2 Chronicles 20:15-20

20:15 He said: “Pay attention, all you people of Judah, ¹  residents of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Don’t be afraid and don’t panic ²  because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 20:16 Tomorrow march down against them as ³  they come up the Ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the ravine in front of the Desert of Jeruel. 20:17 You will not fight in this battle. Take your positions, stand, and watch the Lord deliver you, ⁴  O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! ⁵  Tomorrow march out toward them; the Lord is with you!’”

20:18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground, and all the people of Judah ⁶  and the residents of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord and worshiped him. ⁷  20:19 Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the Lord God of Israel. ⁸ 

20:20 Early the next morning they marched out to the Desert of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, you people of Judah ⁹  and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe! ¹⁰  Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.”

[20:15]  ¹ tn Heb “all Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the people of Judah. Unlike the previous instance in v. 13 where infants, wives, and children are mentioned separately, this reference appears to include them all.

[20:15]  ² tn Or perhaps “don’t get discouraged.”

[20:16]  ³ tn Heb “look.”

[20:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “the deliverance of the Lord with you.”

[20:17]  ⁵ tn Or perhaps “don’t get discouraged.”

[20:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “all Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See the note on the word “Judah” in v. 15.

[20:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “to worship the Lord.”

[20:19]  ⁸ tn Heb “arose to praise the Lord God of Israel with a very loud voice.”

[20:20]  ⁹ tn Heb “O Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See the note on the word “Judah” in v. 15.

[20:20]  ¹⁰ tn There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text. The Hiphil verb form הַאֲמִינוּ (ha’aminu, “trust”) and the Niphal form תֵאָמֵנוּ (te’amenu, “you will be safe”) come from the same verbal root (אָמַן, ’aman).