Jehu’s Rebuke of Jehoshaphat

19 King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned to his home in Jerusalem in peace. ² Then Jehu^(A) son of the seer Hanani went out to confront him^[a] and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Do you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?^(B) Because of this, the Lord’s wrath is on you.^{(C) 3} However, some good is found in you, for you have eradicated the Asherah poles from the land and have determined in your heart to seek God.”^(D)

Jehoshaphat’s Reforms

⁴ Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and once again he went out among the people from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.^{(E) 5} He appointed judges in all the fortified cities of the land of Judah, city by city.^{(F) 6} Then he said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for a man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the matter of judgment.^{(G) 7} And now, may the terror of the Lord be on you. Watch what you do, for there is no injustice or partiality or taking bribes with the Lord our God.”^(H)

⁸ Jehoshaphat also appointed in Jerusalem some of the Levites and priests and some of the Israelite family heads for deciding the Lord’s will and for settling disputes of the residents of^[b] Jerusalem. ⁹ He commanded them, saying, “In the fear of the Lord, with integrity, and wholeheartedly, you are to do the following: ¹⁰ For every dispute that comes to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities—whether it regards differences of bloodguilt, law, commandment, statutes, or judgments^(I)—you are to warn them, so they will not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath will not come on you and your brothers.^(J) Do this, and you will not incur guilt.

¹¹ “Note that Amariah, the chief priest, is over you in all matters related to the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all matters related to the king, and the Levites are officers in your presence. Be strong; may the Lord be with those who do what is good.”^(K)

War against Eastern Enemies

20 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites,^[c](L) came to fight against Jehoshaphat. ² People came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom^[d] has come to fight against you; they are already in Hazazon-tamar”^(M) (that is, En-gedi). ³ Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved^(N) to seek the Lord. Then he proclaimed a fast^(O) for all Judah, ⁴ who gathered to seek the Lord. They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek him.

Jehoshaphat’s Prayer

⁵ Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the Lord’s temple before the new courtyard. ⁶ He said:

Lord, God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven,^(P) and do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations?^(Q) Power and might are in your hand, and no one can stand against you. ⁷ Are you not our God who drove out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel^(R) and who gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham^(S) your friend? ⁸ They have lived in the land and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name and have said, ⁹ “If disaster comes on us—sword or judgment, pestilence or famine^(T)—we will stand before this temple and before you, for your name is in this temple.^(U) We will cry out to you because of our distress, and you will hear and deliver.”

¹⁰ Now here are the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir.^(V) You did not let Israel invade them when Israel came out of the land of Egypt, but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.^{(W) 11} Look how they repay us by coming to drive us out of your possession that you gave us as an inheritance. ¹² Our God, will you not judge them?^(X) For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you.^[e](Y)

God’s Answer

¹³ All Judah was standing before the Lord with their dependents, their wives, and their children. ¹⁴ In the middle of the congregation, the Spirit of the Lord came on^(Z) Jahaziel (son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants), ¹⁵ and he said, “Listen carefully, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number,^(AA) for the battle is not yours, but God’s.^{(AB) 16} Tomorrow, go down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.^(AC) He is with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged.^(AD) Tomorrow, go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.’”^(AE)

¹⁸ Then Jehoshaphat knelt low with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord to worship him.^{(AF) 19} Then the Levites from the sons of the Kohathites and the Korahites^(AG) stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel shouting loudly.

Victory and Plunder

²⁰ In the morning they got up early and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were about to go out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established;^(AH) believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.” ²¹ Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of his holiness.^(AI) When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing:^[f]

²² The moment they began their shouts and praises, the Lord set an ambush^(AK) against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated. ²³ The Ammonites and Moabites turned against the inhabitants of Mount Seir and completely annihilated them.^(AL) When they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped destroy each other.^(AM)

²⁴ When Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the large army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; nobody had escaped. ²⁵ Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to gather the plunder. They found among them^[g] an abundance of goods on the bodies^[h] and valuable items. So they stripped them until nobody could carry any more. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much. ²⁶ They assembled in the Valley of Beracah^[i] on the fourth day, for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore, that place is still called the Valley of Beracah today.

²⁷ Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem turned back with Jehoshaphat their leader, returning joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord enabled them to rejoice over their enemies. ²⁸ So they came into Jerusalem to the Lord’s temple with harps, lyres, and trumpets.

²⁹ The terror of God^(AN) was on all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. ³⁰ Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was quiet, for his God gave him rest on every side.^(AO)

Summary of Jehoshaphat’s Reign

³¹ Jehoshaphat became king over Judah.^(AP) He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. ³² He walked in the ways of Asa his father; he did not turn away from it but did what was right in the Lord’s sight. ³³ However, the high places were not taken away;^(AQ) the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.^(AR)

³⁴ The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign from beginning to end are written in the Events of Jehu^(AS) son of Hanani, which is recorded in the Book of Israel’s Kings.^(AT)

Jehoshaphat’s Fleet of Ships

³⁵ After this,^(AU) Judah’s King Jehoshaphat made an alliance with Israel’s King Ahaziah, who was guilty of wrongdoing. ³⁶ Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with him to make ships to go to Tarshish,^(AV) and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. ³⁷ Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you formed an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord has broken up what you have made.” So the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.

Judas’s Betrayal Predicted

²¹ When^(A) Jesus had said this, he was troubled in his spirit^(B) and testified,^(C) “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

²² The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one he was speaking about. ²³ One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved,^(D) was reclining close beside Jesus.^{[a] 24} Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was he was talking about. ²⁵ So he leaned back against Jesus and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

²⁶ Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.”^(E) When he had dipped the bread,^(F) he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son.^{[b] 27} After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan^(G) entered him. So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”

²⁸ None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. ²⁹ Since Judas^(H) kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,”^(I) or that he should give something to the poor. ³⁰ After receiving the piece of bread, he immediately left. And it was night.^(J)

The New Command

³¹ When^(K) he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man^(L) is glorified, and God is glorified^(M) in him.^{(N) 32} If God is glorified in him,^[c] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³ Little children, I am with you a little while longer.^(O) You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’^(P)

³⁴ “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love^(Q) one another.”

Peter’s Denials Predicted

³⁶ “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going^(R) you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.”

³⁷ “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life^(S) for you.”^(T)

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.