Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 88
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IMMERSE
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CHRONICLES
2C
| 20:27–21:6
of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and
thanked the Lord there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.
Then all the men returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them,
overjoyed that the Lord had given them victory over their enemies. They
marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets, and
they proceeded to the Temple of the Lord.
When all the surrounding kingdoms heard that the Lord himself had
fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them. So
Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on
every side.
So Jehoshaphat ruled over the land of Judah. He was t hirty-five years old
when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem t wenty-five years. His
mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
Jehoshaphat was a good king, following the ways of his father, Asa. He
did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. During his reign, however, he
failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people never fully committed themselves to follow the God of their ancestors.
The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end,
are recorded in The Record of Jehu Son of Hanani, which is included in The
Book of the Kings of Israel.
Some time later King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King
Ahaziah of Israel, who was very wicked. Together they built a fleet of trading ships at the port of Ezion-geber. Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu from
Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat. He said, “Because you have
allied yourself with King Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy your work.” So
the ships met with disaster and never put out to sea.
When Jehoshaphat died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of
David. Then his son Jehoram became the next king.
Jehoram’s brothers—the other sons of Jehoshaphat—were Azariah, Jehiel,
Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of
Jehoshaphat king of Judah. Their father had given each of them valuable
gifts of silver, gold, and costly items, and also some of Judah’s fortified
towns. However, he designated Jehoram as the next king because he was
the oldest. But when Jehoram had become solidly established as king, he
killed all his brothers and some of the other leaders of Judah.
Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned
in Jerusalem eight years. But Jehoram followed the example of the kings
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