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Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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THE MESSAGE

2 Chronicles 18:31

When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "There he is! The king of Israel!" and took after him. Jehoshaphat yelled out, and the chariot commanders realized they had the wrong man—it wasn't the king of Israel after all. God intervened and they let him go.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Prayer;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Joash or Jehoash;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Preaching;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ahab;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Ramoth-Gilead, Ramoth in Gilead;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Judah the kingdom of;   Ramoth;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   Kingdom of Judah;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for July 27;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him.
Hebrew Names Version
It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw Yehoshafat, that they said, It is the king of Yisra'el. Therefore they turned about to fight against him: but Yehoshafat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them [to depart] from him.
King James Version
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.
English Standard Version
As soon as the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel." So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; God drew them away from him.
New Century Version
When these commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought he was the king of Israel, so they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat began shouting, and the Lord helped him. God made the chariot commanders turn away from Jehoshaphat.
New English Translation
When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "He must be the king of Israel!" So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. The Lord helped him; God lured them away from him.
Amplified Bible
So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat [of Judah], they said, "It is the king of Israel!" So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat called out [for God's help], and the LORD helped him; and God diverted them away from him.
New American Standard Bible
So when the commanders of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "He is the king of Israel!" And they turned aside to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him.
World English Bible
It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned about to fight against him: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him; and God moved them [to depart] from him.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when the captaines of the charets saw Iehoshaphat, they sayde, It is the King of Israel: and they compassed about him to fight. But Iehoshaphat cryed, and the Lorde helped him & moued them to depart from him.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened that when the commanders of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel," and they turned to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him, and God incited them away from him.
Berean Standard Bible
When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "This is the king of Israel!" So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him.
Contemporary English Version
So when they saw Jehoshaphat in his robe, they thought he was Ahab and started to attack him. But Jehoshaphat prayed, and the Lord made the Syrian soldiers stop.
Complete Jewish Bible
So when the chariot commanders saw Y'hoshafat they said, "This is the king of Isra'el," and turned to attack him. But Y'hoshafat called out, and Adonai came to his aid — God moved them to leave him alone,
Darby Translation
And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, That is the king of Israel; and they surrounded him to fight; and Jehoshaphat cried out, and Jehovah helped him; and God diverted them from him.
Easy-to-Read Version
During the battle, the commanders saw King Jehoshaphat and thought he was the king of Israel. So they went to kill him. Jehoshaphat started shouting, and the Lord helped him. God made the chariot commanders turn away from Jehoshaphat.
George Lamsa Translation
And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they came against him to fight him; but Jehoshaphat cried out and the LORD helped him; and he turned them away from him.
Good News Translation
So when they saw King Jehoshaphat, they all thought that he was the king of Israel, and they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat gave a shout, and the Lord God rescued him and turned the attack away from him.
Lexham English Bible
And it happened that when the commanders of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, then they said, "It is the king of Israel!" And they turned against him to fight. Then Jehoshaphat cried out and Yahweh helped him. God drove them away from him.
Literal Translation
And it happened, when the commanders of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, He is the king of Israel. And they turned around to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out. And Jehovah helped him. And God drew them away from him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Now whan the rulers of the charrettes sawe Iosaphat, they thoughte: It is ye kynge of Israel, and they wete aboute to fighte agaynst him. But Iosaphat cryed, and the LORDE helped him. And God turned them from him:
American Standard Version
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned about to fight against him: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Jehovah helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.
Bible in Basic English
So when the captains of the war-carriages saw Jehoshaphat, they said, It is the king of Israel. And turning about, they came round him, but Jehoshaphat gave a cry, and the Lord came to his help, and God sent them away from him.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when the captaynes of the charets saw Iehosaphat, they sayd, It is ye king of Israel: And therfore they compassed about hym to fight. But Iehosaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God chased them away from him.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said: 'It is the king of Israel.' Therefore they turned about to fight against him; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.
King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe when the captaines of the charets saw Iehoshaphat, that they sayd, It is the king of Israel: therefore they compassed about him to fight. But Iehoshaphat cryed out, and the Lord helped him, and God moued them to depart from him.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Josaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel: and they compassed him about to fight against him: and Josaphat cried out, and the Lord delivered him; and God turned them away from him.
English Revised Version
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned about to fight against him: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them [to depart] from him.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor whanne the princes of the multitude of knyytis hadden seyn Josaphat, thei seiden, This is the kyng of Israel; and thei cumpassiden hym, and fouyten. And he criede to the Lord; and the Lord helpide hym, and turnede hem awey fro hym.
Update Bible Version
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned about to fight against him: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him; and God moved them [to depart] from him.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It [is] the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them [to depart] from him.
New King James Version
So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, "It is the king of Israel!" Therefore they surrounded him to attack; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him.
New Living Translation
So when the Aramean chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. "There is the king of Israel!" they shouted. But Jehoshaphat called out, and the Lord saved him. God helped him by turning the attackers away from him.
New Life Bible
So when the captains of the war-wagons saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel." And they turned to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God made them go away from him.
New Revised Standard
When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel." So they turned to fight against him; and Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So it came to pass, when the chariot-captains saw Jehoshaphat, that, they, said, The king of Israel, it is. And they compassed him about, to fight, - but Jehoshaphat made outcry, and, Yahweh, helped him, yea God allured them away from him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
So when the captains of the cavalry saw Josaphat, they said: This is the king of Israel. And they surrounded him to attack him: but he cried to the Lord, and he helped him, and turned them away from him.
Revised Standard Version
And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehosh'aphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel." So they turned to fight against him; and Jehosh'aphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him,
Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass at the heads of the charioteers seeing Jehoshaphat, that they have said, `The king of Israel he is,' and they turn round against him to fight, and Jehoshaphat crieth out, and Jehovah hath helped him, and God enticeth them from him,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel," and they turned aside to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him.

Contextual Overview

28So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went ahead and attacked Ramoth Gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Wear my kingly robe; I'm going into battle disguised." So the king of Israel entered the battle in disguise. 30 Meanwhile, the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders (there were thirty-two of them), "Don't bother with anyone whether small or great; go after the king of Israel and him only." 31When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "There he is! The king of Israel!" and took after him. Jehoshaphat yelled out, and the chariot commanders realized they had the wrong man—it wasn't the king of Israel after all. God intervened and they let him go. 33 Just then someone, without aiming, shot an arrow into the crowd and hit the king of Israel in the chink of his armor. The king told his charioteer, "Turn back! Get me out of here—I'm wounded." 34 All day the fighting continued, hot and heavy. Propped up in his chariot, the king watched from the sidelines. He died that evening.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Jehoshaphat: 2 Chronicles 13:14, 2 Chronicles 14:11, Exodus 14:10, Psalms 116:1, Psalms 116:2, 2 Corinthians 1:9, 2 Corinthians 1:10

the Lord: 2 Chronicles 26:7, Psalms 34:7, Psalms 46:1, Psalms 46:11, Psalms 94:17, Psalms 118:13

God moved them: Ezra 1:1, Ezra 7:27, Nehemiah 1:11, Proverbs 16:7, Proverbs 21:1

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 8:44 - shall pray 1 Kings 22:32 - Jehoshaphat 2 Kings 8:28 - he went 1 Chronicles 5:20 - for they cried 2 Chronicles 6:34 - they pray 2 Chronicles 18:1 - joined affinity 2 Chronicles 19:1 - in peace 2 Chronicles 22:5 - Ramothgilead Proverbs 16:1 - preparations

Cross-References

Genesis 18:20
God continued, "The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. I'm going down to see for myself, see if what they're doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I'll know."
Genesis 18:22
The men set out for Sodom, but Abraham stood in God 's path, blocking his way.
Genesis 18:27
Abraham came back, "Do I, a mere mortal made from a handful of dirt, dare open my mouth again to my Master? What if the fifty fall short by five—would you destroy the city because of those missing five?" He said, "I won't destroy it if there are forty-five."
Matthew 7:7
"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing. You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?
Luke 11:8
"But let me tell you, even if he won't get up because he's a friend, if you stand your ground, knocking and waking all the neighbors, he'll finally get up and get you whatever you need.
Luke 18:1
Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. He said, "There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: ‘My rights are being violated. Protect me!'

Gill's Notes on the Bible

:-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the Lord helped him ... - There is nothing correspondent to this passage in Kings. It is a pious reflection on the part of the author, who traces all deliverance to its real divine source.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Chronicles 18:31. But Jehoshaphat cried out — "Jehoshaphat cried, and the WORD of the Lord brought him assistance." - Targum.


 
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