Jehoshaphat’s Prayer: Weakness Turns to Strength (2 Chron 20.3-4, 6-12, 19, 21, 26)

Jehoshaphat was afraid; he set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the towns of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

“O LORD, God of our ancestors, are you not God in heaven? Do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand are power and might, so that no one is able to withstand you. 7 Did you not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? 8 They have lived in it, and in it have built you a sanctuary for your name, saying, 9 ’If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before you, for your name is in this house, and cry to you in our distress, and you will hear and save.’ 10 See now, the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— 11 they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession that you have given us to inherit. 12 O our God, will you not execute judgment upon them? For we are powerless against this great multitude that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice
“Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the LORD; therefore that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day.

Background

Following King Jehoshaphat’s ill-conceived agreement to ally with Ahab, he returned home and instituted more reforms. These reforms are grounded in the commands and regulations of Deuteronomy 16.18–17.13. The author presents Jehoshaphat as a good and wise king, drawing comparisons to Solomon.

But this newfound faithfulness is threatened when a “vast army” marches on the kingdom. Is Jehoshaphat scared? The writer seems to indicate this is another example of his lack of toughness. Still, unlike other kings before him, he turns to God in prayer. He orders all the people to fast. In response, many came to Jerusalem to pray with him.

The king stands before the crowd and offers the long prayer above. Like many of the prayers we have explored by these kings of Israel, this one reminds God of His past acts of deliverance, and points to Solomon, David, Joshua, and even Abraham as examples. Now, he prays, enemies are coming to undo all the work God has accomplished. Jehoshaphat expresses Judah’s powerlessness before the army (and his own?) and asks God to pass judgment.

God speaks through the prophet Jahaziel. He tells Jehoshaphat to take the army to meet the invaders, and watch God defeat them—because it is His battle, not theirs. In the third prayer passage, the priests and Temple attendants all praise God for this message of hope.

The next morning, Jehoshaphat led his army out to battle, with singers out in front, offering a traditional thanksgiving to God: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

The enemy was routed, just as God promised. God told Judah to scour the battlefield and collect all the vanquished army’s possessions for themselves. There was so much that it took three days. On the fourth day, the people gathered and blessed God, naming the valley “Berekah,” which means “blessing” or “praise” in Hebrew.

Meaning

This chapter, and these prayers, emphasize many of the themes of Chronicles. Jehoshaphat is a good and faithful king. He is also a bit weak in the face of danger, yet that very weakness helps him avoid the arrogance of previous kings. It leads him to rely on God, and that reliance leads to the people joining him, and joining him leads to prayer, hearing God’s message, and more prayers.

The chapter also shows that those who are loyal to God receive His loyalty in return. Finally, the writer emphasizes that all victories are God’s doing, for he is the Sovereign God.

Some have described Jehoshaphat’s prayer as a lament prayer, and it does contain elements of a lament. Yet it functions as a petition—another example of how rich prayer can be.¹

It might seem amusing (or crazy) for a leader to send the “church choir” out to meet an army, but music has played a significant role throughout history (if not so much in modern times). Battle drums were used by many people in the ancient world; bagpipers marched with the armies of Scotland, and, of course, the priest and musicians went in front of the people as they marched around Jericho.

Hymns are prayers, after all, so the singing serves as prayers going before the army of God’s people.

Application

This series of prayers provides a couple of lessons for our own prayers. First, we see how prayer winds itself through the events and lives of the people involved, and how the various types of prayers are connected as events that progress through petition, praise, thanksgiving, and blessing.

Perhaps the most important lesson is that prayer is the place we should go when we are weak or afraid. We show our dependence on God, and allow Him to guide us and act on our behalf.

While Jeremiah and the Psalms suggest there should be an element of “boldness” to our prayers, we should also take care it does not become arrogance. “Weakness” and humility are also significant elements of our faith. Read a few of Paul’s words on the matter of weakness:

Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. (Rom 8.26)

It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. (1 Cor 15.43)

but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12.9–10)

What are your weaknesses? When are you weakest? How can you bring your weaknesses into your prayers this week?

1. For previous prayers of lament that we have studied, see “A Lament at the End of the Story” (Judg 21.3) and “Prayer, Tragedy, and Causation (1 Kings 17.20–21).” ↩