2 Chronicles 20 (KJV)

37 verses · King James Version · Formal equivalence (word-for-word)

The King James Version is the most influential English Bible translation in history. Commissioned by King James I and completed in 1611, it shaped the English language itself. Its majestic prose and formal accuracy make it beloved for memorization and liturgical use.

2 Chronicles Chapter 20 contains 37 verses and is presented here in the King James Version (KJV), which uses a formal equivalence (word-for-word) approach. Read the full text below, compare with other translations, or navigate to any of the 36 chapters in 2 Chronicles.

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Chapter 19Chapter 21

1It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

2Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.

3And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. <sup>himself: Heb. his face</sup>

4And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

5And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,

6And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

7Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? <sup>who: Heb. thou</sup>

8And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

9If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

10And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

11Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

12O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

13And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

14Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;

15And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

16To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. <sup>cliff: Heb. ascent</sup> <sup>brook: or, valley</sup>

17Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

18And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD.

19And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

20And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

21And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. <sup>that: Heb. praisers</sup>

22And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. <sup>And when: Heb. And in the time that they, etc</sup> <sup>to sing: Heb. in singing and praise</sup> <sup>they were: or, they smote one another</sup>

23For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. <sup>to destroy: Heb. for the destruction</sup>

24And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. <sup>none: Heb. there was not an escaping</sup>

25And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.

26And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day. <sup>Berachah: that is, blessing</sup>

27Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. <sup>forefront: Heb. head</sup>

28And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.

29And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

30So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.

31And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

32And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD.

33Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel. <sup>book of Jehu: Heb. words, etc</sup> <sup>is mentioned: Heb. was made to ascend</sup>

35And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:

36And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongeber.

37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

Chapter 19Read in NIVChapter 21

About This Translation

What is 2 Chronicles 20 in the KJV?

2 Chronicles 20 in the King James Version (KJV) contains 37 verses. The KJV uses a formal equivalence (word-for-word) approach, first published in 1611.

How does the KJV translate 2 Chronicles 20 differently?

The King James Version uses formal equivalence (word-for-word), preserving the classic English of 1611. Compare this with the NIV (dynamic equivalence) version of 2 Chronicles 20 for a different perspective.

How many verses are in 2 Chronicles 20 (KJV)?

2 Chronicles Chapter 20 contains 37 verses in the King James Version. The book of 2 Chronicles has 36 chapters total.

2 Chronicles (KJV) — All 36 Chapters