וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי־כֵן בָּאוּ בְנֵי־מוֹאָב וּבְנֵי עַמּוֹן וְעִמָּהֶם מֵהָעַמּוֹנִים עַל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט לַמִּלְחָמָה

It was some years thereafter, not directly connected to the previous events, that the children of Moav, and the children of Amon, and with them some Amonites, a different nation of this name that may have dwelled in areas near the kingdom of Amon, all came together from the east against Yehoshafat to war.

וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיַּגִּידוּ לִיהוֹשָׁפָט לֵאמֹר בָּא עָלֶיךָ הָמוֹן רָב מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם מֵאֲרָם וְהִנָּם בְּחַצְצוֹן תָּמָר הִיא עֵין גֶּדִי

They came and told Yehoshafat, saying: A great horde has come against you from across the Dead Sea, from Aram. Apparently, the kingdom of Aram also supported this attack, since Yehoshafat had fought Aram alongside Ahav and had failed to defeat them. It is possible that these kingdoms, which came from east of the Jordan, went past the Dead Sea as they moved southward on the eastern side of the Jordan. And, behold, they are in Hatzetzon Tamar, which is Ein Gedi, as they have chosen to encamp in a place where there is water.

וַיִּרָא וַיִּתֵּן יְהוֹשָׁפָט אֶת־פָּנָיו לִדְרוֹשׁ לַה' וַיִּקְרָא־צוֹם עַל־כָּל־יְהוּדָה

Yehoshafat was afraid of the united front of these kingdoms and their large army, and directed his attention to seek the Lord; and he proclaimed a fast, a day on which people would come together for communal prayers and supplication, throughout all Judah.

וַיִּקָּבְצוּ יְהוּדָה לְבַקֵּשׁ מֵה' גַּם מִכָּל־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה בָּאוּ לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־ה'

The men of Judah gathered to beseech the Lord; first and foremost, the leaders in Jerusalem, and they came to seek the Lord also from all the other cities of Judah.

וַיַּעֲמֹד יְהוֹשָׁפָט בִּקְהַל יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם בְּבֵית ה' לִפְנֵי הֶחָצֵר הַחֲדָשָׁה

Yehoshafat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the House of the Lord, before the new courtyard, one of the new courtyards that was inaugurated after the reign of Solomon,

וַיֹּאמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵינוּ הֲלֹא אַתָּה־הוּא אֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וְאַתָּה מוֹשֵׁל בְּכֹל מַמְלְכוֹת הַגּוֹיִם וּבְיָדְךָ כֹּחַ וּגְבוּרָה וְאֵין עִמְּךָ לְהִתְיַצֵּב

and said: Lord, God of our fathers, truly You are God in heaven, and You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations; in Your hand is power and might, and no one can withstand You.

הֲלֹא אַתָּה אֱלֹהֵינוּ הוֹרַשְׁתָּ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת מִלִּפְנֵי עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַתִּתְּנָהּ לְזֶרַע אַבְרָהָם אֹהַבְךָ לְעוֹלָם

Truly You are our God; You dispossessed the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your beloved as their inheritance forever.

וַיֵּשְׁבוּ־בָהּ וַיִּבְנוּ לְךָ בָּהּ מִקְדָּשׁ לְשִׁמְךָ לֵאמֹר׃

They settled in it, and built You a Sanctuary in it for Your name, saying that this is one of the purposes of the Temple, as described in Solomon’s prayer:

אִם־תָּבוֹא עָלֵינוּ רָעָה חֶרֶב שְׁפוֹט וְדֶבֶר וְרָעָב נַעַמְדָה לִפְנֵי הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה וּלְפָנֶיךָ כִּי שִׁמְךָ בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה וְנִזְעַק אֵלֶיךָ מִצָּרָתֵנוּ וְתִשְׁמַע וְתוֹשִׁיעַ

If evil should come upon us, a punishing sword, the sword that punishes through war, or alternatively, the sword of judgment, e.g., drought; or pestilence, a general term for a disease that deteriorates into a plague; or famine, we will stand before this House, and before You, as Your name is in this House, and cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear and grant salvation.

וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה בְנֵי־עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב וְהַר־שֵׂעִיר אֲשֶׁר לֹא־נָתַתָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לָבוֹא בָהֶם בְּבֹאָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם כִּי סָרוּ מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא הִשְׁמִידוּם

Now, behold the children of Amon and Moav and Mount Se’ir, the place of the children of Edom. Although the Edomites were not listed above, it appears that the unified forces of the countries east of the Jordan included them as well. Some commentaries suggest that the “Aram” mentioned earlier is a nation from the land of Edom. These are nations among whom You did not allow Israel to come through their territory, when they came from the land of Egypt; instead, they, the children of Israel, indeed turned away from them, and did not destroy them. God did not permit Israel to pass through their lands against their will, and He certainly did not permit them to destroy those nations, which is why they still remained in their lands.

וְהִנֵּה הֵם גֹּמְלִים עָלֵינוּ לָבוֹא לְגָרְשֵׁנוּ מִיְּרֻשָּׁתְךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹרַשְׁתָּנוּ

Behold, instead of acknowledging that we spared them at a time when we could have done them harm, they repay us with evil, by coming to expel us from Your possession that You bequeathed us.

אֱלֹהֵינוּ הֲלֹא תִשְׁפָּט־בָּם כִּי אֵין בָּנוּ כֹּחַ לִפְנֵי הֶהָמוֹן הָרָב הַזֶּה הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ לֹא נֵדַע מַה־נַּעֲשֶׂה כִּי עָלֶיךָ עֵינֵינוּ

Our God, won’t You find them guilty and punish them? For we do not have strength before this great horde coming against us, and we do not know what to do; rather, our eyes are upon You for assistance.

וְכָל־יְהוּדָה עֹמְדִים לִפְנֵי ה'גַּם־טַפָּם נְשֵׁיהֶם וּבְנֵיהֶם

All the men of Judah were standing before the Lord in the Temple, even their young, their wives, and their older children. This was a great gathering of repentance, supplication, and prayer.

וְיַחֲזִיאֵל בֶּן־זְכַרְיָהוּ בֶּן־בְּנָיָה בֶּן־יְעִיאֵל בֶּן־מַתַּנְיָה הַלֵּוִי מִן־בְּנֵי אָסָף הָיְתָה עָלָיו רוּחַ ה'בְּתוֹךְ הַקָּהָל

The prophetic spirit of the Lord was upon Yahaziel, son of Zekharyahu, son of Benaya, son of Ye’iel, son of Matanya, the Levite, from the sons of Asaf, the well-known Temple singer, while he was standing in the midst of the assembly.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַקְשִׁיבוּ כָל־יְהוּדָה וְיֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְהַמֶּלֶךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָט כֹּה־אָמַר ה' לָכֶם אַתֶּם אַל־תִּירְאוּ וְאַל־תֵּחַתּוּ מִפְּנֵי הֶהָמוֹן הָרָב הַזֶּה כִּי לֹא לָכֶם הַמִּלְחָמָה כִּי לֵאלֹהִים

He said: Listen, all Judah, inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Yehoshafat; so said the Lord to you: Do not fear, and do not be frightened and demoralized due to this great horde, for the war is not yours, but it is God’s.

מָחָר רְדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם הִנָּם עֹלִים בְּמַעֲלֵה הַצִּיץ וּמְצָאתֶם אֹתָם בְּסוֹף הַנַּחַל פְּנֵי מִדְבַּר יְרוּאֵל

Tomorrow, descend upon them to battle; behold, they are ascending from Ein Gedi to the land of Judah at the ascent of Tzitz. You shall find them at the end of the ravine, before the wilderness of Yeruel.

לֹא לָכֶם לְהִלָּחֵם בּזֹאת הִתְיַצְּבוּ עִמְדוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת־יְשׁוּעַת ה' עִמָּכֶם יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם אַל־תִּירְאוּ וְאַל־תֵּחַתּוּ מָחָר צְאוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם וַה' עִמָּכֶם

It is not for you to fight in this battle; position yourselves, and stand and see the salvation of the Lord with you, Judah and Jerusalem; do not fear and do not be frightened; tomorrow, go out against them, as the Lord is with you.

וַיִּקֹּד יְהוֹשָׁפָט אַפַּיִם אָרְצָה וְכָל־יְהוּדָה וְיֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם נָפְלוּ לִפְנֵי ה' לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לַה'

This prophecy, which was a direct response to the prayers and supplications, encouraged and strengthened Yehoshafat and all those who had gathered with him. Yehoshafat bowed with his face to the ground, as a mark of gratitude, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, to prostrate themselves to the Lord.

וַיָּקֻמוּ הַלְוִיִּם מִן־בְּנֵי הַקְּהָתִים וּמִן־בְּנֵי הַקָּרְחִים לְהַלֵּל לַה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל לְמָעְלָה

The Levites, of the children of the Kehatites and of the children of the Korahites, from the sons of Korah, who earn special mention in several psalms, rose to praise the Lord, God of Israel, in an exceedingly loud voice.

וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַבֹּקֶר וַיֵּצְאוּ לְמִדְבַּר תְּקוֹעַ וּבְצֵאתָם עָמַד יְהוֹשָׁפָט וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמָעוּנִי יְהוּדָה וְיֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם! הַאֲמִינוּ בַּה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְתֵאָמֵנוּ הַאֲמִינוּ בִנְבִיאָיו וְהַצְלִיחוּ

They arose early in the morning, and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. In the region of the place called by that name today, the area facing eastward is indeed a wilderness. And as they went out Yehoshafat stood and said: Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: Have faith in the Lord your God, and your faith will be reinforced; it will become clear that your faith is firm; have faith in His prophets, and you will succeed. Yehoshafat relied both upon God and upon the words of His prophets.

וַיִּוָּעַץ אֶל־הָעָם וַיַּעֲמֵד מְשֹׁרְרִים לַה' וּמְהַלְלִים לְהַדְרַת קֹדֶשׁ בְּצֵאת לִפְנֵי הֶחָלוּץ וְאֹמְרִים הוֹדוּ לַה' כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ

He, Yehoshafat, consulted with the people, and he set singers to the Lord, praising with the grandeur of holiness, in sanctity that contains an awesome beauty, as they, the choir and orchestra went out before the army, saying: Give thanks to the Lord, for His kindness is forever. This was not a victory march, but rather an unusual way to go to war.

וּבְעֵת הֵחֵלּוּ בְרִנָּה וּתְהִלָּה נָתַן ה' מְאָרְבִים עַל־בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן מוֹאָב וְהַר־שֵׂעִיר הַבָּאִים לִיהוּדָה וַיִּנָּגֵפוּ

At the time that they began with song and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the children of Amon, Moav, and the highlands of Se’ir, who were coming to Judah for war, and they were routed. The identity of the members of this ambush is unclear, but in any case, as the enemy forces were composed of men from three different countries, they were insufficiently organized to deal with surprise attacks from various directions.

וַיַּעַמְדוּ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב עַל־יֹשְׁבֵי הַר־שֵׂעִיר לְהַחֲרִים וּלְהַשְׁמִיד וּכְכַלּוֹתָם בְּיוֹשְׁבֵי שֵׂעִיר עָזְרוּ אִישׁ בְּרֵעֵהוּ לְמַשְׁחִית

Even before the army of Judah arrived on the scene, the children of Amon and Moav stood against the inhabitants of the highlands of Se’ir, the Edomites, to annihilate and destroy them. They began fighting among themselves. The children of Amon and Moav may have suspected the Edomites of betrayal, as the Edomites had been subjugated to the Kingdom of Judah for many years. And when they had concluded with the attack against the inhabitants of Se’ir, and the battle had dispersed, each helped their partners to destroy his counterpart; alternatively, as a result of errors or out of a desire to settle old scores, they began fighting among themselves until they destroyed each other.

וִיהוּדָה בָּא עַל־הַמִּצְפֶּה לַמִּדְבָּר וַיִּפְנוּ אֶל־הֶהָמוֹן וְהִנָּם פְּגָרִים נֹפְלִים אַרְצָה וְאֵין פְּלֵיטָה

Judah came to the lookout, a high observation point of the wilderness, and they turned to the horde, and behold, they, their enemies, were corpses falling to the ground, and there were none remaining.

וַיָּבֹא יְהוֹשָׁפָט וְעַמּוֹ לָבֹז אֶת־שְׁלָלָם וַיִּמְצְאוּ בָהֶם לָרֹב וּרְכוּשׁ וּפְגָרִים וכְלֵי חֲמֻדוֹת וַיְנַצְּלוּ לָהֶם לְאֵין מַשָּׂא וַיִּהְיוּ יָמִים שְׁלוֹשָׁה בֹּזְזִים אֶת־הַשָּׁלָל כִּי רַב־הוּא

Yehoshafat and his people came to plunder their spoils, and they found among them an abundance; there was property, and corpses with precious gear upon them, such as valuable items and clothing; they stripped for themselves more than they could carry; they were plundering the spoils for three days, as it was abundant.

וּבַיּוֹם הָרְבִעִי נִקְהֲלוּ לְעֵמֶק בְּרָכָה כִּי שָׁם בֵּרְכוּ אֶת־ה' עַל־כֵּן קָרְאוּ אֶת־שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא עֵמֶק בְּרָכָה עַד־הַיּוֹם

On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakha, which was called by that name as there they blessed the Lord and thanked Him for the victory He granted them without them having to wage war at all, as the prophet had foreseen. All that was left for them to do was to strip the dead. Therefore, they called the name of that place the Valley of Berakha,meaning blessing, to this day.

וַיָּשֻׁבוּ כָּל־אִישׁ יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִַם וִיהוֹשָׁפָט בְּרֹאשָׁם לָשׁוּב אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם בְּשִׂמְחָה כִּי־שִׂמְּחָם ה' מֵאוֹיְבֵיהֶם

All the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Yehoshafat at their head, turned to return to Jerusalem joyfully, for the Lord had caused them to rejoice over their enemies. Alternatively, the verse means that all the men of Judah and Jerusalem went to their respective places, while Yehoshaphat turned to return to Jerusalem.

וַיָּבֹאוּ יְרוּשָׁלִַם בִּנְבָלִים וּבְכִנֹּרוֹת וּבַחֲצֹצְרוֹת אֶל־בֵּית ה'

They came to Jerusalem with lyres, harps, and trumpets to the House of the Lord.

וַיְהִי פַּחַד אֱלֹהִים עַל כָּל־מַמְלְכוֹת הָאֲרָצוֹת בְּשָׁמְעָם כִּי נִלְחַם ה' עִם אוֹיְבֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

Fear of God was over all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard the reports from the battlefield, that the Lord had waged war against the enemies of Israel, without the children of Israel needing to do anything themselves.

וַתִּשְׁקֹט מַלְכוּת יְהוֹשָׁפָט וַיָּנַח לוֹ אֱלֹהָיו מִסָּבִיב

The realm of Yehoshafat became tranquil, and his God provided him respite from all around. That was the last time that Yehoshafat was compelled to venture out to battle.

וַיִּמְלֹךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָט עַל־יְהוּדָה בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה בְּמָלְכוֹ וְעֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִַם וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ עֲזוּבָה בַּת־שִׁלְחִי

The chapter summarizes the reign of Yehoshafat: Yehoshafat reigned over Judah; he was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azuva daughter of Shilhi.

וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ אָבִיו אָסָא וְלֹא־סָר מִמֶּנָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי ה'

He followed in the way of Asa his father, who was essentially a righteous king, and he did not deviate from it, performing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

אַךְ הַבָּמוֹת לֹא־סָרוּ וְעוֹד הָעָם לֹא־הֵכִינוּ לְבָבָם לֵאלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיהֶם

However, the private shrines for the unlawful service of God, which were scattered around the country, were not removed, and the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers. On a personal level, the men of Judah still did not fully value the word of God, nor did they strictly observe His commandments. For that to occur, not only was a powerful king required, but also a change in the general atmosphere and a change in the people themselves.

וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יְהוֹשָׁפָט הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים בְּדִבְרֵי יֵהוּא בֶן־חֲנָנִי אֲשֶׁר הֹעֲלָה עַל־סֵפֶר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

The rest of the early and late deeds of Yehoshafat, behold, they are written in the chronicles of Yehu son of Hanani the prophet, which were included in the book of the kings of Israel, a work that is not extant.

וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן אֶתְחַבַּר יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה עִם אֲחַזְיָה מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא הִרְשִׁיעַ לַעֲשׂוֹת

Thereafter, Yehoshafat king of Judah allied himself with Ahazya son of Ahav, king of Israel; Ahazya was his family relation, and a king who acted wickedly.

וַיְחַבְּרֵהוּ עִמּוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֳנִיּוֹת לָלֶכֶת תַּרְשִׁישׁ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ אֳנִיּוֹת בְּעֶצְיוֹן גָּבֶר

He joined with him in order to make ships to go to Tarshish. While the Kingdom of Israel exercised control over a large part of the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, Judah had access to the Red Sea. Thus, the two kings together planned a naval journey, since a commercial trip southward, in the direction of southern Arabia, East Africa, or India, was likely to be lucrative. They made the ships in Etzyon Gever (see commentary on 8:17).

וַיִּתְנַבֵּא אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן־דּוֹדָוָהוּ מִמָּרֵשָׁה עַל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט לֵאמֹר כְּהִתְחַבֶּרְךָ עִם־אֲחַזְיָהוּ פָּרַץ ה' אֶת־מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וַיִּשָּׁבְרוּ אֳנִיּוֹת וְלֹא עָצְרוּ לָלֶכֶת אֶל־תַּרְשִׁישׁ

Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Maresha, a city in Judah, prophesied against Yehoshafat, saying: Because you allied yourself with Ahazyahu, the Lord has breached your works. Indeed, the ships were wrecked, and they were unable to go to Tarshish. They were unable to sail that far, and they sank en route.