1. Later, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and some Meunites came to start a war with Jehoshaphat.
2. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “There is a large army coming against you from Edom. They are coming from the other side of the Dead Sea. They are already in Hazazon Tamar!” (Hazazon Tamar is also called En Gedi.)
3. Jehoshaphat became afraid, and he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced a time of fasting for everyone in Judah.
4. The people of Judah came together to ask the Lord for help. They came from out of all the towns of Judah to ask for the Lord’S help.
5. Jehoshaphat was in the new courtyard of the Lord’S Temple. He stood up in the meeting of the people from Judah and Jerusalem
6. and said, “Lord God of our ancestors, you are the God in heaven. You rule over all the kingdoms in all the nations. You have power and strength. No one can stand against you.
7. You are our God! You forced the people living in this land to leave. You did this in front of your people Israel. You gave this land to the descendants of Abraham forever. Abraham was your friend.
8. His descendants lived in this land, and built a Temple for your name.
9. They said, ‘If trouble comes to us—the sword, punishment, sicknesses, or famine—we will stand in front of this Temple and in front of you. Your name is on this Temple. We will shout to you when we are in trouble. Then you will hear and save us.’