The Daily Audio Bible
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19 And Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, returned safely to his house in Jerusalem.
2 And Jehu, the son of Hanani the Seer, went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Would you help the wicked, and love those who hate the LORD? Therefore, for this thing the wrath of the LORD is upon you.
3 “Nevertheless, good things are found in you, because you have taken away the groves out of the land and have prepared your heart to seek God.”
4 So, Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem and returned and went through the people, from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim, and brought them back to the LORD God of their fathers.
5 And he set judges in the land throughout all the strong cities of Judah, city by city,
6 and said to the judges, “Consider carefully what you do. For you do not execute the judgments of man, but of the LORD, and he will be with you in the cause and judgment.
7 “Therefore now, let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Consider and do it. For there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor receiving of reward.”
8 Moreover, Jehoshaphat set some of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chiefs of the families of Israel for the judgment and cause of the LORD in Jerusalem. And they returned to Jerusalem.
9 And he charged them, saying, “Thus shall you do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a perfect heart.
10 “And in every case that shall come to you from your brethren who dwell in your cities — between blood and blood, between Law and Precept, Statutes and Judgments — admonish them, so that they do not trespass against the LORD and wrath does not come upon you and upon your brethren. This shall you do and not trespass.
11 “And behold, Amariah the Priest, shall be the chief over you in all matters of the LORD. And Zebadiah, the son of Ishmael, a ruler of the House of Judah, shall be for all the king’s affairs. And the Levites shall be officers before you. Be courageous and do it! And the LORD shall be with the good.”
20 Also after this the children of Moab came, and the children of Ammon and some others besides the Ammonites, to do battle against Jehoshaphat.
2 Then some came who told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude comes against you from beyond the sea, out of Aram. And behold, they are in Hazazon Tamar.” (which is En Gedi)
3 And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the LORD and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
4 And Judah gathered themselves together to ask counsel of the LORD. They even came out of all the cities of Judah to inquire of the LORD.
5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the Congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the House of the LORD, in front of the new court,
6 and said, “O LORD God of our fathers! Are You not God in Heaven? And do You not reign over all the kingdoms of the heathen? And in Your Hand is power and might! And no one is able to withstand You.
7 “Did not You, our God, cast out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the seed of Abraham, Your friend, forever?
8 “And they dwelt in it, and have built You a Sanctuary in it for Your Name, saying,
9 ‘if misery comes upon us as the sword of judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this House, and in Your presence (for Your Name is in this House), and will cry to You in our tribulation. And You will hear and help.’
10 “And now behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, by whom You would not let Israel go when they came out of the land of Egypt, they have turned aside from them and have not destroyed them.
11 “Behold, I say, they reward us by coming to cast us out of Your inheritance which You have caused us to inherit.
12 “O, our God! Will You not judge them? For there is no strength in us before this great multitude that comes against us, nor do we know what to do! But our eyes are toward You.”
13 And all Judah stood before the LORD with their young ones, their wives, and their children.
14 And Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, upon whom came the Spirit of the LORD, was in the midst of the Congregation.
15 And he said, “Listen all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Neither fear nor be afraid of this great multitude! For the battle is not yours, but God’s!
16 “Go down against them tomorrow. Behold, they come up by the cleft of Ziz. And you shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 “You shall not need to fight in this. Stand still. Do not move. And behold the salvation of the LORD towards you. O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be afraid! Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you!”
18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the earth. And all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.
19 And the Levites of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.
20 And when they arose early in the morning, they went forth to the wilderness of Tekoa. And as they departed, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Put your trust in the LORD your God, and you shall be established! Believe His Prophets and you shall prosper!”
21 And after he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to the LORD, and those who would praise in the beautiful Sanctuary by going forth before the men of arms, and saying, “Praise the LORD! For His mercy endures forever!”
22 And when they began to shout and to praise, the LORD laid ambushes against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah. And they were stricken.
23 For the children of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, to kill and to destroy. And when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy each other.
24 And when Judah came toward Mizpah in the wilderness, they looked to the multitude. And behold, the carcasses had fallen to the earth. And no one escaped.
25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found abundance among them, in both goods and also bodies with precious jewels, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. It took them three days to gather the spoil; for it was large.
26 And on the fourth day, they assembled themselves in the Valley of Berachah; for they blessed the LORD there. Therefore, they call the name of that place “The Valley of Berachah” to this day.
27 Then, every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with Jehoshaphat, their leader, to go back to Jerusalem with joy. For the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies.
28 And they came to Jerusalem, to the House of the LORD, with viols and with harps and with trumpets.
29 And the fear of God was upon all the kingdoms of the Earth after they had heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 So, the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet. And his God gave him rest on every side.
31 And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah and was thirty-five years old when he began to reign and reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
32 And he walked in the way of Asa, his father, and did not depart from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD.
33 However, the high places were not taken away. For the people had not yet prepared their hearts to the God of their fathers.
34 Concerning the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the Book of Jehu, the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
35 Still, after this, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, joined himself with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who was given to do evil.
36 And he joined with him to make ships to go to Tarshish. And they made the ships in Ezion Geber.
37 Then Eliezer, the son of Dodavah of Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has broken your works.” And the ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
14 But how shall they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of peace; and bring glad tidings of good things!”
16 But they have not all obeyed the Gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
17 Then faith is by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
18 But I say, have they not heard? No doubt. Their sound went out through all the Earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
19 But I say, did not Israel know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to envy by a nation that is not my nation. And by a foolish nation I will anger you.”
20 And Isaiah is bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me, and have been made manifest to those who did not ask for me.”
21 And to Israel he says, “All day long I have stretched forth My hands to a disobedient and contradicting people.”
11 I say then, has not God thrust away His people? Absolutely not! For I am also an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not thrust away His people, whom He knew before. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah; how he intercedes with God against Israel, saying,
3 “Lord, they have killed your Prophets, and dug down Your altars. And I am left alone. And they seek my life”?
4 But what does God say in response to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal”.
5 Even so then, at this present time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 And if it is of grace, it is no more of works. Or else grace would no longer be grace. And if it is of works, it is no longer grace. Or else work would no longer be work.
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it sought. But the Elect have obtained it. And the rest have been hardened.
8 Just as it is written, “God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear until this day”.
9 And David says, “Let their table be made a snare, and a net, and a stumbling block, and a recompense to them.
10 “Let their eyes be darkened that they do not see and bow down their back continually.”
11 I say then, have they stumbled so that they should fall? Absolutely not! But through their fall, salvation comes to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Yet, if their fall is the riches of the world - and their diminishing the riches of the Gentiles - how much more shall their fulfillment be?
21 The king shall rejoice in Your strength, O LORD. Indeed, how greatly shall he rejoice in Your salvation!
2 You have given him his heart’s desire and have not denied the request of his lips. Selah.
3 For You meet him with liberal blessings and set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
4 He asked life of You, and You gave him a long life forever and ever.
5 His glory is great in Your salvation. Dignity and honor You have laid upon him.
6 For You have set him as most blessed forever. You have made him glad with the joy of Your countenance.
7 Because the king trusts in the LORD, and in the mercy of the Most High, he shall not slide.
8 Your hand shall find out all Your enemies. And Your right hand shall find out those who hate You.
9 You shall make them like a fiery oven in time of Your anger. The LORD shall destroy them in His wrath. And the fire shall devour them.
10 You shall destroy their fruit from the Earth, and their seed from the children of men.
11 For they intended evil against You and imagined mischief. But they shall not prevail.
12 Therefore, You shall make them turn their back. And You shall make ready the strings of Your bow against their faces.
13 Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength. So, will we sing and praise Your power. To him who excels upon Aijeleth Hashahar: A Psalm of David.
4 The slothful will not plow, because of winter. Therefore, he shall beg in summer but have nothing.
5 The counsel in the heart of man is like deep waters. But a man who has understanding will draw it out.
6 Many men will boast to every one of his own goodness. But who can find a faithful man?
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