Study Desk

So now the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of your men who speak for God. For the Lord has said that trouble will come to you."

But a certain man happened to shoot an arrow and hit the king of Israel in a joint of the battle-clothes. So the king said to the man on the war-wagon, "Turn around, and take me out of the battle. For I am hurt."

But there is some good in you. For you have destroyed from the land the false goddess Asherah. And you have set your heart to follow God."

And he said to the judges, "Think about what you do. For you do not judge for man, but for the Lord. He is with you when you judge between right and wrong.

So now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be very careful what you do. For the Lord our God will have nothing to do with what is not right and good, or with what is not fair, or with taking pay for doing what is wrong."

In Jerusalem also Jehoshaphat chose some of the Levites and religious leaders, and heads of families of Israel. He chose them to judge for the Lord, and to judge the troubles among the people of Jerusalem.

See, Amariah the head religious leader will be over you in everything that has to do with the Lord. And Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the family of Judah, will be over you in everything that has to do with the king. The Levites will work for you as leaders. Be strong in what you do, and the Lord will be with the good."

And Judah gathered together to pray for help from the Lord. They came to the Lord from all the cities of Judah to call on the Lord.

And they have lived in it. They have built You a holy place in it for Your name, saying,

‘If what is bad comes upon us, fighting, hard times, disease, or no food, we will stand in front of this house. And we will stand before You, (for Your name is in this house). We will cry to You in our trouble. And You will hear and take us out of trouble.'

O our God, will You not punish them? For we have no power against all these men who are coming against us. We do not know what to do. But our eyes look to You."

He said, "Listen, all Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says to you, ‘Do not be afraid or troubled because of these many men. For the battle is not yours but God's.

You will not need to fight in this battle. Just stand still in your places and see the saving power of the Lord work for you, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not be afraid or troubled. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you."

They got up early in the morning and went out to the desert of Tekoa. When they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and people of Jerusalem. Trust in the Lord your God, and you will be made strong. Trust in the men who speak for Him, and you will do well."

When he had spoken with the people, he called those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy clothing. They went out in front of the army and said, "Give thanks to the Lord. For His loving-kindness lasts forever."

So Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away what they wanted from them. They found cattle, many good things, clothing, and things of great worth, which they took for themselves. There was more than they could carry. It took them three days to take all the things, because there was so much.

Then every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned, with Jehoshaphat leading them. They returned to Jerusalem with joy. For the Lord had filled them with joy by saving them from those who hated them.

So Jehoshaphat ruled over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king. And he ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king. And he ruled for eight years in Jerusalem.

He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as those of Ahab's house did. (For Ahab's daughter was his wife.) He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord.