DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2014 November 2
Image 1: The Ammonite and Moabite Armies Are Destroyed (c. 1865)
Gustav Dore (1832-1883)
Romanticism Style
Dore's English Bible (1866)
Image Source: King James Bible Online
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Image 2: Shipwreck (1763)
Claude-Joseph Vernet (1714-1789)
Academic Style; Proto-Romantic; Sturm und Drang Movements
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia
Image Credit: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: 2 Chronicles 20 describes two incidents in Jehoshaphat's life. In the first, Jehoshaphat's went to war against Moab, Ammon, and their allies. The second incident was a failed maritime commercial venture which Jehoshaphat attempted with Ahaziah king of Israel. These incidents are illustrated by the paintings above. [Traditional Patriarchal Timeline. Judges Period Chronology. Kings of Judah and Israel #1. Kings of Judah and Israel #2]. [Chronologically and Thematically Related Scriptures: 1 Kings 18:4; 2 Kings 1:1; 2 Kings 3:4-5; 1 Kings 1:2; 1 Kings 22:44, 47-49; 1 Kings 22:41-43, 46; 1 Kings 22:45, 50; 1 Kings 22:51-53; 2 Kings 8:16-17].
The Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Edomites (see verse 10) came against Jehoshaphat (870-848 B.C.), King of Judah. This may have been the "wrath" that Hanani said was coming upon Jehoshaphat for helping the evil king, Ahab (874-853 B.C.). This was recorded in the previous chapter. When Jehoshaphat heard about the approaching army, he called for a nationwide fast; and people came from all over Judah to the Temple in Jerusalem to ask God's help (1-4). In the Temple, Jehoshaphat prayed to the LORD, confessing that he was God alone, and that he ruled over all the kingdoms of the earth, and that none could stand against him. He confessed that God had driven out the inhabitants of the land in which they now lived and gave it to them. And he quoted from Solomon's prayer of dedication of the Temple and asked that the LORD would send help in times of evil when his people cried out to him in their affliction. So Jehoshaphat asked for help against the invaders that were on their way (5-12). And, as all Judah stood before the LORD in the Temple courtyard, with their babies, wives, and children, the Spirit of God came upon Jahaziel. And, through Jahaziel, the LORD told them not to be dismayed because "the battle is not yours, but God's." The LORD told them to go out the next day; and he told them where to find the invaders. And he said that they would not need to fight (13-17). Jehoshaphat and the people bowed down before the LORD and worshiped. And then the Kohathites and the Korhites, of the Tribe of Levi, stood up to praise the LORD God with a very loud voice (18-19). In the morning they went to the battlefield; and Jehoshaphat told them to believe the LORD and to believe his prophets. He then appointed singers to praise the LORD for his everlasting mercy. When they began to sing, the LORD caused Ammon and Moab to ambush and destroy Edom. They then turned on one another and destroyed themselves (20-23). When Judah arrived at the battlefield they began to strip the bodies; and it took them three days to carry away all of the spoil. On the fourth day they went toward the Temple in Jerusalem, singing as they went; and the fear of God fell on all of the surrounding nations. And God gave Jehoshaphat rest (24-30). Jehoshaphat reigned for twenty five years; and he was obedient to the LORD, except for leaving the idolatrous high places in the land (31-33). The prophet Jehu wrote about Jehoshaphat's acts (34). Afterward, Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah, King of Israel, attempted to do a maritime shipping venture. They built ships in Eziongeber, on the shore of the Red sea, in Edom. But the prophet Eliezer prophesied against the venture because Jehoshaphat joined himself with Ahaziah who was very wicked. So the LORD wrecked the ships (35-37). This is also mentioned in 1 Kings 22:47-49 and discussed in a previous DAWN page.
2 Chronicles 20
1 It 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.
2 Then 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.
3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
6 And 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?
7 Art 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?
8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,
9 If, 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.
10 And 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;
11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.
12 O 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.
13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
14 Then 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;
15 And 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.
16 To 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.
17 Ye 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.
18 And 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.
19 And 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.
20 And 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.
21 And 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.
22 And 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.
23 For 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.
24 And 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.
25 And 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.
26 And 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.
27 Then 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.
28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.
29 And 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.
30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.
31 And 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.
32 And 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.
33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
34 Now 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.
35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:
36 And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongeber.
37 Then 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.
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