSingers went before the army, praising the LORD's loving devotion and holiness.
2 What happened among the invading armies?
AnswerThe LORD set ambushes, and the invading forces turned against one another until they were destroyed.
3 How long did Judah gather the equipment?
AnswerJudah gathered the equipment for three days because there was so much of it.
4 What happened to the ships built with Ahaziah?
AnswerEliezer announced judgment on the alliance, and the ships were wrecked so they could not sail.
What This Means for Us
The victory is received as a gift, and Judah returns with worship rather than a new theory of its own greatness. The later wrecked ships add a needed warning: past deliverance does not bless every alliance we choose afterward.
Celebrate God's help without turning it into a promise that every plan will succeed. Gratitude and discernment belong together.
Prayer
Lord, receive our praise when you deliver us, and keep us humble afterward. Help us test new partnerships and plans wisely instead of assuming yesterday's mercy guarantees today's success. Amen.