II Chronicles 20, The Valley of Blessing

We continue details from Jehoshaphat's reign.

2 Chronicles 20:1-4, Parties approaching from the east

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi).

Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

Jehoshaphat gets a report of Moabites and Ammonites coming from the east, from the other side of the Dead Sea. En Gedi is an oasis just west of the Dead Sea, south of Jerusalem.  Jehoshaphat this time inquires of YHWH immediately and calls for a fast in Judah.

2 Chronicles 20:5-12, Jehoshaphat calls for salvation

Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard and said: 

"O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, `If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.'

 

"But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."

In the century since Solomon built the temple, a "new courtyard" has been added. It is from there that Jehoshaphat addresses the people.

Jehoshaphat reminds YHWH that it was He that gave the land of Canaan to Israel and made it a sanctaary "for [His] Name", and for the temple that bears His Name. And that He promised to save His people when they cried out to Him. The prayer echoes some of Solomon's prayers at the dedication of the temple, especially 2 Chronicles 6:34-35, involving help from enemy armies.)

The invaders are identified as men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir. all east of the Jordan.

2 Chronicles 20:13-19, Go and watch

All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD. Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: 

"Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: `Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's.

 

Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'"

 

Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice.

All the people, including mothers with young children, stand before YHWH at the temple as Jehoshaphat prays. A prophet Jahaziel announces that Jehoshaphat and his army are to march toward the invaders and then stop and watch.

2 Chronicles 20:20-23, March to Tekoa

 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, 

"Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! 

Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; 

have faith in his prophets and you will be successful."

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: 

"Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."

As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

Solomon has died.

As the people of Judah march east, Jehoshaphat encourages them to trust YHWH.  As they sing and praise God, He sets up "ambushes" where the men of Ammon and Moab fight the invaders who are from Mount Seir.

2 Chronicles 20:24-25, Plunder

When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value--more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.

Jehoshaphat's men arrive to see only dead enemy soldiers, with considerable equipment, clothing and valuables. It takes them three days to collect all this loot.

2 Chronicles 20: 26-30, Praise in Beracah

On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they praised the LORD. This is why it is called the Valley of Beracah to this day. 

Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the LORD with harps and lutes and trumpets.

The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.

The word "Beracah" is essentially the same word as berakah which means "blessing". In Deuteronomy 11:26-28, Moses sets before the Israelites a choice, between a blessing and a curse, a choice between a berakah or a quelalah. Jehoshaphat and his people have chosen the route of berakah and so name the valley for the result of their decision.

And so the victors, who have simply been witnesses of God's destruvtion of their enemies, march back to Jerusalem, singing and rejoicing. The victory is a warning to other nations and so there is peace.

2 Chronicles 20:31-34, He did what was right

So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. He walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their fathers. 

The other events of Jehoshaphat's reign, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.

 

Jehoshaphat is given a B grade -- he did well, obeying YHWH most of the time, but not getting the people to remove their persoanl idols on the local hilltops.  Jehu, mentioned earlier as an important prophet in Jehoshaphat's reign, kept of record of events, which are lost to us.

2 Chronicles 20:35-37, Wrecked ships

Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness. He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships. After these were built at Ezion Geber, Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made." The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.

During Solomon's golden age, Israel traded with people along the Red Sea, using a merchant navy developed in collaboration with King Hiram of Tyre (2 Chronicles 8:17-18.) Jehoshaphat tries to rebuild this commercial fleet but that requires cooperating with the pagan king of the northern kingdom. A prophet, Eliezer, says that YHWH is not behind this endeavor and so the endeavor fails.