How did King Josaphat and the people of Juda secure divine deliverance against the confederacy of Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir, and what theological principles governed their victory?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

2 Paralipomenon 20 chronicles King Josaphat's response to the invasion of Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir through public fasting and humble temple prayer, the prophetic oracle of Jahaziel declaring the battle to be God's, the miraculous self-destruction of the invading confederacy as the Levite singers led the army praising God's eternal mercy, the gathering of vast spoils in the Valley of Blessing, and Josaphat's subsequent regnal summary and commercial maritime alliance with Ochozias wrecked at Asiongaber under prophetic censure.

Chapter breakdown

### The Moabite-Ammonite Invasion and Josaphat’s Solemn Temple Prayer

After this the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them of the Ammonites, were gathered together to fight against Josaphat. And there came messengers, and told Josaphat, saying: There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea, and out of Syria, and behold they are in Asasonthamar, which is Engaddi. And Josaphat being seized with fear betook himself wholly to pray to the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Juda. And Juda gathered themselves together to pray to the Lord: and all came out of their cities to make supplication to him. And Josaphat stood in the midst of the assembly of Juda, and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord before the new court, And said: O Lord God of our fathers, thou art God in heaven, and rulest over all the kingdoms and nations, in thy hand is strength and power, and no one can resist thee. Didst not thou our God kill all the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? And they dwelt in it, and built in it a sanctuary to thy name, saying: If evils fall upon us, the sword of judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand in thy presence before this house, in which thy name is called upon: and we will cry to thee in our afflictions, and thou wilt hear, and save us. Now therefore behold the children of Ammon, and of Moab, and mount Seir, through whose lands thou didst not allow Israel to pass, when they came out of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and slew them not, Do the contrary, and endeavour to cast us out of the possession which thou hast delivered to us. O our God, wilt thou not then judge them? as for us we have not strength enough, to be able to resist this multitude, which cometh violently upon us. But as we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to thee. And all Juda stood before the Lord with their little ones, and their wives, and their children.

### Jahaziel’s Prophecy: The Battle is God’s and Not Yours

And Jahaziel the son of Zacharias, the son of Banaias, the son of Jehiel, the son of Mathanias, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, was there, upon whom the spirit of the Lord came in the midst of the multitude, And he said: Attend ye, all Juda, and you that dwell in Jerusalem, and thou king Josaphat: Thus saith the Lord to you: Fear ye not, and be not dismayed at this multitude: for the battle is not yours, but God’s. To morrow you shall go down against them: for they will come up by the ascent named Sis, and you shall find them at the head of the torrent, which is over against the wilderness of Jeruel. It shall not be you that shall fight, but only stand with confidence, and you shall see the help of the Lord over you, O Juda, and Jerusalem: fear ye not, nor be you dismayed: to morrow you shall go out against them, and the Lord will be with you. Then Josaphat, and Juda, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell flat on the ground before the Lord, and adored him. And the Levites of the sons of Caath, and of the sons of Core praised the Lord the God of Israel with a loud voice, on high.

### The Singing Vanguard, Divine Ambushments, and Mutual Slaughter

And they rose early in the morning, and went out through the desert of Thecua: and as they were marching, Josaphat standing in the midst of them, said: Hear me, ye men of Juda, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be secure: believe his prophets, and all things shall succeed well. And he gave counsel to the people, and appointed the singing men of the Lord, to praise him by their companies, and to go before the army, and with one voice to say: Give glory to the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing praises, the Lord turned their ambushments upon themselves, that is to say, of the children of Ammon, and of Moab, and of mount Seir, who were come out to fight against Juda, and they were slain. For the children of Ammon, and of Moab, rose up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, to kill and destroy them: and when they had made an end of them, they turned also against one another, and destroyed one another. And when Juda came to the watch tower, that looketh toward the desert, they saw afar off all the country, for a great space, full of dead bodies, and that no one was left that could escape death.

### The Valley of Blessing, Triumphal Entry, and Regional Peace

Then Josaphat came, and all the people with him to take away the spoils of the dead, and they found among the dead bodies, stuff of various kinds, and garments, and most precious vessels: and they took them for themselves, insomuch that they could not carry all, nor in three days take away the spoils, the booty was so great. And on the fourth day they were assembled in the valley of Blessing: for there they blessed the Lord, and therefore they called that place the valley of Blessing until this day. And every man of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem returned, and Josaphat at their head, into Jerusalem with great joy, because the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. And they came into Jerusalem with psalteries, and harps, and trumpets into the house of the Lord. And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Josaphat was quiet, and God gave him peace round about.

### Josaphat’s Regnal Summary, Shipwreck at Asiongaber, and Eliezer’s Warning

And Josaphat reigned over Juda, and he was five and thirty years old, when he began to reign: and he reigned five and twenty years in Jerusalem: and the name of his mother was Azuba the daughter of Selahi. And he walked in the way of his father Asa and departed not from it, doing the things that were pleasing before the Lord. But yet he took not away the high places, and the people had not yet turned their heart to the Lord the God of their fathers. But the rest of the acts of Josaphat, first and last, are written in the words of Jehu the son of Hanani, which he digested into the books of the kings of Israel. After these things Josaphat king of Juda made friendship with Ochozias king of Israel, whose works were very wicked. And he was partner with him in making ships, to go to Tharsis: and they made the ships in Asiongaber. And Eliezer the son of Dodau of Maresa prophesied to Josaphat, saying: Because thou hast made a league with Ochozias, the Lord hath destroyed thy works, and the ships are broken, and they could not go to Tharsis.

The story inside

Context: Following the spiritual and judicial consolidation of Juda recounted in chapter 19, King Josaphat faced an existential military emergency when a massive allied confederacy of Moabites, Ammonites, and inhabitants of Mount Seir advanced across the Dead Sea to Asasonthamar (Engaddi).

Stakes: Outnumbered and lacking military strength to withstand the overwhelming horde, Josaphat stood before God with all Juda—including their wives, infants, and children—seeking divine intervention rather than worldly diplomacy or despair.

Action: Seized with fear, Josaphat proclaimed a national fast and gathered all Juda into the courts of the temple. Standing before the assembly, he offered a profound theological prayer invoking God's supreme sovereignty, the covenant promise to Abraham, the sanctuary prayer of Solomon, and Israel's past mercy in sparing Ammon, Moab, and Edom during the Exodus. He concluded with complete abandonment to providence: 'as we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to thee.' In the midst of the congregation, the spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the Levite, who commanded Juda not to fear, proclaiming: 'the battle is not yours, but God's.' Jahaziel instructed them to march down the following day to the ascent of Sis by the wilderness of Jeruel, not to fight, but to stand with confidence and witness the salvation of the Lord. In response, Josaphat and all the people prostrated themselves in worship while the Levites sang praises on high. Rising early the next morning to march into the desert of Thecua, Josaphat placed singers before the advancing army to chant, 'Give glory to the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever.' The moment their praises began, God turned the ambushments of the invaders against themselves: the Ammonites and Moabites slaughtered the men of Mount Seir, and then turned fiercely upon one another until the entire host lay dead.

Consequence: Reaching the desert watchtower, the men of Juda found only a field of corpses. For three full days they collected immense booty consisting of rich garments, precious vessels, and spoils, assembling on the fourth day in the Valley of Blessing to praise God before returning to Jerusalem in triumph with harps, trumpets, and psalteries. Divine dread fell upon all neighbouring nations, securing uninterrupted peace for the remainder of Josaphat's twenty-five-year reign. However, his final years were marred by a commercial maritime partnership with the wicked King Ochozias of Israel to build ships for Tharsis at Asiongaber; the prophet Eliezer rebuked the unholy league, and the fleet was wrecked in harbor before it could sail.

Limits: This chapter chronicles the miraculous deliverance at the Valley of Blessing, Josaphat's regnal summary, and the destruction of the fleet at Asiongaber; the accession, fratricidal purges, and idolatry of his son Joram are recorded in chapter 21.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The power of communal prayer, fasting, and total surrender: Faced with overwhelming odds, Josaphat assembled the entire nation, confessing human helplessness ('we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to thee') and securing supernatural intervention through humble reliance on God's covenant promises.
2
Worship and thanksgiving as spiritual weapons: Placing singers at the head of the army to praise God's eternal mercy before the battle unfolded demonstrated radical faith, triggering divine confusion among the enemy ranks.
3
The recurring danger of unholy commercial and political entanglements: Even after witnessing miraculous deliverance, Josaphat compromised by forming a shipbuilding venture with the wicked Ochozias of Israel, prompting divine disruption through the shipwreck at Asiongaber.

Test your recall

What Levite delivered God's prophecy that the battle was not theirs but God's, what chant did the singers sing before the army, and why were Josaphat's ships broken at Asiongaber?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 46018–46065
20:1. After this the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them of the Ammonites, were gathered together to fight against Josaphat. 20:2. And there came messengers, and told Josaphat, saying: There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea, and out of Syria, and behold they are in Asasonthamar, which is Engaddi. 20:3. And Josaphat being seized with fear betook himself wholly to pray to the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Juda. 20:4. And Juda gathered themselves together to pray to the Lord: and all came out of their cities to make supplication to him. 20:5. And Josaphat stood in the midst of the assembly of Juda, and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord before the new court, 20:6. And said: O Lord God of our fathers, thou art God in heaven, and rulest over all the kingdoms and nations, in thy hand is strength and power, and no one can resist thee. 20:7. Didst not thou our God kill all the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? 20:8. And they dwelt in it, and built in it a sanctuary to thy name, saying: 20:9. If evils fall upon us, the sword of judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand in thy presence before this house, in which thy name is called upon: and we will cry to thee in our afflictions, and thou wilt hear, and save us. 20:10. Now therefore behold the children of Ammon, and of Moab, and mount Seir, through whose lands thou didst not allow Israel to pass, when they came out of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and slew them not, 20:11. Do the contrary, and endeavour to cast us out of the possession which thou hast delivered to us. 20:12. O our God, wilt thou not then judge them? as for us we have not strength enough, to be able to resist this multitude, which cometh violently upon us. But as we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to thee. 20:13. And all Juda stood before the Lord with their little ones, and their wives, and their children.
Lines 46067–46090
20:14. And Jahaziel the son of Zacharias, the son of Banaias, the son of Jehiel, the son of Mathanias, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, was there, upon whom the spirit of the Lord came in the midst of the multitude, 20:15. And he said: Attend ye, all Juda, and you that dwell in Jerusalem, and thou king Josaphat: Thus saith the Lord to you: Fear ye not, and be not dismayed at this multitude: for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 20:16. To morrow you shall go down against them: for they will come up by the ascent named Sis, and you shall find them at the head of the torrent, which is over against the wilderness of Jeruel. 20:17. It shall not be you that shall fight, but only stand with confidence, and you shall see the help of the Lord over you, O Juda, and Jerusalem: fear ye not, nor be you dismayed: to morrow you shall go out against them, and the Lord will be with you. 20:18. Then Josaphat, and Juda, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell flat on the ground before the Lord, and adored him. 20:19. And the Levites of the sons of Caath, and of the sons of Core praised the Lord the God of Israel with a loud voice, on high.
Lines 46092–46115
20:20. And they rose early in the morning, and went out through the desert of Thecua: and as they were marching, Josaphat standing in the midst of them, said: Hear me, ye men of Juda, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be secure: believe his prophets, and all things shall succeed well. 20:21. And he gave counsel to the people, and appointed the singing men of the Lord, to praise him by their companies, and to go before the army, and with one voice to say: Give glory to the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever. 20:22. And when they began to sing praises, the Lord turned their ambushments upon themselves, that is to say, of the children of Ammon, and of Moab, and of mount Seir, who were come out to fight against Juda, and they were slain. 20:23. For the children of Ammon, and of Moab, rose up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, to kill and destroy them: and when they had made an end of them, they turned also against one another, and destroyed one another. 20:24. And when Juda came to the watch tower, that looketh toward the desert, they saw afar off all the country, for a great space, full of dead bodies, and that no one was left that could escape death.
Lines 46117–46138
20:25. Then Josaphat came, and all the people with him to take away the spoils of the dead, and they found among the dead bodies, stuff of various kinds, and garments, and most precious vessels: and they took them for themselves, insomuch that they could not carry all, nor in three days take away the spoils, the booty was so great. 20:26. And on the fourth day they were assembled in the valley of Blessing: for there they blessed the Lord, and therefore they called that place the valley of Blessing until this day. 20:27. And every man of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem returned, and Josaphat at their head, into Jerusalem with great joy, because the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. 20:28. And they came into Jerusalem with psalteries, and harps, and trumpets into the house of the Lord. 20:29. And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 20:30. And the kingdom of Josaphat was quiet, and God gave him peace round about.
Lines 46140–46163
20:31. And Josaphat reigned over Juda, and he was five and thirty years old, when he began to reign: and he reigned five and twenty years in Jerusalem: and the name of his mother was Azuba the daughter of Selahi. 20:32. And he walked in the way of his father Asa and departed not from it, doing the things that were pleasing before the Lord. 20:33. But yet he took not away the high places, and the people had not yet turned their heart to the Lord the God of their fathers. 20:34. But the rest of the acts of Josaphat, first and last, are written in the words of Jehu the son of Hanani, which he digested into the books of the kings of Israel. 20:35. After these things Josaphat king of Juda made friendship with Ochozias king of Israel, whose works were very wicked. 20:36. And he was partner with him in making ships, to go to Tharsis: and they made the ships in Asiongaber. 20:37. And Eliezer the son of Dodau of Maresa prophesied to Josaphat, saying: Because thou hast made a league with Ochozias, the Lord hath destroyed thy works, and the ships are broken, and they could not go to Tharsis.