Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 86
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CHRONICLES
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| 19:8–20:12
judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted
justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.”
In Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests
and clan leaders in Israel to serve as judges for cases involving the Lord’s
regulations and for civil disputes. These were his instructions to them:
“You must always act in the fear of the Lord, with faithfulness and an
undivided heart. Whenever a case comes to you from fellow citizens in an
outlying town, whether a murder case or some other violation of God’s
laws, commands, decrees, or regulations, you must warn them not to sin
against the Lord, so that he will not be angry with you and them. Do this
and you will not be guilty.
“Amariah the high priest will have final say in all cases involving the
Lord. Zebadiah son of Ishmael, a leader from the tribe of Judah, will have
final say in all civil cases. The Levites will assist you in making sure that
justice is served. Take courage as you fulfill your duties, and may the Lord
be with those who do what is right.”
After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Me
unites declared war on Jehoshaphat. Messengers came and told Jehosha
phat, “A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the
Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name
for En-gedi.)
Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from
all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help.
Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem
in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the Lord. He prayed,
“O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven.
You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and
mighty; no one can stand against you! O our God, did you not drive out
those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did
you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham?
Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name. They
said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war, plague, or
famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where
your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear
us and rescue us.’
“And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are
doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel
left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them. Now see
how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land,
which you gave us as an inheritance. O our God, won’t you stop them? We
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