約沙法禱告退敵
1後來摩押人、亞捫人同一些米烏尼人20·1 「米烏尼人」出現在古希臘譯本，但希伯來文是「亞捫人」。一起來攻打約沙法。 2有人稟告約沙法說：「有一支大軍從死海對岸的以東20·2 「以東」希伯來文是「亞蘭」。殺來，已經攻到哈洗遜·他瑪。」哈洗遜·他瑪就是隱·基底。 3約沙法很害怕，決定尋求耶和華，在整個猶大宣告禁食。 4猶大人聚集起來尋求耶和華。他們從猶大各城前來尋求耶和華。
5約沙法站在耶和華殿的新院裡，在猶大和耶路撒冷的民眾面前， 6說：「我們祖先的上帝耶和華啊，你不是住在天上的上帝嗎？你主宰萬邦萬國，你手中有權柄和能力，無人能抵擋你。 7我們的上帝啊，你不是曾經在你的以色列子民面前驅逐這地方的居民，把這片土地賜給你的朋友亞伯拉罕的後裔永遠作產業嗎？ 8你的子民在這裡居住，為你的名建造殿宇，說， 9『如果我們遭遇禍患，無論是戰禍、瘟疫或饑荒，當我們在急難中站在這殿前向你呼求時，你必定垂聽，施行拯救，因為你的名在這殿裡。』
10「從前以色列人離開埃及的時候，你不准他們侵犯亞捫人、摩押人和來自西珥山的人，他們就繞道而行，沒有毀滅這些人。 11但現在這些人要報復我們，把我們從你賜給我們作產業的地方趕走。 12我們的上帝啊，難道你不懲罰他們嗎？面對前來攻擊的大軍，我們無力抵擋，不知道該怎麼辦，我們只有仰望你。」
13猶大人與他們的妻子、兒女和嬰孩都站在耶和華面前。 14這時，耶和華的靈降在雅哈悉身上。雅哈悉是利未人亞薩的後裔、瑪探雅的玄孫、耶利的曾孫、比拿雅的孫子、撒迦利雅的兒子。 15他說：「全體猶大人、耶路撒冷的居民和約沙法王啊，你們要留心聽！耶和華對你們如此說，『你們不要因敵軍強大而恐懼驚慌，因為戰爭的勝敗不在乎你們，而在乎上帝。 16明天你們下去迎敵，敵軍會從洗斯坡上來，你們一定會在耶魯伊勒曠野前面的谷口遇見他們。 17你們不用與他們交戰，只要守住陣勢，站立不動，看耶和華為你們施行拯救。猶大人和耶路撒冷人啊，不要恐懼，不要驚慌，明天只管出去迎敵，耶和華必與你們同在！』」
18於是，約沙法面伏於地，所有猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民也都俯伏在耶和華面前敬拜祂。 19哥轄族和可拉族的利未人都站起來，高聲讚美以色列的上帝耶和華。 20第二天清晨，眾人起來去提哥亞的曠野。他們出發的時候，約沙法站著說：「猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民啊，請聽我說！要信靠你們的上帝耶和華，你們就必堅立；要相信祂的先知，你們就必得勝。」 21約沙法與眾人商議後，就派歌樂手穿上聖潔的禮服走在軍隊前面，讚美耶和華，說：「你們要稱謝耶和華，因祂的慈愛永遠長存！」
22他們開始唱歌讚美的時候，耶和華就派伏兵擊殺前來攻打猶大的亞捫人、摩押人和來自西珥山的人，打敗了他們。 23原來亞捫人和摩押人攻擊來自西珥山的人，消滅了他們，然後亞捫人和摩押人又自相殘殺。
24猶大人來到曠野的瞭望塔俯瞰那支大軍，發現敵軍屍橫遍野，無一倖免。 25約沙法和他的百姓前去拾財物，發現屍體中有許多財物、衣服和貴重物品，多得拿不完。他們拾了三天才拾完。 26第四天，他們聚集到一個山谷，一起稱頌耶和華。那裡從此名叫比拉迦20·26 「比拉迦」就是稱讚的意思。 谷，直到今天。
27猶大人和耶路撒冷人在約沙法的帶領下，歡歡喜喜地返回耶路撒冷，因為耶和華使他們戰勝了仇敵。 28他們一路彈琴、鼓瑟、吹號回到耶路撒冷，進入耶和華的殿。 29列邦列國聽聞耶和華打敗了以色列的敵人，都很懼怕。 30因此，約沙法執政期間國家太平，因為他的上帝賜他四境平安。
約沙法逝世
31約沙法三十五歲登基做猶大王，在耶路撒冷執政二十五年。他母親叫阿蘇巴，是示利希的女兒。 32約沙法效法他父親亞撒，做耶和華視為正的事，不偏不離。 33然而，他沒有拆除邱壇，民眾還沒有全心歸向他們祖先的上帝。
34約沙法其他的事蹟自始至終都記在哈拿尼的兒子耶戶的史記上。耶戶的史記收錄在以色列的列王史上。
35後來，猶大王約沙法與作惡多端的以色列王亞哈謝修好。 36他們在以旬·迦別造船，要去他施。 37瑪利沙人多大瓦的兒子以利以謝向約沙法預言說：「因為你與亞哈謝修好，耶和華必破壞你所造的船隻。」那些船隻果然壞了，無法前往他施。
Jehoshaphat Wins the Battle Over Moab and Ammon
1After that, the Moabites, Ammonites and some Meunites went to war against Jehoshaphat.
2Some people came and told him, “A huge army is coming from Edom to fight against you. They have come across the Dead Sea. They are already in Hazezon Tamar.” Hazezon Tamar is also called En Gedi. 3Jehoshaphat was alarmed. So he decided to ask the Lord for advice. He told all the people of Judah to go without eating. 4The people came together to ask the Lord for help. In fact, they came from every town in Judah to pray to him.
5Then Jehoshaphat stood up among the people of Judah and Jerusalem. He was in front of the new courtyard at the Lord’s temple. 6He said,
“Lord, you are the God of our people who lived long ago. You are the God who is in heaven. You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. You are strong and powerful. No one can fight against you and win. 7Our God, you drove out the people who lived in this land. You drove them out to make room for your people Israel. You gave this land forever to those who belong to the family line of your friend Abraham. 8They have lived in this land. They’ve built a temple here for your Name. They have said, 9‘Suppose trouble comes on us. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a punishing sword, or plague or hunger. We’ll serve you. We’ll stand in front of this temple where your Name is. We’ll cry out to you when we’re in trouble. Then you will hear us. You will save us.’
10“But here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir. You wouldn’t allow Israel to march in and attack their territory when the Israelites came from Egypt. So Israel turned away from them. They didn’t destroy them. 11See how they are paying us back. They are coming to drive us out. They want to take over the land you gave us as our share. 12Our God, won’t you please judge them? We don’t have the power to face this huge army that’s attacking us. We don’t know what to do. But we’re looking to you to help us.”
13All the men of Judah stood there in front of the Lord. Their wives, children and little ones were with them.
14Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel. He was standing among the people of Israel. He was the son of Zechariah. Zechariah was the son of Benaiah. Benaiah was the son of Jeiel. Jeiel was the son of Mattaniah. Jahaziel was a Levite. He was from the family line of Asaph.
15Jahaziel said, “King Jehoshaphat, listen! All you who live in Judah and Jerusalem, listen! The Lord says to you, ‘Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope because of this huge army. The battle is not yours. It is God’s. 16Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley in the Desert of Jeruel. 17You will not have to fight this battle. Take your positions. Stand firm. You will see how the Lord will save you. Judah and Jerusalem, do not be afraid. Do not lose hope. Go out and face them tomorrow. The Lord will be with you.’ ”
18Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem also bowed down. They worshiped the Lord. 19Then some Levites from the families of Kohath and Korah stood up. They praised the Lord, the God of Israel. They praised him with very loud voices.
20Early in the morning all the people left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they started out, Jehoshaphat stood up. He said, “Judah, listen to me! People of Jerusalem, listen to me! Have faith in the Lord your God. He’ll take good care of you. Have faith in his prophets. Then you will have success.” 21Jehoshaphat asked the people for advice. Then he appointed men to sing to the Lord. He wanted them to praise the Lord because of his glory and holiness. They marched out in front of the army. They said,
“Give thanks to the Lord.
His faithful love continues forever.”
22They began to sing and praise him. Then the Lord hid some men and told them to wait. He wanted them to attack the people of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir. They had gone into Judah and attacked it. But they lost the battle. 23The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir. They destroyed them. They put an end to them. When they finished killing the men from Seir, they destroyed one another.
24The men of Judah came to the place that looks out over the desert. They turned to look down at the huge army. But all they saw was dead bodies lying there on the ground. No one had escaped. 25So Jehoshaphat and his men went down there to carry off anything of value. Among the dead bodies they found a large amount of supplies, clothes and other things of value. There was more than they could take away. There was so much it took three days to collect all of it. 26On the fourth day they gathered together in the Valley of Berakah. There they praised the Lord. That’s why it’s called the Valley of Berakah to this day.
27Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned to Jerusalem. They were filled with joy. Jehoshaphat led them. The Lord had made them happy because all their enemies were dead. 28They entered Jerusalem and went to the Lord’s temple. They were playing harps, lyres and trumpets.
29All the surrounding kingdoms began to have respect for God. They had heard how the Lord had fought against Israel’s enemies. 30The kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace. His God had given him peace and rest on every side.
Jehoshaphat’s Rule Comes to an End
31So Jehoshaphat ruled over Judah. He was 35 years old when he became Judah’s king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother’s name was Azubah. She was the daughter of Shilhi. 32Jehoshaphat followed the ways of his father Asa. He didn’t wander away from them. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. 33But the high places weren’t removed. The people still hadn’t worshiped the God of Israel with all their hearts.
34The other events of Jehoshaphat’s rule from beginning to end are written down. They are written in the official records of Jehu, the son of Hanani. They are written in the records of the kings of Israel.
35Jehoshaphat king of Judah and Ahaziah king of Israel agreed to be friends. Ahaziah did what was evil. 36Jehoshaphat agreed with him to build a lot of ships. They were built at Ezion Geber. They carried goods that were traded for other goods. 37Eliezer was the son of Dodavahu from Mareshah. Eliezer prophesied against Jehoshaphat. He said, “You have joined forces with Ahaziah. So the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked. They were never able to sail or trade goods.
