2 Chronicles 20:3

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the LORD’s advice. He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • 2 Chr 19:3 : 3 Nevertheless you have done some good things; you removed the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow God.”
  • 1 Sam 7:6 : 6 After they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. They fasted on that day, and they confessed there,“We have sinned against the LORD.”So Samuel led the people of Israel at Mizpah.
  • Jer 36:9 : 9 All the people living in Jerusalem and all the people who came into Jerusalem from the towns of Judah came to observe a fast before the LORD. The fast took place in the ninth month of the fifth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was ruling over Judah.
  • Joel 1:14 : 14 Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the temple of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.
  • Joel 2:12-18 : 12 An Appeal for Repentance“Yet even now,” the LORD says,“return to me with all your heart– with fasting, weeping, and mourning. 13 Tear your hearts, not just your garments!” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love– often relenting from calamitous punishment. 14 Who knows? Perhaps he will be compassionate and grant a reprieve, and leave blessing in his wake– a meal offering and a drink offering for you to offer to the LORD your God! 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion. Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly! 16 Gather the people; sanctify an assembly! Gather the elders; gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out from his bedroom and the bride from her private quarters. 17 Let the priests, those who serve the LORD, weep from the vestibule all the way back to the altar. Let them say,“Have pity, O LORD, on your people; please do not turn over your inheritance to be mocked, to become a proverb among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples,“Where is their God?” 18 The LORD’s Response Then the LORD became zealous for his land; he had compassion on his people.
  • Jonah 1:16 : 16 The men feared the LORD greatly, and earnestly vowed to offer lavish sacrifices to the LORD.
  • Jonah 3:5-9 : 5 The people of Nineveh believed in God, and they declared a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, put on sackcloth, and sat on ashes. 7 He issued a proclamation and said,“In Nineveh, by the decree of the king and his nobles: No human or animal, cattle or sheep, is to taste anything; they must not eat and they must not drink water. 8 Every person and animal must put on sackcloth and must cry earnestly to God, and everyone must turn from their evil way of living and from the violence that they do. 9 Who knows? Perhaps God might be willing to change his mind and relent and turn from his fierce anger so that we might not die.”
  • Matt 10:28 : 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
  • Dan 9:3 : 3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
  • 2 Chr 11:16 : 16 Those among all the Israelite tribes who were determined to worship the LORD God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD God of their ancestors.
  • Gen 32:7-9 : 7 Jacob was very afraid and upset. So he divided the people who were with him into two camps, as well as the flocks, herds, and camels. 8 “If Esau attacks one camp,” he thought,“then the other camp will be able to escape.” 9 Then Jacob prayed,“O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O LORD, you said to me,‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will make you prosper.’ 10 I am not worthy of all the faithful love you have shown your servant. With only my walking stick I crossed the Jordan, but now I have become two camps. 11 Rescue me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, as well as the mothers with their children.
  • Gen 32:24-28 : 24 So Jacob was left alone. Then a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not defeat Jacob, he struck the socket of his hip so the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 26 Then the man said,“Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.”“I will not let you go,” Jacob replied,“unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him,“What is your name?” He answered,“Jacob.” 28 “No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him,“but Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have prevailed.”
  • Judg 20:26 : 26 So all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel. They wept and sat there before the LORD; they did not eat anything that day until evening. They offered up burnt sacrifices and tokens of peace to the LORD.
  • Ezra 8:21-23 : 21 I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journey for us, our children, and all our property. 22 I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemy along the way, because we had said to the king,“The good hand of our God is on everyone who is seeking him, but his great anger is against everyone who forsakes him.” 23 So we fasted and prayed to our God about this, and he answered us.
  • Esth 4:16 : 16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast in my behalf. Don’t eat and don’t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. If I perish, I perish!”
  • Ps 56:3-4 : 3 When I am afraid, I trust in you. 4 In God– I boast in his promise– in God I trust, I am not afraid. What can mere men do to me?
  • Isa 37:3-6 : 3 “This is what Hezekiah says:‘This is a day of distress, insults, and humiliation, as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. 4 Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all these things the chief adviser has spoken on behalf of his master, the king of Assyria, who sent him to taunt the living God. When the LORD your God hears, perhaps he will punish him for the things he has said. So pray for this remnant that remains.’” 5 When King Hezekiah’s servants came to Isaiah, 6 Isaiah said to them,“Tell your master this:‘This is what the LORD has said:“Don’t be afraid because of the things you have heard– these insults the king of Assyria’s servants have hurled against me.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • 2 Chr 20:4-5
    2 verses
    82%

    4The people of Judah assembled to ask for the LORD’s help; they came from all the cities of Judah to ask for the LORD’s help.

    5Jehoshaphat stood before the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the LORD’s temple, in front of the new courtyard.

  • 2 Chr 20:15-18
    4 verses
    77%

    15He said:“Pay attention, all you people of Judah, residents of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says to you:‘Don’t be afraid and don’t panic because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s.

    16Tomorrow march down against them as they come up the Ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the ravine in front of the wilderness of Jeruel.

    17You will not fight in this battle. Take your positions, stand, and watch the LORD deliver you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! Tomorrow march out toward them; the LORD is with you!’”

    18Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground, and all the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD and worshiped him.

  • 2 Chr 17:10
    76%

    10The LORD put fear into all the kingdoms surrounding Judah; they did not make war with Jehoshaphat.

  • 2 Chr 20:29-30
    2 verses
    74%

    29All the kingdoms of the surrounding lands were afraid of God when they heard how the LORD had fought against Israel’s enemies.

    30Jehoshaphat’s kingdom enjoyed peace; his God made him secure on every side.

  • 2 Chr 20:20
    73%

    20Early the next morning they marched out to the wilderness of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said:“Listen to me, you people of Judah and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the LORD your God and you will be safe! Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.”

  • 2 Chr 18:4
    73%

    4Then Jehoshaphat said further to the king of Israel,“First, please seek an oracle from the LORD.”

  • 1 Kgs 22:32
    72%

    32When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said,“He must be the king of Israel.” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.

  • 2 Chr 17:3-6
    4 verses
    72%

    3The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps at the beginning of his reign. He did not seek the Baals,

    4but instead sought the God of his ancestors and obeyed his commands, unlike the Israelites.

    5The LORD made his kingdom secure; all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected.

    6He was committed to following the LORD; he even removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.

  • 2 Chr 19:1-4
    4 verses
    72%

    1When King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned home safely to Jerusalem,

    2the prophet Jehu son of Hanani confronted him; he said to King Jehoshaphat,“Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the LORD? Because you have done this the LORD is angry with you!

    3Nevertheless you have done some good things; you removed the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow God.”

    4Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. He went out among the people from Beer Sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and encouraged them to follow the LORD God of their ancestors.

  • 1 Kgs 22:5
    72%

    5But then Jehoshaphat said to Israel’s king,“Please seek a message from the LORD this very day.”

  • Dan 9:3
    71%

    3So I turned my attention to the Lord God to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

  • Joel 1:14
    71%

    14Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the temple of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.

  • 2 Chr 20:1-2
    2 verses
    71%

    1The Lord Gives Jehoshaphat Military Success Later the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites, attacked Jehoshaphat.

    2Messengers arrived and reported to Jehoshaphat,“A huge army is attacking you from the other side of the Dead Sea, from the direction of Edom. Look, they are in Hazezon Tamar(that is, En Gedi).”

  • 2 Chr 18:31
    71%

    31When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said,“He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. The LORD helped him; God lured them away from him.

  • 1 Kgs 21:27
    69%

    27When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected.

  • 1 Kgs 22:7
    69%

    7But Jehoshaphat asked,“Is there not a prophet of the LORD still here, that we may ask him?”

  • Joel 2:12
    68%

    12An Appeal for Repentance“Yet even now,” the LORD says,“return to me with all your heart– with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

  • Ezra 8:21
    68%

    21I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journey for us, our children, and all our property.

  • 2 Chr 18:6
    68%

    6But Jehoshaphat asked,“Is there not a prophet of the LORD still here, that we may ask him?”

  • 2 Kgs 3:12
    68%

    12Jehoshaphat said,“Yes, he receives the LORD’s messages.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to visit him.

  • Jer 36:9
    68%

    9All the people living in Jerusalem and all the people who came into Jerusalem from the towns of Judah came to observe a fast before the LORD. The fast took place in the ninth month of the fifth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was ruling over Judah.

  • 2 Chr 14:4
    68%

    4He ordered Judah to seek the LORD God of their ancestors and to observe his law and commands.

  • 2 Chr 15:15
    68%

    15All Judah was happy about the oath, because they made the vow with their whole heart. They willingly sought the LORD and he responded to them. He made them secure on every side.

  • 2 Chr 17:1
    67%

    1Jehoshaphat Becomes King His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king and solidified his rule over Israel.

  • 2 Chr 19:8-9
    2 verses
    67%

    8In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the LORD and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem.

    9He commanded them:“Carry out your duties with respect for the LORD, with honesty, and with pure motives.

  • 2 Kgs 23:1
    67%

    1The King Institutes Religious Reform The king summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem.

  • 1 Kgs 22:29
    67%

    29The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead.

  • Ps 34:4
    67%

    4I sought the LORD’s help and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

  • 2 Chr 20:12-13
    2 verses
    67%

    12Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us! We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help.”

    13All the men of Judah were standing before the LORD, along with their infants, wives, and children.

  • Neh 9:1
    67%

    1The People Acknowledge Their Sin before God On the twenty-fourth day of this same month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting and wearing sackcloth, their heads covered with dust.

  • 2 Chr 30:19
    67%

    19everyone who has determined to follow God, the LORD God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple.”

  • 1 Kgs 18:3
    67%

    3So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace.(Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the LORD.

  • Ezra 8:23
    67%

    23So we fasted and prayed to our God about this, and he answered us.

  • 2 Chr 20:27
    67%

    27Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem with Jehoshaphat leading them; the LORD had given them reason to rejoice over their enemies.

  • Deut 3:23
    67%

    23Denial to Moses of the Promised Land Moreover, at that time I pleaded with the LORD,

  • Jonah 1:16
    66%

    16The men feared the LORD greatly, and earnestly vowed to offer lavish sacrifices to the LORD.