2 Chronicles 20:20–21:1 (October 8, 2025)

20:20 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” 21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,

“Give thanks to the Lord,

for his steadfast love endures forever.”

22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 23 For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.

The Lord Delivers Judah

24 When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there[e] were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. 25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah,[f] for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. 28 They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. 29 And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.

31 Thus Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 He walked in the way of Asa his father and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. 33 The high places, however, were not taken away; the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Jehu the son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

The End of Jehoshaphat's Reign

35 After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. 36 He joined him in building ships to go to Tarshish, and they built the ships in Ezion-geber. 37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.

Jehoram Reigns in Judah

21 Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

Victory Through Worship: God Fights for His People

Summary

The story of Judah’s deliverance begins the day before the battle. News had reached Jerusalem that a vast coalition of Moabites, Ammonites, and men from Mount Seir was marching up from Edom. They had already reached En Gedi, which is only a day’s march away. Terrified, King Jehoshaphat did not turn to his army or his alliances, but to God. He proclaimed a nationwide fast, and the people gathered in the temple to seek the Lord together (20:3–4).

Standing before the assembly, Jehoshaphat prayed one of Scripture’s most remarkable prayers of trust:

It was a confession of helplessness and of absolute faith. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon the Levite Jahaziel, who delivered God’s promise:

The people bowed down in worship, and the Levites stood up to praise the Lord “with a very loud voice” (20:19). The day that began with fear ended with faith-filled worship.

This day was indeed the moment when faith became obedience. Jehoshaphat and all Judah rose early and set out for the wilderness of Tekoa. They were not marching to war in confidence of their numbers or weapons, but in confidence of God’s Word. Before the troops moved forward, the king addressed them:

Then, in one of Scripture’s most astounding acts of trust, Jehoshaphat appointed singers to go before the army, leading the procession with worship rather than weapons. Their battle cry was a song of thanksgiving:

As they began to sing and praise, the Lord Himself set ambushes among their enemies. Confusion broke out, and the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir turned against one another until none were left standing (vv. 22–23).

When Judah reached the watchtower in the wilderness, they looked out over the valley and saw only the fallen. Not one enemy had escaped. It took three days to collect the abundant spoil of gold, garments, and precious goods. On the fourth day, they assembled in the Valley of Beracah (Blessing) to bless the Lord (v. 26).

Then, with harps, lyres, and trumpets, they returned to Jerusalem rejoicing, for “the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies” (v. 27). The fear of God fell on all surrounding kingdoms, and Jehoshaphat’s reign was marked by peace, for God gave him rest on every side (v. 30). When he died, his son Jehoram succeeded him (21:1).

Who is God?

God is the Warrior who fights through our worship. He conquers not by human weapons but by divine power. His strength is revealed through the praises of His people. When they sing of His steadfast love, He rises to act on their behalf. The God who spoke creation into existence also brings deliverance through the voices of faith. He alone turns fear into thanksgiving, chaos into harmony, and battlefields into places of blessing. He is not just the God who wins wars. He is the God who wins hearts through worship. His steadfast love truly endures forever.

What is our guilt?

We often prepare for life’s battles with strategies rather than "songs." We look for strength in numbers, influence, or control instead of resting in faith. We forget that worship is not a response to victory. It is often the means by which God brings victory. Like Jehoshaphat before the crisis, we may fast and pray, but when the time comes to act, we often rely on sight, rather than faith. Our guilt lies in doubting that thanksgiving and praise are powerful weapons in spiritual warfare. We forget that God is most glorified when His people trust Him enough to sing before the outcome is seen.

How does grace shine?

Grace shines in the One who leads His people into battle, not with commands to fight but with the call to worship. Jesus Christ is the greater Jehoshaphat who went before His people, facing the true enemies—sin, death, and Satan. At the cross, He did not draw a sword but offered Himself in obedient faith. His apparent weakness became our triumph. Through His resurrection, He transformed the valley of death into a valley of blessing.

Now, in every trial, we follow our King who sings over us.

Our worship is not wishful thinking but faith in the God who has already conquered. In Christ, our songs of thanksgiving are the sound of victory already secured.

Prayer

O Lord, you are the God who fights for us and turns fear into praise.

We confess that we often trust our own strength and forget that worship is warfare.

Forgive us for singing only after we see results, instead of before.

Thank you for Jesus Christ, our victorious King,

who won salvation through the cross and leads us in triumphal procession.

Teach us to sing in faith, to bless your name in hardship,

and to trust that the battle belongs to you.

May our valleys become valleys of blessing as we give thanks for your steadfast love.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.