Antiquities Book 9, Chapter 1
Concerning Jehoshaphat Again; How He Constituted Judges And, By God's Assistance Overcame His Enemies.
1. When Jehoshaphat the king was come to Jerusalem, from the assistance
he had afforded Ahab, the king of Israel, when he fought with Benhadad,
king of Syria, the prophet Jehu met him, and accused him for assisting
Ahab, a man both impious and wicked; and said to him, that God was
displeased with him for so doing, but that he delivered him from the
enemy, notwithstanding he had sinned, because of his own proper
disposition, which was good. Whereupon the king betook himself to
thanksgivings and sacrifices to God; after which he presently went over
all that country which he ruled round about, and taught the people, as
well the laws which God gave them by Moses, as that religious worship
that was due to him. He also constituted judges in every one of the
cities of his kingdom; and charged them to have regard to nothing so
much in judging the multitude as to do justice, and not to be moved by
bribes, nor by the dignity of men eminent for either their riches or
their high birth, but to distribute justice equally to all, as knowing
that God is conscious of every secret action of theirs. When he had
himself instructed them thus, and gone over every city of the two
tribes, he returned to Jerusalem. He there also constituted judges out
of the priests and the Levites, and principal persons of the multitude,
and admonished them to pass all their sentences with care and justice 1
And that if any of the people of his country had differences of great
consequence, they should send them out of the other cities to these
judges, who would be obliged to give righteous sentences concerning such
causes; and this with the greater care, because it is proper that the
sentences which are given in that city wherein the temple of God is, and
wherein the king dwells, be given with great care and the utmost
justice. Now he set over them Amariah the priest, and Zebadiah, [both]
of the tribe of Judah; and after this manner it was that the king
ordered these affairs.
2. About the same time the Moabites and Ammonites made an expedition
against Jehoshaphat, and took with them a great body of Arabians, and
pitched their camp at Engedi, a city that is situate at the lake
Asphaltiris, and distant three hundred furlongs from Jerusalem. In that
place grows the best kind of palm trees, and the opobalsamum. 2 Now
Jehoshaphat heard that the enemies had passed over the lake, and had
made an irruption into that country which belonged to his kingdom; at
which news he was affrighted, and called the people of Jerusalem to a
congregation in the temple, and standing over against the temple itself,
he called upon God to afford him power and strength, so as to inflict
punishment on those that made this expedition against them [for that
those who built this his temple had prayed, that he would protect that
city, and take vengeance on those that were so bold as to come against
it]; for they are come to take from us that land which thou hast given
us for a possession. When he had prayed thus, he fell into tears; and
the whole multitude, together with their wives and children, made their
supplications also: upon which a certain prophet, Jahaziel by name, came
into the midst of the assembly, and cried out, and spake both to the
multitude and to the king, that God heard their prayers, and promised to
fight against their enemies. He also gave order that the king should
draw his forces out the next day, for that he should find them between
Jerusalem and the ascent of Engedi, at a place called The Eminence, and
that he should not fight against them, but only stand still, and see how
God would fight against them. When the prophet had said this, both the
king and the multitude fell upon their faces, and gave thanks to God,
and worshipped him; and the Levites continued singing hymns to God with
their instruments of music.
3. As soon as it was day, and the king was come into that wilderness
which is under the city of Tekoa, he said to the multitude, "that they
ought to give credit to what the prophet had said, and not to set
themselves in array for fighting; but to set the priests with their
trumpets, and the Levites with the singers of hymns, to give thanks to
God, as having already delivered our country from our enemies." This
opinion of the king pleased [the people], and they did what he advised
them to do. So God caused a terror and a commotion to arise among the
Ammonites, who thought one another to be enemies, and slew one another,
insomuch that not one man out of so great an army escaped; and when
Jehoshaphat looked upon that valley wherein their enemies had been
encamped, and saw it full of dead men, he rejoiced at so surprising an
event, as was this assistance of God, while he himself by his own power,
and without their labor, had given them the victory. He also gave his
army leave to take the prey of the enemy's camp, and to spoil their dead
bodies; and indeed so they did for three days together, till they were
weary, so great was the number of the slain; and on the fourth day, all
the people were gathered together unto a certain hollow place or valley,
and blessed God for his power and assistance, from which the place had
this name given it, the Valley of [Berachah, or] Blessing.
4. And when the king had brought his army back to Jerusalem, he betook
himself to celebrate festivals, and offer sacrifices, and this for many
days. And indeed, after this destruction of their enemies, and when it
came to the ears of the foreign nations, they were all greatly
affrighted, as supposing that God would openly fight for him hereafter.
So Jehoshaphat from that time lived in great glory and splendor, on
account of his righteousness and his piety towards God. He was also in
friendship with Ahab's son, who was king of Israel; and he joined with
him in the building of ships that were to sail to Pontus, and the
traffic cities of Thrace 3 but he failed of his gains, for the ships
were destroyed by being so great [and unwieldy]; on which account he was
no longer concerned about shipping. And this is the history of
Jehoshaphat, the king of Jerusalem.
he had afforded Ahab, the king of Israel, when he fought with Benhadad,
king of Syria, the prophet Jehu met him, and accused him for assisting
Ahab, a man both impious and wicked; and said to him, that God was
displeased with him for so doing, but that he delivered him from the
enemy, notwithstanding he had sinned, because of his own proper
disposition, which was good. Whereupon the king betook himself to
thanksgivings and sacrifices to God; after which he presently went over
all that country which he ruled round about, and taught the people, as
well the laws which God gave them by Moses, as that religious worship
that was due to him. He also constituted judges in every one of the
cities of his kingdom; and charged them to have regard to nothing so
much in judging the multitude as to do justice, and not to be moved by
bribes, nor by the dignity of men eminent for either their riches or
their high birth, but to distribute justice equally to all, as knowing
that God is conscious of every secret action of theirs. When he had
himself instructed them thus, and gone over every city of the two
tribes, he returned to Jerusalem. He there also constituted judges out
of the priests and the Levites, and principal persons of the multitude,
and admonished them to pass all their sentences with care and justice 1
And that if any of the people of his country had differences of great
consequence, they should send them out of the other cities to these
judges, who would be obliged to give righteous sentences concerning such
causes; and this with the greater care, because it is proper that the
sentences which are given in that city wherein the temple of God is, and
wherein the king dwells, be given with great care and the utmost
justice. Now he set over them Amariah the priest, and Zebadiah, [both]
of the tribe of Judah; and after this manner it was that the king
ordered these affairs.
2. About the same time the Moabites and Ammonites made an expedition
against Jehoshaphat, and took with them a great body of Arabians, and
pitched their camp at Engedi, a city that is situate at the lake
Asphaltiris, and distant three hundred furlongs from Jerusalem. In that
place grows the best kind of palm trees, and the opobalsamum. 2 Now
Jehoshaphat heard that the enemies had passed over the lake, and had
made an irruption into that country which belonged to his kingdom; at
which news he was affrighted, and called the people of Jerusalem to a
congregation in the temple, and standing over against the temple itself,
he called upon God to afford him power and strength, so as to inflict
punishment on those that made this expedition against them [for that
those who built this his temple had prayed, that he would protect that
city, and take vengeance on those that were so bold as to come against
it]; for they are come to take from us that land which thou hast given
us for a possession. When he had prayed thus, he fell into tears; and
the whole multitude, together with their wives and children, made their
supplications also: upon which a certain prophet, Jahaziel by name, came
into the midst of the assembly, and cried out, and spake both to the
multitude and to the king, that God heard their prayers, and promised to
fight against their enemies. He also gave order that the king should
draw his forces out the next day, for that he should find them between
Jerusalem and the ascent of Engedi, at a place called The Eminence, and
that he should not fight against them, but only stand still, and see how
God would fight against them. When the prophet had said this, both the
king and the multitude fell upon their faces, and gave thanks to God,
and worshipped him; and the Levites continued singing hymns to God with
their instruments of music.
3. As soon as it was day, and the king was come into that wilderness
which is under the city of Tekoa, he said to the multitude, "that they
ought to give credit to what the prophet had said, and not to set
themselves in array for fighting; but to set the priests with their
trumpets, and the Levites with the singers of hymns, to give thanks to
God, as having already delivered our country from our enemies." This
opinion of the king pleased [the people], and they did what he advised
them to do. So God caused a terror and a commotion to arise among the
Ammonites, who thought one another to be enemies, and slew one another,
insomuch that not one man out of so great an army escaped; and when
Jehoshaphat looked upon that valley wherein their enemies had been
encamped, and saw it full of dead men, he rejoiced at so surprising an
event, as was this assistance of God, while he himself by his own power,
and without their labor, had given them the victory. He also gave his
army leave to take the prey of the enemy's camp, and to spoil their dead
bodies; and indeed so they did for three days together, till they were
weary, so great was the number of the slain; and on the fourth day, all
the people were gathered together unto a certain hollow place or valley,
and blessed God for his power and assistance, from which the place had
this name given it, the Valley of [Berachah, or] Blessing.
4. And when the king had brought his army back to Jerusalem, he betook
himself to celebrate festivals, and offer sacrifices, and this for many
days. And indeed, after this destruction of their enemies, and when it
came to the ears of the foreign nations, they were all greatly
affrighted, as supposing that God would openly fight for him hereafter.
So Jehoshaphat from that time lived in great glory and splendor, on
account of his righteousness and his piety towards God. He was also in
friendship with Ahab's son, who was king of Israel; and he joined with
him in the building of ships that were to sail to Pontus, and the
traffic cities of Thrace 3 but he failed of his gains, for the ships
were destroyed by being so great [and unwieldy]; on which account he was
no longer concerned about shipping. And this is the history of
Jehoshaphat, the king of Jerusalem.