the wilderness of Jeruel.

For ye shall not contend in this matter. Only go and stand, and see the salvation of the LORD, which is with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not, neither be dismayed: to morrow go out against them: the LORD is with you.

Then Jehoshaphat bowed himself with his face to the earth: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, and worshipped the LORD.

And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, rose up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a great shout toward heaven.

And they rose up early in the morning, and went out into the wilderness of Thekoa. And as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hearken unto me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and ye shall be safe; and believe his prophets, and ye shall prosper.

And he instructed the people, and set the singers before the LORD, that they should praise in holy array, and sing before the scaffolded, and say: Give thanks unto the LORD: for his mercy endureth for ever.

And when they began to give thanks and to praise, the LORD sent the ambush that was come against Judah upon the children of Ammon, and upon Moab, and upon them of mount Seir, and smote them.

And the children of Ammon and Moab came against them of mount Seir, to utterly destroy them. And when they had consumed all the men of mount Seir, they helped one another, that they might destroy themselves also.

And when Judah was come to Mizpeh by the wilderness, they turned against the multitude: and, behold, there were dead bodies upon the ground, and none escaped.

And Jehoshaphat came with his people to divide their spoil, and found among them so much goods, and raiment, and precious things, and took them away, that they could not bear them: and they divided the spoil three days, because it was much.

And on the fourth day they came together unto the valley of praise: for there they praised the LORD. Therefore the name of the place is called the valley of praise unto this day.

So all the men of Judah and Jerusalem turned again, and Jehoshaphat in the head, that they might go up to Jerusalem with joy. For the LORD had given them joy in their enemies.

And they entered into Jerusalem with psalteries, and harps, and trumpets, unto the house of the LORD.

And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.

So the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quieted, and God gave him rest round about.

And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah, and was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Asuba, a daughter of Zilhi.

And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and departed not from doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD;

without the high places were not removed: for the people had not yet sent their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

And the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, both the first and the last, behold, they are written in
the acts of Jehu the son of Hanani, which he wrote in the book of the kings of Israel.

And afterward Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself to Ahaziah king of Israel, who was wicked in his doings.

And he joined himself unto him to make ships to go out to sea: and they made the ships at Ezeon-gaber.

And Eliezer the son of Dodava, of Mareshah, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself to Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken down thy works. And the ships were broken, and they could not go into the sea.
(2 Chronicles)
Chapter 21
Joram’s fratricide, idolatry, punishment, and miserable death.

And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah.

And their father gave them many gifts of silver, and gold, and jewels, with strong cities in Judah: but the kingdom he gave to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.

And when Jehoram arose upon his father’s kingdom, and was mighty in his power, he slew all his brethren with the sword, and certain of the princes of Israel.

Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done; for Ahab’s daughter was his wife: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

But the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he had spoken to give him a lamp, and to his children for ever.

In his days the Edomites fell away from Judah, and made a king over them.

For Jehoram had gone over with his captains, and all the chariots with him, and had risen up by night, and had smitten the Edomites round about him, and the captains of the chariots.

Therefore the Edomites fell away from Judah unto this day. At the same time Libnah also fell away from him. For he forsook the LORD God of his fathers.

He also made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made them that prostitute at Jerusalem, and deceived Judah.

And there came writing unto him of Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the way of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the way of Asa king of Judah,

But thou hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and Jerusalem to whore after the whoredom of the house of Ahab, and hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thou,

Then shall the LORD smite thee with a great plague upon thy people, upon thy children, and upon thy wives, and upon all thy substance.

And thou shalt have much sickness in thy bowels, until thy bowels be filled with sickness from day to day.

So the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabians, which lie with the Moors;

And they went up into Judah, and rent them, and carried away all the substance of the king’s house, and his sons, and his wives: and there remained no son unto him, save Jehoahaz his youngest son.

And after all this the LORD afflicted him in his bowels with such a disease as could not be healed.

And it came to pass from day to day, when the space of two years was expired, that his bowels departed from him with his sickness, and he died of evil diseases. And they made not a fire upon him, as they had done unto his fathers.

Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in
Jerusalem, and walked that was not good. And they buried him in the city of David, but not among the kings’ sepulchres.
(2 Chronicles)
Chapter 22
Ahaziah’s downfall. Athaliah’s murderous deed.

And they that were at Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead. For the men of war that came out of the Arabians with the host slew all the first: therefore Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

Ahaziah was forty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah daughter of Amri.

And he walked also in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother held him to be ungodly.

Therefore he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab. For they were his counselors after his father’s death, to destroy him.

And he walked after their counsel. And he went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to battle to Ramoth in Gilead against Hazael king of Syria. And the Syrians smote Joram, 6. And he returned to be healed in Jezreel: for he had wounds smitten him in Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, which was sick.

For it was an evil thing of God for Ahaziah to come to Jehoram, and to go out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

And when Jehu had punished the house of Ahab, he found certain of the princes of Judah, and the sons of Ahaziah’s brethren that ministered unto Ahaziah, and slew them.

And he sought Ahaziah, and took him, when he was hid in Samaria. And he was brought to Jehu, and he slew him, and they buried him. For they said: He is Jehoshaphat’s son, who sought the LORD with all his heart. And there was none left of the house of Ahaziah to reign.

And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal seed of the house of Judah.

And Jehosabeath the king’s sister took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s children that were slain, and put him in a chamber with his nurse. So Jehosabeath