War against Edom
1 Some time later the armies of Moab and Ammon, together with their allies, the Meunites, invaded Judah. 2 Some messengers came and announced to King Jehoshaphat: “A large army from Edom has come from the other side of the Dead Sea to attack you. They have already captured Hazazon Tamar.” (This is another name for Engedi.) 3 Jehoshaphat was frightened and prayed to the Lord for guidance. Then he gave orders for a fast to be observed throughout the country. 4 From every city of Judah people hurried to Jerusalem to ask the Lord for guidance, 5 and they and the people of Jerusalem gathered in the new courtyard of the Temple. King Jehoshaphat went and stood before them 6 and prayed aloud, “O Lord God of our ancestors, you rule in heaven over all the nations of the world. You are powerful and mighty, and no one can oppose you. 7 You are our God. When your people Israel moved into this land, you drove out the people who were living here and gave the land to the descendants of Abraham, your friend, to be theirs forever. 8 They have lived here and have built a temple to honor you, knowing 9 that if any disaster struck them to punish them—a war, an epidemic, or a famine—then they could come and stand in front of this Temple where you are worshiped. They could pray to you in their trouble, and you would hear them and rescue them.
10 “Now the people of Ammon, Moab, and Edom have attacked us. When our ancestors came out of Egypt, you did not allow them to enter those lands, so our ancestors went around them and did not destroy them. 11 This is how they repay us—they come to drive us out of the land that you gave us. 12 You are our God! Punish them, for we are helpless in the face of this large army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you for help.”
13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children, were standing there at the Temple. 14 The spirit of the Lord came upon a Levite who was present in the crowd. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah; he was a member of the clan of Asaph and was descended from Asaph through Mattaniah, Jeiel, and Benaiah. 15 Jahaziel said, “Your Majesty and all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, the Lord says that you must not be discouraged or be afraid to face this large army. The battle depends on God, not on you. 16 Attack them tomorrow as they come up the pass at Ziz. You will meet them at the end of the valley that leads to the wild country near Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Just take up your positions and wait; you will see the Lord give you victory. People of Judah and Jerusalem, do not hesitate or be afraid. Go out to battle, and the Lord will be with you!”
18 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low, with his face touching the ground, and all the people bowed with him and worshiped the Lord. 19 The members of the Levite clans of Kohath and Korah stood up and with a loud shout praised the Lord, the God of Israel.
20 Early the next morning the people went out to the wild country near Tekoa. As they were starting out, Jehoshaphat addressed them with these words: “People of Judah and Jerusalem! Put your trust in the Lord your God, and you will stand your ground. Believe what his prophets tell you, and you will succeed.” 21 After consulting with the people, the king ordered some musicians to put on the robes they wore on sacred occasions and to march ahead of the army, singing: “Praise the Lord! His love is eternal!”
22 When they began to sing, the Lord threw the invading armies into a panic. 23 The Ammonites and the Moabites attacked the Edomite army and completely destroyed it, and then they turned on each other in savage fighting. 24 When the Judean army reached a tower that was in the desert, they looked toward the enemy and saw that they were all lying on the ground dead. Not one had escaped.
25 Jehoshaphat and his troops moved in to take the loot, and they found many cattle, supplies, clothing, and other valuable objects. They spent three days gathering the loot, but there was so much that they could not take everything. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in Beracah Valley and praised the Lord for all he had done. That is why the valley is called “Beracah.” 27 Jehoshaphat led his troops back to Jerusalem in triumph, because the Lord had defeated their enemies. 28 When they reached the city, they marched to the Temple to the music of harps and trumpets. 29 Every nation that heard how the Lord had defeated Israel's enemies was terrified, 30 so Jehoshaphat ruled in peace, and God gave him security on every side.
The End of Jehoshaphat's Reign
(1 Kings 22.41-50)31 Jehoshaphat had become king of Judah at the age of thirty-five and had ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 32 Like his father Asa before him, he did what was right in the sight of the Lord; 33 but the pagan places of worship were not destroyed. The people still did not turn wholeheartedly to the worship of the God of their ancestors.
34 Everything else that Jehoshaphat did, from the beginning of his reign to its end, is recorded in The History of Jehu Son of Hanani which is a part of The History of the Kings of Israel.
35 At one time King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who did many wicked things. 36 At the port of Eziongeber they built ocean-going ships. 37 But Eliezer son of Dodavahu, from the town of Mareshah, warned Jehoshaphat, “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have built.” And the ships were wrecked and never sailed.
Josafat ta taataa Ovamoab nOvaammoni
1 Konima yoinima ei ovana vaMoab novana vaAmmoni napamwe navo ovanhu vamwe vehe fi Ovaammoni ve uya okulwifa Josafat. 2 Josafat eshi a shiivifilwa oshinima eshi taku tiwa: “Eengudu dihapu tadi di kombinga inya yefuta, kuEdom, tadi uya oku ku lwifa, ndele tala, vo aveshe ve li muHaseson-Tamar, nokutya muEngedi,” 3 Josafat okwa tila nokwe liameka okukonga Omwene nokwa vilikila muJuda ashishe efiku lelidiliko. 4 NOvajuda va ongala va ka konge ekwafo lOmwene; moilando aishe yomuJuda ove uya okukonga Omwene. 5 Opo nee Josafat okwa ya, ta kala ofika mokati koshiongalele shomuJuda noshomuJerusalem, mongulu yOmwene, komesho yolupale lipe, 6 ndele ta ti: “Omwene Kalunga kootate, Oove Kalunga komeulu, ndele Oove omupangeli woilongo aishe yoiwana. Heeno, meke loye omu neenghono nouladi, onghee hano kape na ou ta dulu oku ku kondjifa. 7 Haave Kalunga ketu, wa taataa oonakukalamo medu eli komesho yovanhu voye Ovaisraeli, ndele we li yandja fiyo alushe koludalo laAbraham, kaume koye? 8 Ndele va tula mo mulo, ndele ve ku tungila mo otembeli okefimano ledina loye, tava ti: 9 ‘Ngeenge hatu hangika komupya ile keongamukonda ile kehandukilo ile koudu u nolutapo ile kondjala, opo hatu holoka komesho yongulu ei nokoshipala shoye, osheshi edina loye li li mongulu ei noku ku ifana moudjuu wetu, opo Ove u tu kwafe noku tu xupifa.’ 10 Ndele tala, ovana vaAmmoni novana vaMoab novanhu vokeemhunda daSeir paife ove li apa, monhele yavo Ove ino itavela Ovaisraeli va taulule mo, vo eshi va dja medu laEgipiti. Ndelenee ve va dingilila ndele inave va hanauna po. 11 Heeno, tala, paife tave uya ve tu alulile owii noku tu taataa mo moshilongo shetu, osho twe shi pewa kwOove. 12 Kalunga ketu, ito va tokola? Osheshi mufye kamu neenghono okulwifa ongudu inene tai tu homona. Ndele inatu shiiva eshi tu nokuninga, ndelenee omesho etu taa tale kwoove.”
13 NOvajuda aveshe va kala ofika koshipala shOmwene pamwe nounona vavo novalikadi vavo novana vavo ovamati. 14 Opo nee Omhepo yOmwene ye uya mokati koshiongalele, kuJahasiel yaSakaria yaBenaja yaJeiel yaMattanja, Omulevi, womoludalo laAsaf, 15 ndele ye ta ti: “Pwilikineni amushe nye vomuJuda noonakukalamo muJerusalem, naave yo, ohamba Josafat! Omwene te mu lombwele ngaha: ‘Inamu tila, inamu haluka molwongudu oyo inene, osheshi olwoodi kali fi leni, ndelenee olaKalunga. 16 Mongula indeni mu ke va lwife. Tala, vo tave uya noshikulundu shaSis, ndele tamu ke va shakeneka komunghulo wefilu koushilo wombuwa yaJeruel. 17 Hanye tamu ka lwa. Fikameni, kaleni mu li ofika ndele taleni nhumbi Omwene te mu xupifa, nye Ovajuda noonakukalamo muJerusalem.’ Inamu tila ndele inamu haluka. Mongula fikameni mu va homone, nOmwene ta ka kala pamwe nanye.”
18 Opo nee Josafat e linyongamena oshipala shaye poshi, nOvajuda aveshe noonakukalamo muJerusalem va wila eombe koshipala shOmwene, va ilikana Omwene. 19 NOvalevi vomovana Ovakohati novomovana Ovakora, va kala ofika va hambelele Omwene, Kalunga kaIsrael nondaka inene.
20 Va fikama ongula inene ndele va ya mombuwa yaTekoa. Ndele fimbo tava fikama Josafat a kala ofika ndele ta ti: “Pwilikinei nge, nye Ovajuda noonakukala muJerusalem! Itaveleni Omwene, Kalunga keni, opo nee tamu ka kala mwa pama. Itaveleni ovaxunganeki vaye, opo nee tamu ka kala nelao.” 21 Ndele ye okwa kundafana novanhu nokwa tula ovaimbi okuhambelela Omwene, va djala omidjalo diyapuki ndele tava piti komesho yovakwaita tava imbi tava ti: “Hambeleleni Omwene, osheshi onghenda yaye tai kalelele fiyo alushe!” 22 Ndele eshi va hovela okunyakukwa nokwiimba eimbilo lehambelelo, Omwene okwa tula ovanhu va ninge ekulwila konima yovana vaAmmoni novaMoab novovanhu vokeemhunda daSeir, ava ve uya okulwifa Ovajuda, ndele va tewa po. 23 Shaashi ovana vaAmmoni novaMoab va hovela okulwifa ovanhu vokeemhunda daSeir, ve va hanaunune po noku va mana po. Ndele eshi va mana po ovanhu vokeemhunda daSeir, ove lipilukila mokulidipaa. 24 NOvajuda eshi ve uya monhele omo va dula okutala ombuwa, ndele eshi va tala ongudu, va mona oimhu ya nangala pedu, ndele kapa li nande umwe a xupa po. 25 Opo nee Josafat novakwaita vaye ve uya okutinha oixuulwa, ndele va mona oinima ihapu, oikutu noinima i nondilo. Ndele va tinha ihapu unene, va nyengwa oku i humbata. Nomafiku atatu va ongela oixuulwa, oyo ya li ihapu. 26 Ndele mefiku etine va ongala mEfilu lehambelelo, osheshi oko va hambelela Omwene, onghee hano va ifana onhele oyo Efilu lEhambelelo fiyo onena eli. 27 Opo nee ovalumenhu aveshe vomuJuda novomuJerusalem naJosafat komesho yavo va shuna nehafo kuJerusalem. Osheshi Omwene e va hafifa molwovatondadi vavo. 28 Ndele ve uya kongulu yOmwene muJerusalem nokushika ouxumbafeta neenyalilo nomanghuma. 29 Ehaluko linene okutila Kalunga la li kombada yoilongo aishe yoiwana, eshi va uda nokutya, Omwene okwa lwifa ovatondadi vaIsrael. 30 Opo nee oshilongo shaJosafat sha mona ombili, naKalunga kaye e mu pa etulumuko keembinga adishe.
Ehangano laJosafat naAhasia
31 Ndele Josafat okwa pangela Juda. Omido daye da li omilongo nhatu nanhano eshi a ninga ohamba, nokwa pangela omido omilongo mbali nanhano muJerusalem. Nedina laina la li Asuba yaSilhi. 32 Ndele ye okwa enda nondjila yaxe Asa, ndele ina yapuka mo nande nokwa ninga eshi sha yuka moipafi yOmwene. 33 Noikulundu yokuyambela ye ine i hanauna po. Ovanhu inava ameka natango omitima davo kuKalunga kooxe. 34 Noinima imwe tai hepaulula Josafat, inya yotete naai yaxuuninwa, tala, yo oya shangwa mehepaululo laJehu yaHanani, lo la tulwa membo leehamba daIsrael.
35 Ndelenee konima yoinima ei Josafat, ohamba yaJuda, ya ninga ehangano naAhasia, ohamba yaIsrael, yo ya li ihe na Kalunga mokukala kwayo. 36 Vo ova udafana va pangele eeskepa di ye kuTarsis. Ndele va pangela eeskepa muEsion-Geber. 37 Ndelenee Elieser yaDodava womuMaresa a xunganekela Josafat te mu popi ta ti: “Ove eshi wa ninga ehangano naAhasia, Omwene ota teya po oshilonga shoye.” Neeskepa oda nyonauka, onghee da nyengwa okuya kuTarsis.
