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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

2 Chronicles 20:3

Jehoshaphat became afraid, and he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced a time of fasting for everyone in Judah.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Battle;   Faithfulness;   Fasting;   Fear of God;   Jehoshaphat;   Rulers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Fasts Proclaimed;   Jehoshaphat;   Penitence-Impenitence;   Repentance;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jehoshaphat, Valley of;   War;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Fasting;   Jehoshaphat;   Moab;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Fast, Fasting;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Fast;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Fasting;   Kings, the Books of;   Moab;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Fasting;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Fast, Fasting;   Moab, Moabites ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Fasts;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jehoshaphat;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Fast;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Joel, Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord. Then he proclaimed a fast for all Judah,
Hebrew Names Version
Yehoshafat feared, and set himself to seek to the LORD; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Yehudah.
King James Version
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord , and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
English Standard Version
Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord , and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
New Century Version
Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced that everyone in Judah should fast during this special time of prayer to God.
New English Translation
Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord 's advice. He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast.
Amplified Bible
Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set himself [determinedly, as his vital need] to seek the LORD; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
New American Standard Bible
Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD; and he proclaimed a period of fasting throughout Judah.
World English Bible
Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek to Yahweh; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Iehoshaphat feared, and set him selfe to seeke the Lord, & proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek Yahweh, and called for a fast throughout all Judah.
Berean Standard Bible
Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.
Contemporary English Version
Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he asked the Lord what to do. He then told the people of Judah to go without eating to show their sorrow.
Complete Jewish Bible
Y'hoshafat was frightened, so he determined to seek Adonai . He proclaimed a fast throughout all Y'hudah,
Darby Translation
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek Jehovah, and proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.
George Lamsa Translation
And Jehoshaphat feared, and he raised up his face to pray before the LORD and proclaimed a fast for all the inhabitants of Judah. And he said to them, Gather yourselves together and come let us beseech the LORD our God.
Good News Translation
Jehoshaphat was frightened and prayed to the Lord for guidance. Then he gave orders for a fast to be observed throughout the country.
Lexham English Bible
Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek Yahweh. And he called for a fast through all Judah.
Literal Translation
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set his face to seek to Jehovah, and proclaimed a fast over all Judah.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Iosaphat was afrayed, & set his face to seke ye LORDE, & caused a fast to be proclamed in all Iuda.
American Standard Version
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek unto Jehovah; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
Bible in Basic English
Then Jehoshaphat, in his fear, went to the Lord for directions, and gave orders all through Judah for the people to go without food.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Iehosaphat feared, & set him selfe to seke the Lorde: and proclaymed fasting throughout all Iuda.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek unto the LORD; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
King James Version (1611)
And Iehoshaphat feared, and set himselfe to seeke the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Josaphat was alarmed, and set his face to seek the Lord earnestly, and he proclaimed a fast in all Juda.
English Revised Version
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek unto the LORD; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Josaphat was aferd by drede, and `yaf hym silf al for to preye `the Lord, and prechide fastynge to al Juda.
Update Bible Version
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek to Yahweh; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
New King James Version
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
New Living Translation
Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting.
New Life Bible
Jehoshaphat was afraid and decided to call on the Lord. He made a special time of not eating in all Judah.
New Revised Standard
Jehoshaphat was afraid; he set himself to seek the Lord , and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Jehoshaphat was afraid, and set his face to seek unto Yahweh, - and proclaimed a fast for all Judah.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Josaphat being seized with fear betook himself wholly to pray to the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Juda.
Revised Standard Version
Then Jehosh'aphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jehoshaphat feareth, and setteth his face to seek to Jehovah, and proclaimeth a fast over all Judah;
THE MESSAGE
Shaken, Jehoshaphat prayed. He went to God for help and ordered a nationwide fast. The country of Judah united in seeking God 's help—they came from all the cities of Judah to pray to God .
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

Contextual Overview

1 Later, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and some Meunites came to start a war with Jehoshaphat. 2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "There is a large army coming against you from Edom. They are coming from the other side of the Dead Sea. They are already in Hazazon Tamar!" (Hazazon Tamar is also called En Gedi.) 3 Jehoshaphat became afraid, and he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced a time of fasting for everyone in Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to ask the Lord for help. They came from out of all the towns of Judah to ask for the Lord 's help. 5 Jehoshaphat was in the new courtyard of the Lord 's Temple. He stood up in the meeting of the people from Judah and Jerusalem 6 and said, " Lord God of our ancestors, you are the God in heaven. You rule over all the kingdoms in all the nations. You have power and strength. No one can stand against you. 7 You are our God! You forced the people living in this land to leave. You did this in front of your people Israel. You gave this land to the descendants of Abraham forever. Abraham was your friend. 8 His descendants lived in this land, and built a Temple for your name. 9 They said, ‘If trouble comes to us—the sword, punishment, sicknesses, or famine—we will stand in front of this Temple and in front of you. Your name is on this Temple. We will shout to you when we are in trouble. Then you will hear and save us.' 10 "But now, here are men from Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir. You would not let the Israelites enter their lands when they came out of Egypt. So the Israelites turned away and didn't destroy them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

feared: Genesis 32:7-11, Genesis 32:24-28, Psalms 56:3, Psalms 56:4, Isaiah 37:3-6, Jonah 1:16, Matthew 10:28

himself: Heb. his face

seek the Lord: See note on 2 Chronicles 11:16, 2 Chronicles 19:3

proclaimed: Judges 20:26, 1 Samuel 7:6, Ezra 8:21-23, Esther 4:16, Jeremiah 36:9, Daniel 9:3, Joel 1:14, Joel 2:12-18, Jonah 3:5-9

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 23:9 - General 1 Samuel 7:7 - afraid 1 Kings 22:43 - doing 1 Chronicles 22:19 - set your Nehemiah 9:1 - children Psalms 30:11 - turned Isaiah 58:5 - it such Jeremiah 31:21 - set thine Daniel 11:17 - set Amos 5:4 - Seek Jonah 3:7 - caused

Cross-References

Genesis 20:1
Abraham left that place and traveled to the Negev. He settled in the city of Gerar, between Kadesh and Shur. While in Gerar,
Genesis 20:7
So give Abraham his wife again. He is a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you don't give Sarah back to him, I promise that you will die. And all your family will die with you."
Genesis 20:12
She is my wife, but she is also my sister. She is the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother.
Genesis 20:13
God led me away from my father's house. He led me to wander to many different places. When that happened, I told Sarah, ‘Do something for me. Wherever we go, tell people you are my sister.'"
Genesis 20:14
So Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham. Abimelech also gave Abraham some sheep, cattle, and slaves.
Genesis 20:15
And Abimelech said, "Look all around you. This is my land. You may live any place you want."
Genesis 28:12
Jacob had a dream. He dreamed there was a ladder that was on the ground and reached up into heaven. He saw the angels of God going up and down the ladder.
Genesis 31:24
That night God came to Laban in a dream and said, "Be careful! Be careful of every word you say to Jacob."
Genesis 37:5
One time Joseph had a special dream. Later, he told his brothers about this dream, and after that his brothers hated him even more.
Genesis 37:9
Then Joseph had another dream, and he told his brothers about it. He said, "I had another dream. I saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Jehoshaphat feared,.... Exceedingly, as the Targum adds, not merely because of the number of his enemies, for he had forces enough to go forth against them, see 2 Chronicles 17:14, but chiefly because the Lord had told him that wrath was upon him from him, 2 Chronicles 19:2 and he might fear that this was the time for the execution of it:

and set himself to seek the Lord; by prayer and supplication, with all seriousness, fervour, and constancy:

and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah; a day of humiliation and mourning for sin before the Lord; when they were ordered to abstain from bodily food and labour, that they might be fit and more at leisure for spiritual exercises.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

General fasts had been previously observed by the Israelites (e. g. Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 7:6); but we do not hear of any fast having been “proclaimed” by authority before this.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Chronicles 20:3. Jehoshaphat feared — He found that he could not possibly stand against such a numerous army, and therefore could not expect to be delivered except by the strong arm of God. To get this assistance, it was necessary to seek it; and to get such extraordinary help, they should seek it in an extraordinary way; hence he proclaimed a universal fast, and all the people came up to Jerusalem to seek the Lord.


 
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