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One-sentence summary: The Lord fights a battle for Judah.
Jehoshaphat returns to his house in Jerusalem, and Jehu, a prophet, goes to meet him. He tells him the wrath of God is upon him because he has helped the wicked and loved those who hated the Lord. But God has still found good in him, since he removed the wooden images and prepared his heart to seek God. He dwells in Jerusalem and goes to the mountains of Ephraim to bring the people back to God. He sends judges in all the cities of Judah, warning them they are judging for God and need to have the fear of the Lord, because He is pure and impartial. He also appoints Levites, priests, and chief fathers in Israel to judge cases impartially and in the fear of the Lord.
The people of Moab, Amon, and others battle against Jehoshaphat, and he is told they are coming from Syria. He is afraid, seeks the Lord, and proclaims a fast with all Judah. He stands in the house of the Lord before the new court to implore Him and remind Him who He is and what He has done for Israel; he asks Him to help them and judge the people. He says, "We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on You." And all of Judah with their families stand before the Lord, and the Lord comes upon a Levite named Jehaziel, and he tells them not to fear, because, "The battle is nor yours, but God's." He tells them to go against the people the next day, and that they will not need to fight. "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord." Jehoshaphat bows with his face to the ground, and all with him, worshipping. And the people praise the Lord. They go early the next day, and Jehoshaphat tells the people, "Believe in the Lord, and you will be established; believe His prophets, and you will prosper." He appoints singers to "praise the beauty of holiness," and they say, "Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever." When they begin to sing and praise, the Lord sets ambushes against the people who came against them, and they are defeated. They also begin destroying each other. The people of Judah see all of their dead bodies lying on the ground, and when they go to take away the spoil, there is "more than they could carry away," and it takes them three days. Then, they assemble in a valley- which they name the Valley of Blessing- and bless the Lord. They return to Jerusalem with joy, because the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. They come with instruments to the house of the Lord, and all the nations fear when they hear what God has done for them. And God gives Jehoshaphat "rest all around." It says again that Jehoshaphat walked faithfully in God's ways, not turning aside, but that the high places were not torn down, because the people's hearts had not yet turned to the Lord. Also, he aligns with Ahaziah of Israel who was wicked to make ships to Tarshish. But Elieazar prophesies and says that because he has aligned himself with a wicked man, the Lord has destroyed his works, and so the ships are wrecked so they cannot not go. Jehoshaphat dies and is buried in the city of David, and Jehoram reigns in his place. He becomes strong, and he kills all his brothers with the sword and other princes of Israel. It says that he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just like Aha; he even has Ahab's daughter as a wife. Yet, the Lord does not destroy the house of David because of His covenant with him- to give him and his sons a lamp forever. Edom revolts against Judah and makes a king, so Jehoram attacks them by night. Also, Libnah revolts because Jehoram is not serving God. He makes high places in the mountains of Judah, leading the people astray and causing them to commit harlotry. Elijah sends him a letter, saying that because he did not walk in the ways of his father or grandfather, but led Israel astray and killed his brothers, the Lord will strike Israel with a serious affliction, and that he himself will become sick with a disease of the intestines, and they will come out day by day. The Lord also stirs up the spirit of the Philistines and Arabians, near the Ethiopians, and they invade Judah and carry away the king's possessions, sons (except the youngest), and wives. The Lord strikes Jehoram with an incurable disease, and after two years, his intestines come out, and he dies in severe pain. And his people "make no burning for him." He becomes king at 32 and dies eight years later "to no one's sorrow." He is still buried in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
Jerusalem make Ahaziah, Jehoram's youngest son, king in his place. He is 42 and reigns for one year. His mother advises him to do wickedly, and he walks in the ways of Ahab, because he and his men were his counselors after the death of his father, "to his destruction." He goes with Jehoram to war with Syria and is wounded. He goes down to see him because he is sick, and it says this is God's occasion for Ahaziah's downfall. When he arrives, he goes with Jehoram against Jehu, whom the Lord anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. As Jehu is executing judgment on Ahab's house and finds the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers who serve him, he kills them. Then, he searches for Ahaziah, who is hiding Samaria, and they catch him and kill him. They bury him because he was the son of Jehoshaphat. The house of Ahaziah has no one to assume power over the kingdom, so his mother, Athaliah, sees he is dead and arises and destroys all the royal heirs of the house of Judah. However, the daughter of the king Jehoram, sister of Ahaziah, takes Jehoash, the son of Ahaziah, and helps him escape, putting him in a bedroom. He hides in the house of God for six years while Athaliah reigns over the land.
In the seventh year, Jeholiah the priest strengthen himself and makes a covenant with the captains of hundreds. They go throughout Judah and gather the Levites and chief fathers of Israel to Jerusalem, and the assembly makes a covenant with the king in the house of God, and he says to them that the kings's son will reign, as the Lord has said of the sons of David. He says 1/3 of the priests and Levites must watch the doors of the house of God, 1/3 guard the kings house, and 1/3 guard the gate of the foundations. All the people must be in the courts of the house, with only the priests and Levites coming into the house. All this will be on the Sabbath, and all the people will keep the watch of the Lord. The Levites will surround the king when he goes in and out, and whoever goes into the house will be put to death. So all the Levites and Judah do all according to all Jeholiah commands. Then, he gives to the captains of hundreds the weapons that were David's that were in the temple, and he sets them all around the temple and around the king, and they bring out his son and ordain him as king, giving him the testimony of the Lord. And he and his sons anoint him, saying, "Long live the king!" When Athaliah hears the sound, she comes to the temple and sees the king standing at the pillar, with all the leaders by him and the people rejoicing, playing instruments, and praising God. She tears her clothes and cries, "Treason!" and Jeholiah the priest brings out the captains of hundreds and commands them to take her outside and slay all who follow her; the priests say not to kill her in the house of the Lord. She goes to the king's house, and they kill her there. And Jeholiah makes a covenant between himself, the people, and the king, that they should belong to the Lord. And they all go to the temple of Baal and tear it down and break the images and altars and kill the priest of Baal. And Jeholiah appoints the oversight of the house of the Lord to the priests and the Levites, who David assigned to offer the offerings to the Lord as it is written in the law, with rejoicing and singing as he also established. He sets gatekeepers at the house so no one unclean can enter. He brings the king down from the house and sets him on the throne of the kingdom, and all the people of the land rejoice, and the city is quiet after Athaliah is slain.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
"We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on You." May that be our constant prayer.