Six
days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom
Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in
Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the
table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure
nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet
with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But
one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why
wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s
wages.[b]” 6 He
did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as
keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 “Leave
her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume
for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among
you,[c] but you
will not always have me.”
9 Meanwhile
a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because
of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So
the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on
account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
31 So
Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became
king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name
was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32 He followed the ways of his
father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of
the Lord. 33 The
high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their
hearts on the God of their ancestors.
34 The
other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the
annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of
Israel.
35 Later,
Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose
ways were wicked. 36 He agreed with him to construct a fleet of
trading ships.[f] After these
were built at Ezion Geber, 37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu of
Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have made an
alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord
will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and were not able to
set sail to trade.[g]
After
this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites[a] came to
wage war against Jehoshaphat.
2 Some
people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom,[b] from the
other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi).
3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all
Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from
the Lord; indeed, they came from
every town in Judah to seek him.
5 Then
Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of
the Lord in the front of the new
courtyard 6 and said:
“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you
not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations.
Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 Our
God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people
Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They
have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 ‘If
calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we
will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will
cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
10 “But
now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not
allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them
and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by
coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our
God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is
attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
13 All
the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there
before the Lord.
14 Then
the Spirit of the Lord came on
Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of
Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
15 He
said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This
is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do
not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not
yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They
will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of
the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to
fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance
the Lord will give you, Judah and
Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them
tomorrow, and the Lord will be
with you.’”
18 Jehoshaphat
bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and
Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord.
19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up
and praised the Lord, the God of
Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 Early
in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat
stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the
Lord your God and you will be
upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After
consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor
of his[c] holiness as
they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give
thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”
22 As
they began to sing and praise, the Lord
set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading
Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites
rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After
they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one
another.
24 When
the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward
the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had
escaped. 25 So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their
plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing[d] and also
articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder
that it took three days to collect it. 26 On the fourth day
they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the
Valley of Berakah[e] to this
day.
27 Then,
led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to
Jerusalem, for the Lord had given
them cause to rejoice over their enemies. 28 They entered
Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord
with harps and lyres and trumpets.
29 The
fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of
Israel. 30 And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his
God had given him rest on every side.
