2 Chronicles 20:17–23

20:17 You will not fight in this battle. Take your positions, stand, and watch the Lord deliver you,27 O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid and don’t panic!28 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 Judah29 and the residents of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord and worshiped him.30 20:19 Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the Lord God of Israel.31

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 Judah32 and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe!33 Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.” 20:21 He met34 with the people and appointed musicians to play before the Lord and praise his majestic splendor. As they marched ahead of the warriors they said: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his loyal love endures.”35

20:22 When they began to shout and praise, the Lord suddenly attacked36 the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir37 who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 20:23 The Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men from Mount Seir38 and annihilated them.39 When they had finished off the men40 of Seir, they attacked and destroyed one another.41

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27	tn Heb “the deliverance of the Lord with you.”
28	tn Or perhaps “don’t get discouraged.”
29	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.
30	tn Heb “to worship the Lord.”
31	tn Heb “arose to praise the Lord God of Israel with a very loud voice.”
32	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.
33	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).
34	tn Or “consulted.”
35	tn Or “is eternal.”
36	tn Heb “set ambushers against.” This is probably idiomatic here for launching a surprise attack.
37	tn Heb “the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir.”
38	tn Heb “the sons of Ammon and Moab stood against the residents of Mount Seir.”
39	tn Heb “to annihilate and to destroy.”
40	tn Heb “residents.”
41	tn Heb “they helped, each one his fellow, for destruction.” The verb עָזַר (’azar), traditionally understood as the well-attested verb meaning “to help,” is an odd fit in this context. It is possible that it is from a homonymic root, perhaps meaning to “attack.” This root is attested in Ugaritic in a nominal form meaning “young man, warrior, hero.” For a discussion of the proposed root, see HALOT 811 s.v. II עזר.