The Bible Story Part 202

(Jehoshaphat was one of the wisest and best of the kings of Judah. He increased the territory of the nation greatly. He conquered Edom so that it was governed by a va.s.sal king. By conquering this country he gained a seaport, and it is interesting to note that he fitted out a fleet of s.h.i.+ps and attempted to revive the trade of Solomon for the gold of Ophir. The s.h.i.+ps, however, never reached their destination.

They were wrecked when starting on their first voyage, and he did not have the courage to repeat the attempt. For the first time since the reign of Solomon, there was peace between Judah and Israel. A treaty was made between the two kings, and Jehoram, heir to the throne of Judah, was married to Athaliah, daughter of King Ahab of Israel.

Through this alliance it was hoped no doubt to join the two kingdoms and restore the lost glory of the past. The attempt ended in failure.

Athaliah was wicked, like all the race of Ahab and Jezebel, and brought only disaster to Judah.)

And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken; and Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not the idols of Baal; but sought the G.o.d of {256} his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honor in abundance.

Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben-hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; and with them the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the Lord with them; and they went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people. And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. And some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute; the Arabians also brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he-goats.

And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles and cities of store. And he had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem.

(Jehoshaphat made a league with Ahab king of Israel and they fought together a battle in which Ahab was struck by an arrow from an archer's bow and was killed.)

But Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, "Shouldest thou help the wicked, and love them that hate the {257} Lord? for this thing wrath is upon thee from before the Lord. Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast put away the Asheroth out of the land, and hast set thine heart to seek G.o.d."

And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again among the people from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back unto the Lord, the G.o.d of their fathers. And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges, "Consider what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord; and he is with you in the judgment. Now therefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our G.o.d, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts."

Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set the Levites and the priests, and the heads of the fathers' houses of Israel, for the judgment of the Lord, and for controversies, And they returned to Jerusalem. And he charged them, saying, "Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. And whensoever any controversy shall come to you from your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall warn them, that they be not guilty towards the Lord, and so wrath come upon you and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not be guilty.

"And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, {258} the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the Lord be with the good."

And it came to pa.s.s after this, that the men of Moab, and the men of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat saying, "There cometh a great mult.i.tude against thee from beyond the sea from Syria."

And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek unto the Lord; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves together, to seek help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord. And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court; and he said, "O Lord, the G.o.d of our fathers, art not thou G.o.d in heaven? and art not thou ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? and in thine hand is power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee. Didst not thou, O our G.o.d, drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, 'If evil come upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before thee (for thy name is in this house), and cry unto thee in our affliction, and thou wilt hear and save.'

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TOMBS IN THE VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT.

Mount of Olives in the background.

In the valley of Jehoshaphat there are many ancient tombs, and there are thousands of modern graves here also. The devout Jew earnestly desires to be buried here, as he believes that Messiah will descend on the Mount of Olives at the last day and pa.s.s through the valley on the way to his throne in the city.

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And now, behold, the men 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 aside from them, and destroyed them not; behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. O our G.o.d, 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."

And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah came the spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation; and he said, "Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat: thus saith the Lord unto you, 'Fear not ye, neither be dismayed by reason of this great mult.i.tude; for the battle is not yours, but G.o.d's. To-morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the ascent of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 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 is with you.'"

And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, wors.h.i.+ping the Lord.

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 G.o.d, {262} so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper."

And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed them that should sing unto the Lord, and praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and say, "Give thanks unto the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever."

And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set liers in wait against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who were come against Judah; and they were smitten. For the men 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, everyone helped to destroy another. And when Judah came to the watch-tower of the wilderness, they looked upon the mult.i.tude; and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none that escaped.

And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches, and garments, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in taking of the spoil, it was so much. And on the fourth day they a.s.sembled themselves in the valley of Beracah; for there they blessed the Lord: therefore the name of that place was called The valley of Beracah, unto this day.

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THE VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT FROM THE NORTH.

Road to Bethany over the Mount of Olives in the center.

This is a view of the valley from a different point of view. The road to Bethany is in the center, and the old Jerusalem-Jericho road pa.s.ses the head of the valley. It was in this direction that David fled from the city at the time of the revolt of Absalom.

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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. And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the Lord. And the fear of G.o.d was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his G.o.d gave him rest round about.

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 s.h.i.+lhi.

And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. Howbeit the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts unto the G.o.d of their fathers.

And there was no king in Edom: a deputy of Jehoshaphat was king.

Jehoshaphat made s.h.i.+ps of Tars.h.i.+sh to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the s.h.i.+ps were wrecked at Ezion-geber.

Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, "Let my servants go with thy servants in the s.h.i.+ps." But Jehoshaphat would not. And Jehoshaphat died and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

[Footnote: The story of a disastrous battle which Jehoshaphat fought in company with Ahab as ally is told in connection with the Story of Ahab.]

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JEHORAM.

_The Evil Son of a Good Father_.

(Jehoram began his reign by murdering all his brothers, a not uncommon custom in those b.l.o.o.d.y days. He was completely under the influence of his wife Athaliah, daughter of that evil house of Ahab and Jezebel, from which no good ever came. He lost the kingdom of Edom which his fathers had won, and died at last a miserable death, no one wis.h.i.+ng him to live any longer.)

Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat reigned in his stead. And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. And their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn. Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he slew all his brethren with the sword, and others also of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for his wife was the daughter of Ahab: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David, {267} because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his children alway. In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. Then Jehoram pa.s.sed over with his captains, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compa.s.sed him about, and the captains of the chariots. So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, unto this day: then did Libnah revolt at the same time from under his hand: because he had forsaken the Lord, the G.o.d of his fathers. Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and led Judah astray. And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, "Thus saith the Lord, the G.o.d of David thy father, 'Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah; but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel; and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself: behold, the Lord will smite with a great plague thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy substance: and thou shalt have great sickness.'"

And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians which are beside the Ethiopians: and they came up against Judah, and raided, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Ahaziah, the youngest of his sons. And after all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. And he died of sore {268} diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years: and he departed without being desired; and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchers of the kings.

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AHAZIAH.

(Ahaziah, the youngest son of Jehoram, next came to the throne, for it seems that a marauding band of Arabians had actually raided Jerusalem and had slain the older children of the king. Ahaziah was a poor weak king who ruled weakly, and was killed, while on a visit to the king of Israel, by Jehu, the usurper of the throne.)