They defeated all the cities surrounding Gerar, for the <sc>Lordsc> caused them to panic.<n id="1" /> The men of Judah<n id="2" /> looted all the cities, for they contained a huge amount of goods.<n id="3" />

He met<n id="1" /> Asa and told him, &#8220;Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! The <sc>Lordsc> is with you when you are loyal to him.<n id="2" /> If you seek him, he will respond to you,<n id="3" /> but if you reject him, he will reject you.

<p class="bodytext">He assembled all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the settlers<n id="1" /> from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had come to live with them. Many people from Israel had come there to live<n id="2" /> when they saw that the <sc>Lordsc> his God was with him.

Certainly<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> watches the whole earth carefully<n id="2" /> and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him.<n id="3" /> You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war.

Micaiah<n id="1" /> replied, &#8220;I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the <sc>Lordsc> said, &#8216;They have no master. They should go home in peace.&#8217;&#8221;

The <sc>Lordsc> said, &#8216;Who will deceive King Ahab of Israel, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?&#8217; One said this and another that.

Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, &#8220;Which way did the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?&#8221;

When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, &#8220;He must be the king of Israel!&#8221; So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. The <sc>Lordsc> helped him; God lured them away from him.

Whenever your countrymen who live in the cities bring a case before you<n id="1" /> (whether it involves a violent crime<n id="2" /> or other matters related to the law, commandments, rules, and regulations), warn them that they must not sin against the <sc>Lordsc>. If you fail to do so, God will be angry with you and your colleagues; but if you obey, you will be free of guilt.<n id="3" />

He prayed: &#8220;O <sc>Lordsc> God of our ancestors,<n id="1" /> you are the God who lives in heaven<n id="2" /> and rules over all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess strength and power; no one can stand against you.

Then in the midst of the assembly, the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s Spirit came upon Jachaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph.

He said: &#8220;Pay attention, all you people of Judah,<n id="1" /> residents of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says to you: &#8216;Don&#8217;t be afraid and don&#8217;t panic<n id="2" /> because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God&#8217;s.

<p class="bodytext">Early the next morning they marched out to the Desert of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: &#8220;Listen to me, you people of Judah<n id="1" /> and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the <sc>Lordsc> your God and you will be safe!<n id="2" /> Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, where<n id="1" /> they praised the <sc>Lordsc>. So that place is called the Valley of Berachah<n id="2" /> to this very day.

Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, &#8220;Because<n id="1" /> you made an alliance with Ahaziah, the <sc>Lordsc> will shatter what you have made.&#8221; The ships were wrecked and unable to go to sea.<n id="2" />p>

But the <sc>Lordsc> was unwilling to destroy David&#8217;s dynasty<n id="1" /> because of the promise<n id="2" /> he had made to give David a perpetual dynasty.<n id="3" />p>

So Edom has remained free from Judah&#8217;s control to this very day.<n id="1" /> At that same time Libnah also rebelled and freed themselves from Judah&#8217;s control<n id="2" /> because Jehoram<n id="3" /> rejected the <sc>Lordsc> God of his ancestors.

<p class="bodytext">Jehoram<n id="1" /> received this letter from Elijah the prophet: &#8220;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> God of your ancestor David says: &#8216;You<n id="2" /> have not followed in the footsteps<n id="3" /> of your father Jehoshaphat and of<n id="4" /> King Asa of Judah,

<p class="bodytext">God brought about Ahaziah&#8217;s downfall through his visit to Joram.<n id="1" /> When Ahaziah<n id="2" /> arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the <sc>Lordsc> had commissioned<n id="3" /> to wipe out Ahab&#8217;s family.<n id="4" />

He looked for Ahaziah, who was captured while hiding in Samaria.<n id="1" /> They brought him to Jehu and then executed him. They did give him a burial, for they reasoned,<n id="2" /> &#8220;He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the <sc>Lordsc> with his whole heart.&#8221; There was no one in Ahaziah&#8217;s family strong enough to rule in his place.<n id="3" />p>