Die Königszeit
Jehoshaphat and the Victory of Praise
King Jehoshaphat faces an overwhelming enemy army from Moab, Ammon, and the mountains of Seir, but instead of fighting, he sends praise leaders ahead of his troops, and the Lord defeats the enemies without Judah having to fight.
2. Chronik 20,1-30
1Some time later the Moabites and the Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war on Jehoshaphat.
וַיְהִ֣י אֽ͏ַחֲרֵיכֵ֡ן בָּ֣אוּ בְנֵי־מוֹאָב֩ וּבְנֵ֨י עַמּ֜וֹן וְעִמָּהֶ֧ם ׀ מֵֽהָעַמּוֹנִ֛ים עַל־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
2Messengers came and reported to Jehoshaphat: "A vast army is coming against you from beyond the Sea, from Edom. They are already at Hazazon Tamar"—that is, En Gedi.
וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ וַיַּגִּ֤ידוּ לִֽיהוֹשָׁפָט֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בָּ֣א עָלֶ֜יךָ הָמ֥וֹן רָ֛ב מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם מֵאֲרָ֑ם וְהִנָּם֙ בְּחַֽצְצ֣וֹן תָּמָ֔ר הִ֖יא עֵ֥ין גֶּֽדִי׃
3Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he set himself to seek the LORD; he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
וַיִּרָ֕א וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהוֹשָׁפָ֛ט אֶת־פָּנָ֖יו לִדְר֣וֹשׁ לַיהוָ֑ה וַיִּקְרָא־צ֖וֹם עַל־כָּל־יְהוּדָֽה׃
4So Judah gathered to seek help from the LORD; from every town of Judah they came to seek him.
וַיִּקָּבְצ֣וּ יְהוּדָ֔ה לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ מֵֽיְהוָ֑ה גַּ֚ם מִכָּל־עָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה בָּ֖אוּ לְבַקֵּ֥שׁ אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
5Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, at the house of the LORD, in front of the new courtyard,
וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד יְהוֹשָׁפָ֗ט בִּקְהַ֧ל יְהוּדָ֛ה וִירוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה לִפְנֵ֖י הֶחָצֵ֥ר הַחֲדָשָֽׁה׃
6and said: "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.
וַיֹּאמַ֗ר יְהוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י אֲבֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ הֲלֹ֨א אַתָּֽה־ה֤וּא אֱלֹהִים֙ בַּשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְאַתָּ֣ה מוֹשֵׁ֔ל בְּכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וּבְיָדְךָ֙ כֹּ֣חַ וּגְבוּרָ֔ה וְאֵ֥ין עִמְּךָ֖ לְהִתְיַצֵּֽב׃
7Our 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?
הֲלֹ֣א ׀ אַתָּ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ הוֹרַ֙שְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵי֙ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את מִלִּפְנֵ֖י עַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽתִּתְּנָ֗הּ לְזֶ֛רַע אַבְרָהָ֥ם אֹֽהַבְךָ֖ לְעוֹלָֽם׃
8They have lived in it and have built you a sanctuary in it for your Name, saying,
וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ־בָ֑הּ וַיִּבְנ֨וּ לְךָ֧ ׀ בָּ֛הּ מִקְדָּ֖שׁ לְשִׁמְךָ֥ לֵאמֹֽר׃
9'If disaster comes upon us—the sword of judgment, or plague, or famine—we will stand before this house and before you, for your Name is in this house. We will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear and save.'
אִם־תָּב֨וֹא עָלֵ֜ינוּ רָעָ֗ה חֶרֶב֮ שְׁפוֹט֮ וְדֶ֣בֶר וְרָעָב֒ נַֽעַמְדָ֞ה לִפְנֵ֨י הַבַּ֤יִת הַזֶּה֙ וּלְפָנֶ֔יךָ כִּ֥י שִׁמְךָ֖ בַּבַּ֣יִת הַזֶּ֑ה וְנִזְעַ֥ק אֵלֶ֛יךָ מִצָּרָתֵ֖נוּ וְתִשְׁמַ֥ע וְתוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
10But now here are the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whose land you would not let Israel invade when they came out of Egypt, so they turned aside from them and did not destroy them.
וְעַתָּ֡ה הִנֵּה֩ בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֨וֹן וּמוֹאָ֜ב וְהַר־שֵׂעִ֗יר אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹֽא־נָתַ֤תָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לָב֣וֹא בָהֶ֔ם בְּבֹאָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּ֛י סָ֥רוּ מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א הִשְׁמִידֽוּם׃
11See how they repay us—coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as our inheritance.
וְהִ֨נֵּה־הֵ֔ם גֹּמְלִ֖ים עָלֵ֑ינוּ לָבוֹא֙ לְגָ֣רְשֵׁ֔נוּ מִיְּרֻשָּׁתְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֽוֹרַשְׁתָּֽנוּ׃
12Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast horde attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."
אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ הֲלֹ֣א תִשְׁפָּט־בָּ֔ם כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין בָּ֙נוּ֙ כֹּ֔חַ לִ֠פְנֵי הֶהָמ֥וֹן הָרָ֛ב הַזֶּ֖ה הַבָּ֣א עָלֵ֑ינוּ וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ לֹ֤א נֵדַע֙ מַֽה־נַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה כִּ֥י עָלֶ֖יךָ עֵינֵֽינוּ׃
13All the men of Judah stood there before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
וְכָ֨ל־יְהוּדָ֔ה עֹמְדִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה גַּם־טַפָּ֖ם נְשֵׁיהֶ֥ם וּבְנֵיהֶֽם׃ פ
14Then 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 of the sons of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
וְיַחֲזִיאֵ֡ל בֶּן־זְכַרְיָ֡הוּ בֶּן־בְּ֠נָיָה בֶּן־יְעִיאֵ֧ל בֶּן־מַתַּנְיָ֛ה הַלֵּוִ֖י מִן־בְּנֵ֣י אָסָ֑ף הָיְתָ֤ה עָלָיו֙ ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ הַקָּהָֽל׃
15He said: "Listen, all Judah and you who live in Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says to you: Do not be afraid or dismayed because of this vast horde, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּ כָל־יְהוּדָה֙ וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְהַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָ֑ט כֹּֽה־אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה לָכֶ֗ם אַ֠תֶּם אַל־תִּֽירְא֤וּ וְאַל־תֵּחַ֙תּוּ֙ מִפְּנֵ֨י הֶהָמ֤וֹן הָרָב֙ הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֣י לֹ֥א לָכֶ֛ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה כִּ֥י לֵאלֹהִֽים׃
16Tomorrow march down against them. They will be coming up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley, facing the wilderness of Jeruel.
מָחָר֙ רְד֣וּ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם הִנָּ֥ם עֹלִ֖ים בְּמַעֲלֵ֣ה הַצִּ֑יץ וּמְצָאתֶ֤ם אֹתָם֙ בְּס֣וֹף הַנַּ֔חַל פְּנֵ֖י מִדְבַּ֥ר יְרוּאֵֽל׃
17You will not have to fight this battle. Take your positions, stand firm, and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid, do not be dismayed. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you."
לֹ֥א לָכֶ֖ם לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם בָּזֹ֑את הִתְיַצְּב֣וּ עִמְד֡וּ וּרְא֣וּ אֶת־יְשׁוּעַת֩ יְהוָ֨ה עִמָּכֶ֜ם יְהוּדָ֣ה וִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֗ם אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ וְאַל־תֵּחַ֔תּוּ מָחָר֙ צְא֣וּ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיהוָ֖ה עִמָּכֶֽם׃
18Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the people of Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD.
וַיִּקֹּ֧ד יְהוֹשָׁפָ֛ט אַפַּ֖יִם אָ֑רְצָה וְכָל־יְהוּדָ֞ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם נָֽפְלוּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֖ת לַיהוָֽה׃
19Then the Levites from the Kohathites and the Korahites stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
וַיָּקֻ֧מוּ הַלְוִיִּ֛ם מִן־בְּנֵ֥י הַקְּהָתִ֖ים וּמִן־בְּנֵ֣י הַקָּרְחִ֑ים לְהַלֵּ֗ל לַיהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּק֥וֹל גָּד֖וֹל לְמָֽעְלָה׃
20Early in the morning they set out for the Desert of Tekoa. As they started out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and you who live in Jerusalem! Trust in the LORD your God, and you will stand firm; trust in his prophets, and you will succeed."
וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיֵּצְא֖וּ לְמִדְבַּ֣ר תְּק֑וֹעַ וּבְצֵאתָ֞ם עָמַ֣ד יְהוֹשָׁפָ֗ט וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ שְׁמָע֗וּנִי יְהוּדָה֙ וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם הַאֲמִ֜ינוּ בַּיהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם֙ וְתֵ֣אָמֵ֔נוּ הַאֲמִ֥ינוּ בִנְבִיאָ֖יו וְהַצְלִֽיחוּ׃
21After consulting the people, he appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him in the splendor of holiness as they went out ahead of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his mercy endures forever."
וַיִּוָּעַץ֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם וַיַּעֲמֵ֤ד מְשֹֽׁרֲרִים֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וּֽמְהַֽלְלִ֖ים לְהַדְרַת־קֹ֑דֶשׁ בְּצֵאת֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הֶֽחָל֔וּץ וְאֹֽמְרִים֙ הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י לְעוֹלָ֖ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
22As 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.
וּבְעֵת֩ הֵחֵ֨לּוּ בְרִנָּ֜ה וּתְהִלָּ֗ה נָתַ֣ן יְהוָ֣ה ׀ מְ֠אָֽרְבִים עַל־בְּנֵ֨י עַמּ֜וֹן מוֹאָ֧ב וְהַר־שֵׂעִ֛יר הַבָּאִ֥ים לִֽיהוּדָ֖ה וַיִּנָּגֵֽפוּ׃
23The Ammonites and Moabites turned on the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them; and when they had finished off the men of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
וַ֠יַּֽעַמְדוּ בְּנֵ֨י עַמּ֧וֹן וּמוֹאָ֛ב עַל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הַר־שֵׂעִ֖יר לְהַחֲרִ֣ים וּלְהַשְׁמִ֑יד וּכְכַלּוֹתָם֙ בְּיוֹשְׁבֵ֣י שֵׂעִ֔יר עָזְר֥וּ אִישׁ־בְּרֵעֵ֖הוּ לְמַשְׁחִֽית׃
24When the men of Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness and looked toward the vast army, they saw only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
וִֽיהוּדָ֛ה בָּ֥א עַל־הַמִּצְפֶּ֖ה לַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיִּפְנוּ֙ אֶל־הֶ֣הָמ֔וֹן וְהִנָּ֧ם פְּגָרִ֛ים נֹפְלִ֥ים אַ֖רְצָה וְאֵ֥ין פְּלֵיטָֽה׃
25So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off the plunder, and they found among them a great amount of goods, clothing, and articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took them three days to collect it.
וַיָּבֹ֨א יְהוֹשָׁפָ֣ט וְעַמּוֹ֮ לָבֹ֣ז אֶת־שְׁלָלָם֒ וַיִּמְצְאוּ֩ בָהֶ֨ם לָרֹ֜ב וּרְכ֤וּשׁ וּפְגָרִים֙ וּכְלֵ֣י חֲמֻד֔וֹת וַיְנַצְּל֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם לְאֵ֣ין מַשָּׂ֑א וַיִּֽהְי֞וּ יָמִ֧ים שְׁלוֹשָׁ֛ה בֹּזְזִ֥ים אֶת־הַשָּׁלָ֖ל כִּ֥י רַב־הֽוּא׃
26On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the LORD. That is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.
וּבַיּ֣וֹם הָרְבִעִ֗י נִקְהֲלוּ֙ לְעֵ֣מֶק בְּרָכָ֔ה כִּי־שָׁ֖ם בֵּרֲכ֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֡ן קָֽרְא֞וּ אֶת־שֵׁ֨ם הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֛וּא עֵ֥מֶק בְּרָכָ֖ה עַד־הַיּֽוֹם׃
27Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies.
וַ֠יָּשֻׁבוּ כָּל־אִ֨ישׁ יְהוּדָ֤ה וִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ וִֽיהוֹשָׁפָ֣ט בְּרֹאשָׁ֔ם לָשׁ֥וּב אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה כִּֽי־שִׂמְּחָ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה מֵֽאוֹיְבֵיהֶֽם׃
28They entered Jerusalem and went to the house of the LORD with harps and lyres and trumpets.
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם בִּנְבָלִ֥ים וּבְכִנֹּר֖וֹת וּבַחֲצֹצְר֑וֹת אֶל־בֵּ֖ית יְהוָֽה׃
29The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the surrounding lands when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
וַיְהִי֙ פַּ֣חַד אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַ֖ל כָּל־מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת בְּשָׁמְעָ֕ם כִּ֚י נִלְחַ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה עִ֖ם אוֹיְבֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
30And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
וַתִּשְׁקֹ֖ט מַלְכ֣וּת יְהוֹשָׁפָ֑ט וַיָּ֧נַֽח ל֦וֹ אֱלֹהָ֖יו מִסָּבִֽיב׃ פ