2 Chronicles 20 Study Notes: Jehoshaphat Trusts God Against a Vast Army
When Moab, Ammon and Mount Seir invade, Jehoshaphat calls Judah to fast and pray. Through the Levite Jahaziel God promises to fight for them; singers lead the march, the enemies destroy each other, and Judah praises God. Later Eliezer says God wrecked the king’s ships over his alliance with Ahaziah of Israel.
General
True or False: While Jehoshaphat prayed, Judah’s men stood before the LORD, and their wives and even their youngest children stood there too (2 Chronicles 20:13).
Answer: True
This is true. The whole nation waited on God together: every man in Judah stood before the LORD while the king prayed, and the women and children, even the smallest, stood there too (20:13). The danger threatened every household, and every household came to depend on God. The prophet Joel later called for the same kind of gathering, with even nursing infants brought in (Joel 2:16), and when Israel entered the covenant under Moses, the children and wives stood before the LORD along with the men (Deuteronomy 29:10-12).
- 2 Chronicles 20:13 (BSB)“Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.”Whole families of Judah stand before the LORD as the king prays.
- Joel 2:16 (BSB)“Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the aged, gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.”Joel calls for an assembly that includes children and even nursing infants.
- Deuteronomy 29:10-12 (BSB)“All of you are standing today before the LORD your God—you leaders of tribes, elders, officials, and all the men of Israel, your children and wives, and the foreigners in your camps who cut your wood and draw your water— so that you may enter into the covenant of the LORD your God, which He is making with you today, and into His oath,”Children and wives stood before the LORD with the men when Israel entered the covenant.
Theological
True or False: The assembly that stood before the LORD during Jehoshaphat’s prayer was made up of whole households, down to the smallest children (2 Chronicles 20:13).
Answer: True
This is true. Husbands, wives and children of every age stood before the LORD during the prayer (20:13). The assembly is the covenant community in its entirety, waiting on God as one body. Joel’s call to a solemn assembly likewise includes the children and those nursing (Joel 2:16), and the covenant renewal in the land of Moab gathered children and wives alongside the men to stand before the LORD (Deuteronomy 29:10-12).
- 2 Chronicles 20:13 (BSB)“Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.”Whole families of Judah stand before the LORD as the king prays.
- Joel 2:16 (BSB)“Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the aged, gather the children, even those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.”Joel calls for an assembly that includes children and even nursing infants.
- Deuteronomy 29:10-12 (BSB)“All of you are standing today before the LORD your God—you leaders of tribes, elders, officials, and all the men of Israel, your children and wives, and the foreigners in your camps who cut your wood and draw your water— so that you may enter into the covenant of the LORD your God, which He is making with you today, and into His oath,”Children and wives stood before the LORD with the men when Israel entered the covenant.
General
According to the prophet Eliezer, why did the LORD wreck Jehoshaphat’s ships (2 Chronicles 20:35-37)?
Answer: Because he had joined in partnership with Israel’s wicked king
Later Jehoshaphat joined forces with Israel’s wicked king Ahaziah, and together they built a fleet at Ezion-geber bound for Tarshish (20:35-36). Eliezer son of Dodavahu, a prophet (someone sent by God to speak His message), told Jehoshaphat that his alliance with Ahaziah was the reason the LORD had brought his venture to ruin, and the fleet was broken up and never sailed (20:37). It was a repeat of an earlier mistake: Jehoshaphat had tied himself to Ahab by marriage (18:1), and the prophet Jehu son of Hanani had rebuked him for helping the wicked (19:2). His father Asa had also been rebuked for leaning on a foreign king instead of the LORD (16:7).
- 2 Chronicles 20:35-36 (BSB)“Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. They agreed to make ships to go to Tarshish, and these were built in Ezion-geber.”Jehoshaphat allies with Ahaziah of Israel to build ships.
- 2 Chronicles 20:37 (BSB)“Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” So the ships were wrecked and were unable to sail to Tarshish.”Eliezer prophesies that the LORD has destroyed the venture, and the ships are wrecked.
- 2 Chronicles 18:1 (BSB)“Now Jehoshaphat had an abundance of riches and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.”Jehoshaphat had earlier allied himself with Ahab by marriage.
- 2 Chronicles 19:2 (BSB)“Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you.”Jehu son of Hanani rebuked Jehoshaphat for helping the wicked.
- 2 Chronicles 16:7 (BSB)“At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and told him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.”Asa was rebuked for relying on a foreign king rather than the LORD.
Theological
What reason does Eliezer’s prophecy give for the destruction of Jehoshaphat’s fleet (2 Chronicles 20:35-37)?
Answer: Because he had joined in partnership with Israel’s wicked king
The chapter closes with a sober postscript. Jehoshaphat joined Israel’s wicked king Ahaziah in a shipbuilding venture for Tarshish (20:35-36), and Eliezer son of Dodavahu announced that because of this alliance the LORD had ruined the venture; the fleet was broken up before it could sail (20:37). It repeats the failing already rebuked by Jehu son of Hanani after Jehoshaphat, tied to Ahab through marriage, had helped him (18:1; 19:2), and stands in line with Hanani’s rebuke of Asa for relying on a foreign king rather than the LORD (16:7). The king who had looked to God alone in battle compromised in peacetime.
- 2 Chronicles 20:35-36 (BSB)“Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. They agreed to make ships to go to Tarshish, and these were built in Ezion-geber.”Jehoshaphat allies with Ahaziah of Israel to build ships.
- 2 Chronicles 20:37 (BSB)“Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” So the ships were wrecked and were unable to sail to Tarshish.”Eliezer prophesies that the LORD has destroyed the venture, and the ships are wrecked.
- 2 Chronicles 18:1 (BSB)“Now Jehoshaphat had an abundance of riches and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.”Jehoshaphat had earlier allied himself with Ahab by marriage.
- 2 Chronicles 19:2 (BSB)“Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you.”Jehu son of Hanani rebuked Jehoshaphat for helping the wicked.
- 2 Chronicles 16:7 (BSB)“At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and told him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.”Asa was rebuked for relying on a foreign king rather than the LORD.
General
As the army set out, what did Jehoshaphat urge the people to do (2 Chronicles 20:20)?
Answer: Trust the LORD and His prophets, and they would stand and prosper
Even before marching, Jehoshaphat and the whole nation bowed down and worshiped, and the Levites praised God loudly (20:18-19); they treated God’s promise as certain. The next morning, as they headed toward the Tekoa wilderness, Jehoshaphat told the people to trust the LORD their God, and they would stand secure; to trust His prophets, and they would prosper (20:20). A prophet is someone God sends to speak His message; here that message had just come through Jahaziel. Faith means taking God at His word. Isaiah warned King Ahaz that without firm faith he would not stand (Isaiah 7:9), Abraham was fully convinced God would do what He promised (Romans 4:20-21), and without faith no one can please God (Hebrews 11:6).
- 2 Chronicles 20:18-19 (BSB)“Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him. And the Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, shouting in a very loud voice.”The king and people worship and the Levites praise before the battle.
- 2 Chronicles 20:20 (BSB)“Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.””Jehoshaphat calls Judah to trust the LORD and His prophets.
- Isaiah 7:9 (BSB)“The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.’””Isaiah’s word to King Ahaz: without firm faith there is no standing at all.
- Romans 4:20-21 (BSB)“Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.”Abraham was fully persuaded that God would do what He promised.
- Hebrews 11:6 (BSB)“And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”Faith is necessary for anyone who comes to God.
Theological
What exhortation did Jehoshaphat give the people as the army set out at dawn (2 Chronicles 20:20)?
Answer: Trust the LORD and His prophets, and they would stand and prosper
The people respond to the oracle with worship before any victory is seen (20:18-19), and as the army sets out toward the Tekoa wilderness, Jehoshaphat calls them to faith: believe the LORD and be upheld; believe His prophets and succeed (20:20). Faith here has a specific object—God Himself and His word delivered through Jahaziel—and the stability promised rests on God’s faithfulness, not on the strength of the believer. Isaiah 7:9 states the same principle negatively to Ahaz, Abraham models the faith that is fully persuaded of God’s promise (Romans 4:20-21), and Hebrews 11:6 makes such faith indispensable for drawing near to God.
- 2 Chronicles 20:18-19 (BSB)“Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him. And the Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, shouting in a very loud voice.”The king and people worship and the Levites praise before the battle.
- 2 Chronicles 20:20 (BSB)“Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.””Jehoshaphat calls Judah to trust the LORD and His prophets.
- Isaiah 7:9 (BSB)“The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.’””Isaiah’s word to King Ahaz: without firm faith there is no standing at all.
- Romans 4:20-21 (BSB)“Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.”Abraham was fully persuaded that God would do what He promised.
- Hebrews 11:6 (BSB)“And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”Faith is necessary for anyone who comes to God.
General
True or False: When the surrounding kingdoms heard how God had defeated Israel’s enemies, they were struck with dread of God, and Jehoshaphat’s realm was at peace (2 Chronicles 20:29-30).
Answer: True
This is true. When the kingdoms around learned that the LORD Himself had fought against Israel’s enemies, dread of God gripped them (20:29). Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was quiet, because his God gave him peace on all his borders (20:30). The peace was God’s gift, not the result of Judah’s military strength. God had promised Israel that He would put the fear of His people on the lands around them (Deuteronomy 11:25), the nations trembled in the same way after the Exodus (Exodus 15:14-16), and Asa’s Judah had also received peace all around when it sought the LORD (15:15).
- 2 Chronicles 20:29-30 (BSB)“And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.”Fear of God falls on the nations and Jehoshaphat is given rest.
- Deuteronomy 11:25 (BSB)“No man will be able to stand against you; the LORD your God will put the fear and dread of you upon all the land, wherever you set foot, as He has promised you.”God promised to put fear and dread of Israel on the lands around them.
- Exodus 15:14-16 (BSB)“The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the dwellers of Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; those who dwell in Canaan will melt away, and terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of Your arm they will be as still as a stone until Your people pass by, O LORD, until the people You have bought pass by.”The nations trembled when they heard what the LORD did at the Red Sea.
- 2 Chronicles 15:15 (BSB)“And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their heart. They had sought Him earnestly, and He was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.”When Judah sought the LORD in Asa’s day, He gave them rest on every side.
Theological
True or False: The report of the LORD’s victory brought dread of God upon the neighboring kingdoms and peace to Jehoshaphat’s realm (2 Chronicles 20:29-30).
Answer: True
This is true. The nations heard of the LORD’s victory over Israel’s enemies, and dread of God fell on them (20:29); Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was quiet because God gave him rest all around (20:30). Rest is presented as the LORD’s gift, in line with His promise to put the dread of Israel on the nations (Deuteronomy 11:25) and the trembling of the nations after the Exodus (Exodus 15:14-16). It also matches Chronicles’ pattern that seeking the LORD is followed by rest from Him (15:15).
- 2 Chronicles 20:29-30 (BSB)“And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.”Fear of God falls on the nations and Jehoshaphat is given rest.
- Deuteronomy 11:25 (BSB)“No man will be able to stand against you; the LORD your God will put the fear and dread of you upon all the land, wherever you set foot, as He has promised you.”God promised to put fear and dread of Israel on the lands around them.
- Exodus 15:14-16 (BSB)“The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the dwellers of Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; those who dwell in Canaan will melt away, and terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of Your arm they will be as still as a stone until Your people pass by, O LORD, until the people You have bought pass by.”The nations trembled when they heard what the LORD did at the Red Sea.
- 2 Chronicles 15:15 (BSB)“And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their heart. They had sought Him earnestly, and He was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.”When Judah sought the LORD in Asa’s day, He gave them rest on every side.
General
How does Jehoshaphat begin his prayer before the assembly (2 Chronicles 20:6)?
Answer: By confessing that God in heaven rules every nation and none can resist Him
Before he asks for anything, Jehoshaphat speaks about who God is. He is the God in heaven who rules every nation on earth; all strength and power are His, and nobody can resist Him (20:6). That includes Moab, Ammon and the people of Mount Seir now marching on Judah. Other passages say the same: the LORD’s reign extends over everything (Psalm 103:19), no one can hold back His hand (Daniel 4:35), and all that exists belongs to Him (1 Chronicles 29:11-12). Prayer that starts with God’s greatness has solid ground to stand on.
- 2 Chronicles 20:6 (BSB)“and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.”Jehoshaphat opens his prayer by confessing God’s rule over every kingdom.
- Psalm 103:19 (BSB)“The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.”The LORD’s throne is in heaven and His kingdom rules over all.
- Daniel 4:35 (BSB)“All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’””No one can restrain God’s hand among the peoples of the earth.
- 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 (BSB)“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler over all. In Your hands are power and might to exalt and give strength to all.”David likewise confessed that power, might and rule over all belong to God.
Theological
How does Jehoshaphat first ground his petition in 2 Chronicles 20:6?
Answer: By confessing that God in heaven rules every nation and none can resist Him
Jehoshaphat grounds his petition in God’s sovereignty before he names the threat: the God of the fathers is in heaven, governs every nation, holds all strength, and cannot be withstood (20:6). The invading armies are therefore not outside His rule but under it. Scripture consistently confesses this universal kingship (Psalm 103:19), its irresistibility (Daniel 4:35), and God’s ownership of all things (1 Chronicles 29:11-12, David’s own prayer). Confident petition rests on the character and reign of God, not on the strength of the one praying.
- 2 Chronicles 20:6 (BSB)“and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.”Jehoshaphat opens his prayer by confessing God’s rule over every kingdom.
- Psalm 103:19 (BSB)“The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.”The LORD’s throne is in heaven and His kingdom rules over all.
- Daniel 4:35 (BSB)“All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’””No one can restrain God’s hand among the peoples of the earth.
- 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 (BSB)“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler over all. In Your hands are power and might to exalt and give strength to all.”David likewise confessed that power, might and rule over all belong to God.
General
When Jehoshaphat was told that a huge army was on its way against him, what did he do first (2 Chronicles 20:3-4)?
Answer: Though alarmed, he resolved to seek God’s help and called all Judah to fast
Moabites, Ammonites and some Meunites joined forces against Jehoshaphat, and he was told that a huge army from Edom, beyond the Sea, had already reached Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi (20:1-2). Jehoshaphat was frightened, but his fear drove him toward God rather than away from Him. He resolved to turn to the LORD and called the whole nation to fast, and people came from every town in Judah to pray together (20:3-4). Fasting means going without food for a time to show humble, urgent dependence on God. This is the pattern Chronicles keeps holding up: the LORD is found by those who seek Him (15:2). God invites His people to call on Him when trouble comes (Psalm 50:15), and the New Testament likewise turns anxiety into prayer (Philippians 4:6).
- 2 Chronicles 20:1-2 (BSB)“After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. Then some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the Sea; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).”Moab, Ammon and Meunites invade and are already at En-gedi.
- 2 Chronicles 20:3-4 (BSB)“Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah. So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.”Alarmed by the report, Jehoshaphat seeks the LORD and Judah gathers to fast and pray.
- 2 Chronicles 15:2 (BSB)“So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.”Azariah’s word to Asa states the book’s principle that those who seek the LORD find Him.
- Psalm 50:15 (BSB)“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.””God Himself invites His people to call on Him when trouble comes.
- Philippians 4:6 (BSB)“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”The New Testament directs believers to bring their fears to God in prayer.
Theological
What was Jehoshaphat’s first response to the report of the invading coalition (2 Chronicles 20:3-4)?
Answer: Though alarmed, he resolved to seek God’s help and called all Judah to fast
Moab, Ammon and some Meunites march against Judah and are reported already at Hazazon-tamar, also called En-gedi (20:1-2). Jehoshaphat’s alarm becomes the occasion for seeking the LORD: he resolves to inquire of Him and proclaims a national fast, and Judah gathers from all its cities to seek Him (20:3-4). The scene embodies Chronicles’ central theme that the LORD is found by those who seek Him and forsakes those who forsake Him (15:2). The fast expresses humble dependence on God. God summons His people to call on Him in trouble with the promise of deliverance (Psalm 50:15), and the apostolic counterpart is prayer in place of anxiety (Philippians 4:6).
- 2 Chronicles 20:1-2 (BSB)“After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. Then some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the Sea; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).”Moab, Ammon and Meunites invade and are already at En-gedi.
- 2 Chronicles 20:3-4 (BSB)“Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah. So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.”Alarmed by the report, Jehoshaphat seeks the LORD and Judah gathers to fast and pray.
- 2 Chronicles 15:2 (BSB)“So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.”Azariah’s word to Asa states the book’s principle that those who seek the LORD find Him.
- Psalm 50:15 (BSB)“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.””God Himself invites His people to call on Him when trouble comes.
- Philippians 4:6 (BSB)“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”The New Testament directs believers to bring their fears to God in prayer.
General
In 2 Chronicles 20:7-9, what does Jehoshaphat remind God of as he prays?
Answer: The land He gave Abraham’s offspring and the temple where He hears cries
Jehoshaphat reminds God that He drove out the land’s former inhabitants and gave the land to Abraham’s offspring for all time, Abraham whom he calls God’s friend (20:7). Isaiah also speaks of Abraham as God’s friend (Isaiah 41:8). He then recalls the temple built for God’s Name, and the people’s confidence that in any disaster they could stand before it, cry out, and be heard and saved (20:8-9). That echoes Solomon’s prayer when the temple was dedicated (6:28-30) and God’s answer that His eyes would be open and His ears attentive to prayers made there (7:15). Jehoshaphat is holding God to His own promises.
- 2 Chronicles 20:7 (BSB)“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?”Jehoshaphat recalls the gift of the land to Abraham’s descendants.
- 2 Chronicles 20:8-9 (BSB)“They have lived in the land and have built in it a sanctuary for Your Name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us—whether sword or judgment, plague or famine—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your Name is in this temple. We will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.’”He recalls the temple and Israel’s confidence that God would hear their cry there.
- Isaiah 41:8 (BSB)““But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend—”Isaiah also calls Abraham God’s friend and Israel his chosen descendants.
- 2 Chronicles 6:28-30 (BSB)“When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemies besiege them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come, then may whatever prayer or plea Your people Israel make—each knowing his own afflictions and spreading out his hands toward this temple— be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of men—”Solomon had asked God to hear every prayer spread out toward this temple in time of disaster.
- 2 Chronicles 7:15 (BSB)“Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.”God answered that His eyes and ears would be attentive to prayer offered at the temple.
Theological
Which two things does Jehoshaphat remind God of in 2 Chronicles 20:7-9?
Answer: The land He gave Abraham’s offspring and the temple where He hears cries
Jehoshaphat pleads God’s own past acts and promises: the gift of the land in perpetuity to the seed of Abraham, called God’s friend (20:7; compare Isaiah 41:8), and the temple built for His Name, where Israel had said it would cry out in any calamity and be heard and saved (20:8-9). This is a direct appeal to Solomon’s dedication prayer (6:28-30) and to the LORD’s reply that His eyes and ears would be attentive to prayer in this place (7:15). Covenant prayer argues from God’s faithfulness to what He has already pledged.
- 2 Chronicles 20:7 (BSB)“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?”Jehoshaphat recalls the gift of the land to Abraham’s descendants.
- 2 Chronicles 20:8-9 (BSB)“They have lived in the land and have built in it a sanctuary for Your Name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us—whether sword or judgment, plague or famine—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your Name is in this temple. We will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.’”He recalls the temple and Israel’s confidence that God would hear their cry there.
- Isaiah 41:8 (BSB)““But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend—”Isaiah also calls Abraham God’s friend and Israel his chosen descendants.
- 2 Chronicles 6:28-30 (BSB)“When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemies besiege them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come, then may whatever prayer or plea Your people Israel make—each knowing his own afflictions and spreading out his hands toward this temple— be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of men—”Solomon had asked God to hear every prayer spread out toward this temple in time of disaster.
- 2 Chronicles 7:15 (BSB)“Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.”God answered that His eyes and ears would be attentive to prayer offered at the temple.
General
How does Jehoshaphat close his prayer (2 Chronicles 20:12)?
Answer: He admits Judah has neither strength nor a plan and looks to God alone
Jehoshaphat points out that God had kept Israel from invading Ammon, Moab and the people of Seir on the way from Egypt, and now those same peoples were coming to drive Judah from the land God had given it (20:10-11). He ends by asking God to judge the invaders and then openly admits Judah’s helplessness: they have no power against such a huge army and have no plan of their own, yet they are looking to God (20:12). He offers no plan and makes no boast. Psalm 123 uses the same picture of servants watching their master’s hand until he shows mercy (Psalm 123:1-2). Jehoshaphat’s father Asa had prayed in a similar way when facing a great army (14:11), and Paul learned through hardship not to rely on himself but on God (2 Corinthians 1:9). Admitting weakness is not failure here; it is the very shape of trust.
- 2 Chronicles 20:10-11 (BSB)“And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt. So Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession that You gave us as an inheritance.”Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, once spared by Israel, now try to drive Judah out.
- 2 Chronicles 20:12 (BSB)“Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.””Jehoshaphat confesses Judah’s helplessness and fixes his hope on God.
- Psalm 123:1-2 (BSB)“A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven. As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are on the LORD our God until He shows us mercy.”The psalmist pictures God’s people watching Him as servants watch their master.
- 2 Chronicles 14:11 (BSB)“Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.””Asa likewise cried to the LORD as the helper of the powerless against a multitude.
- 2 Corinthians 1:9 (BSB)“Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.”Paul was brought to trust not in himself but in God.
Theological
What stance does Jehoshaphat take at the climax of his prayer (2 Chronicles 20:12)?
Answer: He admits Judah has neither strength nor a plan and looks to God alone
Jehoshaphat notes the ingratitude of Moab, Ammon and Seir’s people, whom God had kept Israel from invading after the Exodus and who now sought to drive Judah from its God-given inheritance (20:10-11). The prayer then climaxes in a confession of total inability joined to total dependence: Judah is powerless, has no strategy, yet it looks to the LORD (20:12). The stance mirrors Psalm 123:1-2, where servants watch their master’s hand for mercy, and Asa’s early prayer for help for the weak facing a multitude (14:11). Paul describes the same lesson learned when he felt under sentence of death, so that he would rely not on himself but on the God who brings the dead back to life (2 Corinthians 1:9). Confessed helplessness is the soil in which faith rests on God alone.
- 2 Chronicles 20:10-11 (BSB)“And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt. So Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession that You gave us as an inheritance.”Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, once spared by Israel, now try to drive Judah out.
- 2 Chronicles 20:12 (BSB)“Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.””Jehoshaphat confesses Judah’s helplessness and fixes his hope on God.
- Psalm 123:1-2 (BSB)“A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven. As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are on the LORD our God until He shows us mercy.”The psalmist pictures God’s people watching Him as servants watch their master.
- 2 Chronicles 14:11 (BSB)“Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.””Asa likewise cried to the LORD as the helper of the powerless against a multitude.
- 2 Corinthians 1:9 (BSB)“Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.”Paul was brought to trust not in himself but in God.
General
Whom did Jehoshaphat appoint to go out ahead of his troops (2 Chronicles 20:21)?
Answer: Singers praising God’s holy splendor and thanking Him for His love
After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat put singers at the front, appointed to praise the beauty of the LORD’s holiness. Marching ahead of the soldiers, they gave thanks to God because His loving devotion lasts forever (20:21). Praise led the way before the enemy was even in sight. The words of their song are found in Israel’s worship songs (1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 136:1), and Scripture elsewhere calls God’s people to worship Him for the beauty of His holiness (Psalm 29:2).
- 2 Chronicles 20:21 (BSB)“Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.””Singers go ahead of the army, praising the LORD and giving thanks.
- 1 Chronicles 16:34 (BSB)“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.”The same song of thanks was sung when David brought the ark to Jerusalem.
- Psalm 136:1 (BSB)“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His loving devotion endures forever.”The psalm repeats this thanksgiving for the LORD’s lasting love.
- Psalm 29:2 (BSB)“Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.”God’s people are called to worship Him in the splendor of His holiness.
Theological
What unusual vanguard did Jehoshaphat appoint for the march (2 Chronicles 20:21)?
Answer: Singers praising God’s holy splendor and thanking Him for His love
Jehoshaphat places appointed singers at the head of the army to praise the beauty of the LORD’s holiness, singing the familiar refrain of thanksgiving for His everlasting loving devotion (20:21). Praise precedes deliverance as an act of faith in the promise already given. The refrain is Israel’s standard liturgical confession (1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 136:1), and the summons to worship Him for the beauty of His holiness is likewise drawn from the psalms (Psalm 29:2).
- 2 Chronicles 20:21 (BSB)“Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.””Singers go ahead of the army, praising the LORD and giving thanks.
- 1 Chronicles 16:34 (BSB)“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.”The same song of thanks was sung when David brought the ark to Jerusalem.
- Psalm 136:1 (BSB)“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His loving devotion endures forever.”The psalm repeats this thanksgiving for the LORD’s lasting love.
- Psalm 29:2 (BSB)“Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.”God’s people are called to worship Him in the splendor of His holiness.
General
What did God tell Judah to do the next day (2 Chronicles 20:16-17)?
Answer: March out, take their places, hold steady, and watch God save them
God told Judah exactly where the enemy would be and then said they would not need to fight. Yet they were not to stay home: they were to go down to meet the enemy, take their places, hold their ground, and watch the LORD rescue them, because the LORD was with them (20:16-17). Their part was to trust and obey; the victory was entirely God’s. The words closely echo Moses at the Red Sea, who told Israel not to fear but to hold steady and watch the LORD rescue them while He fought for them (Exodus 14:13-14). Deliverance is the LORD’s work alone (Psalm 3:8); Israel had won the land the same way, not by its own sword but by God’s power (Psalm 44:3).
- 2 Chronicles 20:16-17 (BSB)“Tomorrow you are to march 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. You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’””Judah is told to go out and take positions, but God will win the battle for them.
- Exodus 14:13-14 (BSB)“But Moses told the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the LORD’s salvation, which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.””Moses gave Israel the same charge at the Red Sea.
- Psalm 3:8 (BSB)“Salvation belongs to the LORD; may Your blessing be on Your people. Selah”Deliverance belongs to the LORD alone.
- Psalm 44:3 (BSB)“For it was not by their sword that they took the land; their arm did not bring them victory. It was by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.”Israel won the land not by its own sword but by God’s arm.
Theological
What were Judah’s instructions for the following day, according to Jahaziel’s oracle (2 Chronicles 20:16-17)?
Answer: March out, take their places, hold steady, and watch God save them
The oracle combines obedience and rest: Judah must march out and take its positions, yet it need not fight; it is to hold its ground and watch the LORD deliver it, for He is with them (20:16-17). The language closely recalls the Exodus, where Moses told Israel to hold steady and watch the LORD’s deliverance while He fought for them (Exodus 14:13-14). Faith is not passivity—Judah goes out at God’s word—but it contributes nothing to the victory itself. Deliverance is the LORD’s alone (Psalm 3:8; compare Psalm 44:3).
- 2 Chronicles 20:16-17 (BSB)“Tomorrow you are to march 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. You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’””Judah is told to go out and take positions, but God will win the battle for them.
- Exodus 14:13-14 (BSB)“But Moses told the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the LORD’s salvation, which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.””Moses gave Israel the same charge at the Red Sea.
- Psalm 3:8 (BSB)“Salvation belongs to the LORD; may Your blessing be on Your people. Selah”Deliverance belongs to the LORD alone.
- Psalm 44:3 (BSB)“For it was not by their sword that they took the land; their arm did not bring them victory. It was by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.”Israel won the land not by its own sword but by God’s arm.
General
Who brought the LORD’s answer to Jehoshaphat’s prayer, and what was the heart of the message (2 Chronicles 20:14-15)?
Answer: A Levite named Jahaziel: the fight was God’s, not Judah’s
As the assembly stood waiting, God’s Spirit came on Jahaziel, a Levite descended from Asaph, and he spoke the LORD’s word to the king and the people (20:14). The message: have no fear and do not lose heart because of this huge army, because the battle is not theirs but God’s (20:15). God answered the prayer directly and quickly through a man He filled with His Spirit. David said the same when he faced Goliath (1 Samuel 17:47), the law of Moses promised that the LORD would go with Israel to fight for them (Deuteronomy 20:4), and Hezekiah later encouraged Judah with the same truth (32:7-8).
- 2 Chronicles 20:14-15 (BSB)“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 from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.”The Spirit comes upon Jahaziel, who tells Judah the battle is God’s.
- 1 Samuel 17:47 (BSB)“And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.””David declared before Goliath that the battle is the LORD’s.
- Deuteronomy 20:4 (BSB)“For the LORD your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.””The law promised that the LORD goes with Israel to fight for them.
- 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 (BSB)““Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater One with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” So the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”Hezekiah later assured Judah that the LORD would fight their battles.
Theological
Through whom did God answer Jehoshaphat’s prayer, and what was the core of the oracle (2 Chronicles 20:14-15)?
Answer: A Levite named Jahaziel: the fight was God’s, not Judah’s
God answers the prayer through a Spirit-given word: God’s Spirit comes upon Jahaziel, a Levite of the line of Asaph, as he stands among the people (20:14). The oracle removes fear by relocating the battle itself: it is God’s fight, not Judah’s (20:15). Deliverance is the LORD’s own work, as David confessed against Goliath (1 Samuel 17:47), as the law promised to Israel’s armies (Deuteronomy 20:4), and as Hezekiah would later remind Judah in contrasting mere human strength with the LORD who fights for His people (32:7-8).
- 2 Chronicles 20:14-15 (BSB)“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 from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.”The Spirit comes upon Jahaziel, who tells Judah the battle is God’s.
- 1 Samuel 17:47 (BSB)“And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.””David declared before Goliath that the battle is the LORD’s.
- Deuteronomy 20:4 (BSB)“For the LORD your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.””The law promised that the LORD goes with Israel to fight for them.
- 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 (BSB)““Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater One with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” So the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”Hezekiah later assured Judah that the LORD would fight their battles.
General
What happened when Judah began to sing and praise (2 Chronicles 20:22-24)?
Answer: God laid ambushes, and the invading armies turned on one another
The moment the singing began, the LORD laid ambushes for the invading armies, and they were routed (20:22). Ammon and Moab attacked the men of Mount Seir and destroyed them, and then they turned and destroyed each other (20:23). When Judah reached a lookout point, they saw only the dead; not one enemy survived (20:24). Judah never struck a blow. God had done something similar for Gideon, when He set the enemy soldiers against one another (Judges 7:22). As David had told Goliath, it is the LORD who wins the battle (1 Samuel 17:47).
- 2 Chronicles 20:22-23 (BSB)“The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.”The LORD sets ambushes and the enemy armies destroy one another.
- 2 Chronicles 20:24 (BSB)“When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.”Judah finds the whole enemy army dead, with no survivors.
- Judges 7:22 (BSB)“And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.”The LORD set the Midianite camp against itself in Gideon’s day.
- 1 Samuel 17:47 (BSB)“And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.””The battle is the LORD’s, not won by human sword or spear.
Theological
How was the coalition defeated once Judah’s praise began (2 Chronicles 20:22-24)?
Answer: God laid ambushes, and the invading armies turned on one another
At the onset of praise the LORD laid ambushes for the invaders (20:22); Ammon and Moab turned on the men of Seir, then on each other, until none escaped (20:23-24). The LORD’s providence governs even the actions of hostile armies, accomplishing His promised deliverance without a blow from Judah. The pattern recalls Gideon, when the LORD set the enemy camp against itself (Judges 7:22), and it fulfills the word that the battle was God’s (1 Samuel 17:47).
- 2 Chronicles 20:22-23 (BSB)“The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.”The LORD sets ambushes and the enemy armies destroy one another.
- 2 Chronicles 20:24 (BSB)“When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.”Judah finds the whole enemy army dead, with no survivors.
- Judges 7:22 (BSB)“And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.”The LORD set the Midianite camp against itself in Gideon’s day.
- 1 Samuel 17:47 (BSB)“And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.””The battle is the LORD’s, not won by human sword or spear.
General
After three days of gathering plunder, what did Judah do (2 Chronicles 20:26-28)?
Answer: They gathered in a valley to bless the LORD, then went joyfully to His house
The plunder was so great that it took three days to collect (20:25). The next day the people gathered in a valley and blessed the LORD there, and so the place was named the Valley of Beracah (20:26). Then, with Jehoshaphat leading them, they returned to Jerusalem full of joy, because the LORD had given them joy over their enemies, and they went up to the temple with stringed instruments and trumpets (20:27-28). Judah praised God before the battle and again after it. Israel sang in the same way after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 15:1-2), and the psalms speak of the joy of those whom God has richly blessed (Psalm 126:3).
- 2 Chronicles 20:26 (BSB)“On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.”Judah assembles to bless the LORD, and the valley is named for it.
- 2 Chronicles 20:27-28 (BSB)“Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies. So they entered Jerusalem and went into the house of the LORD with harps, lyres, and trumpets.”The people return joyfully to Jerusalem and the temple with music.
- Exodus 15:1-2 (BSB)“Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted. The horse and rider He has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.”Israel likewise sang praise to the LORD after He saved them at the sea.
- Psalm 126:3 (BSB)“The LORD has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”Joy is the response of those for whom the LORD has done great things.
Theological
How did Judah respond once the plunder was gathered (2 Chronicles 20:26-28)?
Answer: They gathered in a valley to bless the LORD, then went joyfully to His house
The abundance of spoil required three days to gather (20:25). The day after that, Judah assembled to bless the LORD, giving the Valley of Beracah its name (20:26), then returned to the city led by Jehoshaphat, glad because the LORD had given them joy over their foes, and went up to the temple with stringed instruments and trumpets (20:27-28). Praise frames the whole episode, before and after the deliverance, as at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:1-2); the joy is a response to God’s great deeds (Psalm 126:3).
- 2 Chronicles 20:26 (BSB)“On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.”Judah assembles to bless the LORD, and the valley is named for it.
- 2 Chronicles 20:27-28 (BSB)“Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies. So they entered Jerusalem and went into the house of the LORD with harps, lyres, and trumpets.”The people return joyfully to Jerusalem and the temple with music.
- Exodus 15:1-2 (BSB)“Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted. The horse and rider He has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.”Israel likewise sang praise to the LORD after He saved them at the sea.
- Psalm 126:3 (BSB)“The LORD has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”Joy is the response of those for whom the LORD has done great things.
General
True or False: Jehoshaphat did what pleased the LORD, yet the high places remained, and the people still had not given their hearts to their ancestors’ God (2 Chronicles 20:32-33).
Answer: True
This is true. Jehoshaphat followed his father Asa’s example and pleased the LORD (20:32). Yet the high places—local hilltop shrines where people worshiped instead of at the one place God had chosen—were not removed, and the people’s hearts were still not given to their ancestors’ God (20:33). The deeper problem was the heart. God’s law told Israel to bring offerings only to the place He would choose (Deuteronomy 12:13-14) and to love Him wholeheartedly (Deuteronomy 6:5). Scripture elsewhere promises that God Himself will give His people a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26).
- 2 Chronicles 20:32-33 (BSB)“And Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.”Jehoshaphat does right, but the high places remain because the people’s hearts were not yet set on God.
- Deuteronomy 12:13-14 (BSB)“Be careful not to offer your burnt offerings in just any place you see; you must offer them only in the place the LORD will choose in one of your tribal territories, and there you shall do all that I command you.”Israel was to offer sacrifices only at the place the LORD would choose.
- Deuteronomy 6:5 (BSB)“And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”The law required love for God with all the heart.
- Ezekiel 36:26 (BSB)“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”God promises to give His people a new heart.
Theological
True or False: The closing verdict on Jehoshaphat commends him, yet notes that the high places remained and that the people’s hearts were not yet given to their ancestors’ God (2 Chronicles 20:32-33).
Answer: True
This is true. Jehoshaphat walked in Asa’s way and did right (20:32), but the high places were not removed, and the people’s hearts were not yet given to their ancestors’ God (20:33). The problem lay not in royal policy alone but in the people’s hearts. Worship outside the chosen place violated Deuteronomy 12:13-14, and the root command is wholehearted love for God (Deuteronomy 6:5). Such hearts are ultimately God’s gift, as He promises through Ezekiel to replace the heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26).
- 2 Chronicles 20:32-33 (BSB)“And Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.”Jehoshaphat does right, but the high places remain because the people’s hearts were not yet set on God.
- Deuteronomy 12:13-14 (BSB)“Be careful not to offer your burnt offerings in just any place you see; you must offer them only in the place the LORD will choose in one of your tribal territories, and there you shall do all that I command you.”Israel was to offer sacrifices only at the place the LORD would choose.
- Deuteronomy 6:5 (BSB)“And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”The law required love for God with all the heart.
- Ezekiel 36:26 (BSB)“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”God promises to give His people a new heart.