Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

1 When Rechav‘am arrived in Yerushalayim, he assembled the house of Y’hudah and Binyamin, 180,000 select soldiers, to fight Isra’el and bring the rulership back to Rechav‘am.

2 But this word ofAdonaicame to Sh’ma‘yah the man of God:

3 “Speak to Rechav‘am the son of Shlomo, king of Y’hudah, and to all Isra’el in Y’hudah and Binyamin; tell them

4 that this is whatAdonaisays: ‘You are not to go up and fight your brothers! Every man is to go back home, because this is my doing.’” They paid attention to the words ofAdonaiand turned back from attacking Yarov‘am.

5 Rechav‘am lived in Yerushalayim and built cities for defense in Y’hudah —

6 he built Beit-Lechem, ‘Eitam, T’koa,

7 Beit-Tzur, Sokho, ‘Adulam,

8 Gat, Mareshah, Zif,

9 Adorayim, Lakhish, ‘Azekah,

10 Tzor‘ah, Ayalon and Hevron; these are fortified cities in Y’hudah and Binyamin.

11 He fortified the strongholds, appointed captains in charge of them and supplied them with food, olive oil and wine.

12 In every city he put shields and spears, making them very strong. Y’hudah and Binyamin stuck with him.

13 ThecohanimandL’vi’imfrom wherever they lived throughout all Isra’el made themselves available to Rechav‘am.

14 TheL’vi’imleft their pasture lands and property and came to Y’hudah and Yerushalayim; since Yarov‘am and his sons had thrown them out, not allowing them to function ascohanimforAdonai,

15 and had appointed for himselfcohanimfor the high places and for the images of goat-demons and calves that he had made.

16 Those from all the tribes of Isra’el who had set their hearts on seekingAdonai, the God of Isra’el, followed them to Yerushalayim to sacrifice toAdonai, the God of their fathers.

17 For three years they strengthened the kingdom of Y’hudah and made Rechav‘am the son of Shlomo strong, because for three years they followed the way of life of David and Shlomo.

18 Rechav‘am married Machalat the daughter of Yerimot the son of David and Avichayil the daughter of Eli’av the son of Yishai;

19 and she became the mother of his sons Ye‘ush, Sh’maryah and Zaham.

20 After her, he married Ma‘akhah the daughter of Avshalom; she became the mother of Aviyah, ‘Atai, Ziza and Shlomit.

21 Rechav‘am loved Ma‘akhah more than all his other wives and concubines — for he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines and was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22 Rechav‘am appointed Aviyah the son of Ma‘akhah chief, the leader of his brothers, because he intended to make him king.

23 He was wise in his treatment of his sons, sending all of them throughout the territory of Y’hudah and Binyamin, to every fortified city, providing them with plenty of supplies and seeking for them many wives.

1 But in time, after Rechav‘am had consolidated his rulership and had become strong, he, and with him all Isra’el, abandoned theTorahofAdonai.

2 In the fifth year of King Rechav‘am, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Yerushalayim, because they had acted faithlessly towardAdonai.

3 He came out of Egypt with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen and a numberless army including Luvim, Suki’im and Ethiopians.

4 He captured the fortified cities of Y’hudah, then went to Yerushalayim.

5 Now Sh’ma‘yah the prophet came to Rechav‘am and the leaders of Y’hudah who had gathered in Yerushalayim because of Shishak and said to them, “Here is whatAdonaisays: ‘Because you have abandoned me, I have abandoned you to the hands of Shishak.’”

6 In response, the leaders of Isra’el and the king humbled themselves; they said, “Adonaiis right.”

7 WhenAdonaisaw that they had humbled themselves, this word ofAdonaicame to Sh’ma‘yah: “Because they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will grant them a measure of deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Yerushalayim through Shishak.

8 However, they will become his slaves, so that they will come to appreciate the difference between serving me and serving earthly kingdoms.”

9 So Shishak king of Egypt attacked Yerushalayim. He took the treasures in the house ofAdonaiand the treasures in the royal palace — he took everything, including the gold shields Shlomo had made.

10 To replace them, King Rechav‘am made shields of bronze, which he entrusted to the commanders of the contingent guarding the gate to the royal palace.

11 Whenever the king went to the house ofAdonai, the guard would come and get the shields; later they would return them to the guardroom.

12 After he humbled himself, the anger ofAdonaiturned away from him, so that he did not altogether destroy him; moreover, some good things were found in Y’hudah.

13 So King Rechav‘am consolidated his rule in Yerushalayim.

Rechav‘am was forty-one years old when he began his reign; and he ruled seventeen years in Yerushalayim, the cityAdonaihad chosen from all the tribes of Isra’el to bear his name; his mother’s name was Na‘amah the ‘Amonit.

14 He did what was evil, because he had not set his heart on seekingAdonai.

15 The activities of Rechav‘am from beginning to end are written in the genealogically organized histories of Sh’ma‘yah the prophet and ‘Iddo the seer. But there were continual wars between Rechav‘am and Yarov‘am.

16 Rechav‘am slept with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. Then Aviyah his son became king in his place.

1 It was in the eighteenth year of King Yarov‘am that Aviyah began his reign over Y’hudah.

2 He ruled three years in Yerushalayim; his mother’s name was Mikhayahu the daughter of Uri’el from Giv‘ah.

There was war between Aviyah and Yarov‘am.

3 Aviyah joined the battle with an army of valiant soldiers, 400,000 select troops; while Yarov‘am took the field against him with 800,000 select troops who were valiant, strong men.

4 Aviyah, standing on Mount Z’marayim, in the hills of Efrayim, cried, “Yarov‘am and all Isra’el! Listen to me!

5 Don’t you know thatAdonai, the God of Isra’el, gave rulership over Isra’el to David forever, to him and his descendants, by a covenant of salt [which is unbreakable]?

6 Yet Yarov‘am the son of N’vat, servant to Shlomo the son of David, rose in rebellion against his lord.

7 There rallied around him worthless brutes who were too strong for Rechav‘am the son of Shlomo to withstand when he was young and inexperienced.

8 Now you expect to withstand the kingdom ofAdonaiin the hands of the descendants of David. Yes, there are a great number of you, and you have with you the gold calves that Yarov‘am made as gods for you.

9 Yes, you drove out thecohanimofAdonai, the descendants of Aharon, and theL’vi’im; and you made yourselves priests as do the peoples in other countries, so that anyone who comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of those non-gods.

10 “But we are different.Adonaiis our God, and we have not abandoned him. We havecohanimperforming the service forAdonai, descendants of Aharon. With theL’vi’imdoing their work,

11 they burn toAdonaievery morning and evening burnt offerings and sweet incense; they arrange the showbread on the pure table, and they prepare the goldmenorahwith its lamps to burn every evening. For we observe the order ofAdonaiour God. But you have abandoned him.

12 “So look here! God is with us, leading us and hiscohanimwith the battle trumpets to sound an alarm against you. People of Isra’el! Don’t fight againstAdonai, the God of your ancestors; because you will not succeed.”

13 But Yarov‘am prepared to ambush them from behind, so that the main body was ahead of Y’hudah, while the ambush was behind them.

14 Thus when Y’hudah looked back, the battle had to be fought in front of them and behind them.

They cried toAdonai, and thecohanimsounded the trumpets.

15 Then the men of Y’hudah gave forth a shout, and as the men of Y’hudah shouted, God struck Yarov‘am and all Isra’el before Aviyah and Y’hudah.

16 The people of Isra’el fled before Y’hudah, and God handed them over to them.

17 Aviyah and his army inflicted a great slaughter on them — 500,000 of Isra’el’s select soldiers fell dead.

18 Thus the people of Isra’el were subdued that time, and the people of Y’hudah won the victory, because they relied onAdonaithe God of their ancestors.

19 Aviyah pursued Yarov‘am, taking from him the towns of Beit-El with its villages, Y’shanah with its villages and ‘Efrayin with its villages.

20 Yarov‘am did not recover his strength during the time of Aviyahu. FinallyAdonaistruck him, and he died.

21 But Aviyahu grew strong; he married fourteen wives and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22 Other activities of Aviyah, together with his ways of doing things and his sayings, are recorded in the commentary of the prophet ‘Iddo.

23 Aviyah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son became king in his place; during his time the land was quiet for ten years.

1 Asa did what was good and right from the perspective ofAdonaihis God;

2 for he removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashing the standing-stones and chopping down the sacred poles.

3 He ordered Y’hudah to seekAdonai, the God of their ancestors, and to obey theTorahand themitzvah.

4 He removed the high places and pillars for sun-worship from all the cities of Y’hudah, and under him the kingdom was quiet.

5 Because the land was quiet, and he had no war during those years, sinceAdonaihad given him rest, he built fortified cities in Y’hudah.

6 “Let’s build these cities,” he said to Y’hudah; “we’ll surround them with walls, towers, gates and bars. The land is there for us to use, because we have soughtAdonaiour God; we have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they built and prospered.

7 Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Y’hudah, equipped with shields and spears, and another 280,000 from Binyamin, with shields and bows; all were brave, strong men.

8 Zerach the Ethiopian came out to attack them with an army of one million and three hundred chariots. When he arrived at Mareshah,

9 Asa went out to fight him, and the forces were arranged for battle in the Tz’fat Valley at Mareshah.

10 Asa cried out toAdonaihis God, “Adonai, there is no one besides yourself, strong or weak, who can help. Help us,Adonaiour God, because we are relying on you, and we are coming against this vast throng in your name. You areAdonaiour God; don’t let human beings stop you!”

11 SoAdonaistruck the Ethiopians before Asa and Y’hudah, and the Ethiopians fled.

12 Asa and the army with him pursued them to G’rar, and the Ethiopians were defeated beyond recovery; they were shattered beforeAdonaiand his army, who carried off much spoil.

13 Then they attacked all the cities in the vicinity of G’rar, for a panic fromAdonaihad overcome them. They plundered all the cities, for they were full of spoil.

14 They also attacked the tents of those tending the livestock and carried off sheep and camels in abundance. Then they returned to Yerushalayim.

1 The Spirit of God came on ‘Azaryah the son of ‘Oded;

2 he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Y’hudah and Binyamin!Adonaiis with you, as long as you are with him; if you seek him, you will find him; but if you abandon him, he will abandon you!

3 For a long time Isra’el was without the true God, without acohenwho could teach, and withoutTorah.

4 But when, in their distress, they turned toAdonaithe God of Isra’el and sought him, they found him.

5 In those times people going about their business were insecure, and great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands;

6 so that they were shattered to pieces, nation against nation and city against city, as God troubled them with every kind of distress.

7 But you, be strong, and don’t slack off; for your work will be rewarded.”

8 When Asa heard these words prophesied by ‘Oded the prophet, it gave him courage to throw the disgusting things out of the whole land of Y’hudah and Binyamin and out of the cities he had captured in the hills of Efrayim; he also renewed the altar ofAdonaiwhich was in front of the vestibule ofAdonai.

9 Then he gathered all Y’hudah and Binyamin, along with those from Efrayim, M’nasheh and Shim‘on who were staying with him (for they had defected to him in large numbers upon seeing thatAdonaihis God was with him).

10 They assembled together at Yerushalayim in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.

11 That day they sacrificed toAdonai700 oxen and 7,000 sheep from the spoil they had brought;

12 and they entered into a covenant to seekAdonai, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and with all their being;

13 [they also agreed] that whoever refused to seekAdonaithe God of Isra’el should be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.

14 They swore this toAdonaiin a loud voice, with shouting and blowing of trumpets andshofars.

15 All Y’hudah was full of joy at this oath; for they had sworn with all their heart and had sought him with all their will; and they found him, andAdonaigave them rest all around.

16 Asa the king also deposed Ma‘akhah his [grand]mother from her position as queen mother, because she had made a disgusting image for anasherah. Asa cut down this image of hers, chopped it into tiny pieces and burned it inVadiKidron.

17 But the high places were not removed from Isra’el. Nevertheless, Asa was wholehearted throughout his life.

18 He brought into the house of God all the articles his father had consecrated, also the things he himself had consecrated — silver, gold and utensils.

19 There was no more war through the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.

1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Ba‘asha king of Isra’el attacked Y’hudah, and he fortified Ramah to prevent anyone’s leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Y’hudah.

2 Then Asa removed silver and gold from the treasures of the house ofAdonaiand the royal palace; and sent this message to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who lived in Dammesek:

3 “There is a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Here, I am sending you silver and gold; go, and break your covenant with Ba‘asha king of Isra’el, so that he will leave me alone.”

4 Ben-Hadad did as King Asa had asked — he sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Isra’el, attacking ‘Iyon, Dan, Avel-Mayim and all the storage-cities of Naftali.

5 As soon as Ba‘asha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work.

6 Asa the king took all Y’hudah and carried off the stones and timber which Ba‘asha had used to fortify Ramah. With them he fortified Geva and Mitzpah.

7 It was around then that Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Y’hudah and said to him, “Because you relied on the king of Aram and didn’t rely onAdonaiyour God, the king of Aram’s army has escaped from your power.

8 The army of the Ethiopians and Luvim was huge, wasn’t it? How many chariots and horsemen did they have? Yet because you relied onAdonai, he handed them over to you.

9 For the eyes ofAdonaimove here and there throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of those who are wholehearted toward him. You acted foolishly in this regard; for from now on, you will have war.”

10 But Asa became angry at the seer; in fact, because of his rage at him over this matter he threw him in prison. Moreover, at the same time, he mistreated some of the people.

11 The activities of Asa from beginning to end are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Y’hudah and Isra’el.

12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa suffered from a disease in his legs. It was a very serious disease, yet even with this disease he did not seek outAdonaibut turned to the physicians.

13 Asa slept with his ancestors, dying in the forty-first year of his reign.

14 They buried him in his own burial cave, which he had ordered cut for himself in the City of David. They laid him in a bed filled with sweet spices of various kinds, expertly compounded; and a very great fire was kindled in his honor.

1 Then Y’hoshafat his son became king in his place. He strengthened his position against Isra’el

2 by placing forces in all the fortified cities of Y’hudah, and by garrisoning troops in the territory of Y’hudah and in the cities of Efrayim that Asa his father had captured.

3 Adonaiwas with Y’hoshafat, because he lived according to the first ways of his ancestor David, not seeking theba‘alim,

4 but seeking the God of his father and living by hismitzvot, not by what Isra’el did.

5 ThereforeAdonaiconsolidated his rulership; all Y’hudah brought presents to Y’hoshafat, so that he had wealth and honor in abundance.

6 In his heart he highly regardedAdonai’s ways; moreover, he removed the high places and sacred poles from Y’hudah.

7 In the third year of his reign he sent his leading men Ben-Chayil, ‘Ovadyah, Z’kharyah, N’tan’el and Mikhayahu to teach in the cities of Y’hudah;

8 with them were theL’vi’imSh’ma‘yahu, N’tanyahu, Z’vadyahu, ‘Asah’el, Sh’miramot, Y’honatan, Adoniyahu, Tuviyahu and Tov-Adoniyah, theL’vi’im; and with them Elishama and Y’horam thecohanim.

9 They taught in Y’hudah, having a scroll of theTorahofAdonaiwith them; they circulated through all the cities of Y’hudah, teaching among the people.

10 A panic fromAdonaiseized all the kingdoms in the lands surrounding Y’hudah, so that they did not make war against Y’hoshafat.

11 Some of the P’lishtim brought Y’hoshafat gifts and silver as tribute; the Arabs too brought him flocks — 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.

12 So Y’hoshafat grew increasingly powerful. In Y’hudah he built fortresses and storage cities.

13 He had many projects in the cities of Y’hudah; and in Yerushalayim he had warriors, strong brave men.

14 Here is a listing of them by clans: from Y’hudah, the captains of thousands: ‘Adnah the leader, and with him 300,000 strong, brave men;

15 next to him Y’hochanan the leader, and with him 280,000;

16 next to him ‘Amasyah the son of Zikhri, who volunteered to serveAdonai, and with him 200,000 strong, brave men.

17 From Binyamin: Elyada, a strong, brave man, and with him 200,000 equipped with bows and shields;

18 next to him Y’hozavad, and with him 180,000 prepared for war.

19 These served the king, in addition to those the king assigned to the fortified cities throughout all Y’hudah.

1 Y’hoshafat had wealth and honor in abundance, and by marriage he allied himself with Ach’av.

2 After some years he went down to Ach’av in Shomron. Ach’av slaughtered sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramot-Gil‘ad.

3 Ach’av king of Isra’el said to Y’hoshafat king of Y’hudah, “Will you go with me to Ramot-Gil‘ad?” He answered him, “I’m with you all the way; think of my troops as yours; we will join you in this war.”

4 But Y’hoshafat said to the king of Isra’el, “First, we should seek the word ofAdonai.”

5 So the king of Isra’el assembled the prophets, 400 men. “Should we attack Ramot-Gil‘ad?” he asked them, “Or should I hold off?” They said, “Attack. God will hand it over to the king.”

6 But Y’hoshafat said, “Besides these, isn’t there a prophet ofAdonaihere that we can consult?”

7 The king of Isra’el said to Y’hoshafat, “Yes, there is still one man through whom we can consultAdonai; but I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good for me, only bad! It’s Mikhay’hu the son of Yimlah.” Y’hoshafat replied, “The king shouldn’t say such a thing.”

8 Then the king called an officer and said, “Quickly! Bring Mikhay’hu the son of Yimlah.”

9 Now the king of Isra’el and Y’hoshafat the king of Y’hudah were each sitting on his throne, dressed in their royal robes; they were sitting in a threshing-floor at the entrance to the gate of Shomron; and all the prophets were there, prophesying in their presence.

10 Tzidkiyah the son of Kena‘anah had made himself some horns out of iron and said, “This is whatAdonaisays: ‘With these you will gore Aram until they are destroyed.’”

11 All the prophets prophesied the same thing: “Go up and attack Ramot-Gil‘ad. You will succeed, becauseAdonaiwill hand it over to the king.”

12 The messenger who had gone to call Mikhay’hu said to him, “Here, now, the prophets are unanimously predicting success for the king. Please let your word be like one of theirs — say something good.”

13 But Mikhay’hu answered, “AsAdonailives, whatever my God says is what I will say.”

14 When he reached the king, the king asked him, “Mikhay’hu, should we go up and attack Ramot-Gil‘ad, or should we hold off?” He answered, “Go up, you will succeed, they will be handed over to you.”

15 The king said to him, “How many times do I have to warn you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name ofAdonai?”

16 Then he said, “I saw all Isra’el scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd; andAdonaisaid, ‘These men have no leader; let everyone go home in peace.’”

17 The king of Isra’el said to Y’hoshafat, “Didn’t I tell you that he wouldn’t prophesy good things about me, but bad?”

18 Mikhay’hu continued: “Therefore, hear the word ofAdonai. I sawAdonaisitting on his throne with the whole army of heaven standing on his right and on his left.

19 Adonaiasked, ‘Who will entice Ach’av king of Isra’el to go up to his death at Ramot-Gil‘ad?’ One of them said, ‘Do it this way,’ and another, ‘Do it that way.’

20 Then a spirit stepped up, stood in front ofAdonaiand said, ‘I will entice him.’Adonaiasked, ‘How?’

21 He answered, ‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’Adonaisaid, ‘You will succeed in enticing him. Go, and do it.’

22 So nowAdonaihas put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours; meanwhile,Adonaihas ordained disaster for you.”

23 Then Tzidkiyah the son of Kena‘anah came up, slapped Mikhay’hu in the face and said, “And how did the Spirit ofAdonaileave me to speak to you?”

24 Mikhay’hu said, “You’ll find out the day you go into an inside room, trying to hide.”

25 The king of Isra’el said, “Seize Mikhay’hu, and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and Yo’ash the king’s son.

26 Say, ‘The king says to put this man in prison; and feed him only bread and water, and not much of that, until I come back in peace.’”

27 Mikhay’hu said, “If you return in peace at all,Adonaihas not spoken through me!” Then he added, “Did you hear me, you peoples, all of you?”

28 So the king of Isra’el and Y’hoshafat the king of Y’hudah went up to Ramot-Gil‘ad.

29 The king of Isra’el said to Y’hoshafat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you, put on your robes.” So the king of Isra’el disguised himself and went into battle.

30 Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Don’t attack anyone of either high or low rank, only the king of Isra’el.”

31 So when the chariot commanders saw Y’hoshafat they said, “This is the king of Isra’el,” and turned to attack him. But Y’hoshafat called out, andAdonaicame to his aid — God moved them to leave him alone,

32 so that when the chariot commanders saw that he wasn’t the king of Isra’el, they stopped pursuing him.

33 However, one soldier shot an arrow at random and struck the king of Isra’el between his lower armor and the breastplate. The king said to his chariot-driver, “Turn the reins and take me out of the fighting; I’m collapsing from my wounds.”

34 But the fighting grew fiercer that day; and although the king of Isra’el propped himself upright in his chariot facing Aram until evening, around sunset he died.

1 Then Y’hoshafat the king of Y’hudah returned home to Yerushalayim in peace.

2 Yehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Y’hoshafat, “Should you help the wicked and befriend those who hateAdonai? Because of this,Adonai’s anger is upon you.

3 Still, there is some good in you, in that you have removed the sacred poles from the land and have set your heart on seeking God.”

4 So Y’hoshafat lived in Yerushalayim and again circulated among the people from Be’er-Sheva to the hills of Efrayim, bringing them back toAdonai, the God of their ancestors.

5 He appointed judges throughout the land in all the fortified cities of Y’hudah, city by city,

6 and instructed the judges, “Think about what you are doing: you are not dispensing justice by merely human standards but on behalf ofAdonai; he is with you when you deliver a verdict.

7 Therefore, let the fear ofAdonaibe upon you; be careful what you do; forAdonaiour God does not allow dishonesty, partiality or bribe-taking.”

8 In Yerushalayim Y’hoshafat appointed some of theL’vi’im,cohanimand clan heads of Isra’el to judge in matters concerningAdonaiand in civil cases. After they had returned to Yerushalayim,

9 he charged them, “Here is what you are to do faithfully and wholeheartedly, in fear ofAdonai:

10 when an issue comes before you from your brothers who live in their cities, whether it’s a case involving bloodshed or a question as to which teaching,mitzvah, law or ruling applies, you must warn them; so that they won’t incur guilt towardAdonaiand thereby bring anger on both you and your kinsmen. Do this, and you won’t incur guilt.

11 Amaryahu the chiefcohenis over you in all matters concerningAdonai, and Z’vadyahu the son of Yishma‘el, chief of the house of Y’hudah, in all the king’s matters. The officers of theL’vi’imare at your service. Be strong, and act, and mayAdonaibe with the good.”

1 Some time later, the people of Mo’av and the people of ‘Amon with other ‘Amonim came up to fight Y’hoshafat.

2 Y’hoshafat was told, “A huge army from beyond the [Dead] Sea, from Aram, is on its way to fight you; right now they are in Hatzatzon-Tamar” (that is, ‘Ein-Gedi).

3 Y’hoshafat was frightened, so he determined to seekAdonai. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Y’hudah,

4 and Y’hudah assembled to seek help fromAdonai; they came from all the cities of Y’hudah to seekAdonai.

5 Standing in front of the new courtyard in the house ofAdonai, among those assembled from Y’hudah and Yerushalayim,

6 he said: “Adonai, God of our ancestors, you alone are God in heaven. You rule all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and strength, so that no one can withstand you.

7 You, our God, drove out those living in the land ahead of your people Isra’el and gave it forever to the descendants of Avraham your friend.

8 They lived in it, built you a sanctuary in it for your name, and said,

9 ‘If calamity strikes us, such as war, judgment, disease or famine, we will stand before this house — that is, before you, since your name is in this house — and cry to you in our distress; and you will hear us and rescue us.’

10 “So now, see: the people of ‘Amon, Mo’av and Mount Se‘ir, whom you would not let Isra’el invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, so that they turned away from them and did not destroy them,

11 are now repaying us [evil]; they have come to throw us out of your possession, which you gave us as an inheritance.

12 Our God! Won’t you execute judgment against them? For we haven’t strength enough to defeat this huge horde coming against us, and we don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

13 All Y’hudah stood beforeAdonaiwith their little ones, their wives and their children.

14 Then, in the middle of the assembly, the Spirit ofAdonaicame upon Yachzi’el the son of Z’kharyahu, the son of B’nayah, the son of Ye‘i’el, the son of Matanyah theLevi, from the descendants of Asaf.

15 He said, “Listen, all Y’hudah, you who live in Yerushalayim and King Y’hoshafat: here is whatAdonaiis saying to you: ‘Don’t be afraid or distressed by this great horde; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

16 Tomorrow, go down against them. They will be coming up by the ascent of Tzitz, and you will find them at the end of thevadi, before the Yeru’el Desert.

17 You won’t even need to fight this battle! Just take your positions, Y’hudah and Yerushalayim, stand still, and watch howAdonaiwill deliver you! Don’t be afraid or distressed; tomorrow, go out against them; forAdonaiis with you.’”

18 Y’hoshafat bowed his head with his face to the ground; while all Y’hudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim fell down beforeAdonai, worshippingAdonai;

19 and theL’vi’imfrom the descendants of the K’hati and the descendants of the Korchi, stood up and praisedAdonaithe God of Isra’el at the top of their voices.

20 The next morning, they rose early and went out into the T’koa Desert. As they left, Y’hoshafat stood and said, “Listen to me, Y’hudah and you inhabitants of Yerushalayim!

“Trust inAdonaiyour God,

and you will be safe.

Trust in his prophets,

and you will succeed.”

21 After consulting with the people, he appointed those who would sing toAdonaiand praise the splendor of his holiness as they went out ahead of the army, saying, “Give thanks toAdonai, for his grace continues forever.”

22 Then, during the time when they were singing and praising,Adonaibrought a surprise attack against the people of ‘Amon, Mo’av and Mount Se‘ir who had come to fight Y’hudah; and they were defeated.

23 What happened was that the people of ‘Amon and Mo’av began attacking those people who lived by Mount Se‘ir, to kill and destroy them completely; and when they had finished off the people from Se‘ir, they set to work slaughtering one another.

24 So when Y’hudah reached the watchtower overlooking the desert, they looked toward the horde; and there in front of them were corpses fallen to the ground; none had escaped.

25 Y’hoshafat and his army came to take the spoil from them and found among them personal property in abundance and corpses with precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves until they couldn’t carry any more. They took three days just to collect the spoil, there was so much.

26 On the fourth day, they assembled in the Valley of B’rakhah [blessing], where they blessedAdonai; hence that place is called the Valley of B’rakhah to this day.

27 Then they returned, everyone from Y’hudah and Yerushalayim, with Y’hoshafat leading them joyfully back to Yerushalayim; forAdonaihad caused them to rejoice over their enemies.

28 They came to Yerushalayim with lyres, lutes and trumpets and went to the house ofAdonai.

29 A panic from God was on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard thatAdonaihad fought against the enemies of Isra’el.

30 So Y’hoshafat’s rule was a quiet one, because his God gave him rest all around.

31 Y’hoshafat ruled over Y’hudah; he was thirty-five years old when he began his reign, and he ruled twenty-five years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was ‘Azuvah the daughter of Shilchi.

32 He lived in the manner of Asa his father and did not turn away from it, doing what was right fromAdonai’s perspective;

33 although the high places were not taken away, and the people had not yet set their hearts toward the God of their ancestors.

34 Other activities of Y’hoshafat, from beginning to end, are written in the records of Yehu the son of Hanani, which have been inserted in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el.

35 It was after this that Y’hoshafat joined up with Achazyah king of Isra’el, who was acting very wickedly.

36 He joined together with him to build large ships capable of going to Tarshish; they made the ships in ‘Etzyon-Gever.

37 Then Eli‘ezer the son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Y’hoshafat: “Because you joined yourself with Achazyah,Adonaiis wrecking your project.” And the ships were wrecked, so that they couldn’t go to Tarshish.