Κεφάλαιο 20

Κεφάλαιο 20

ΚΑΙ μετὰ ταῦτα ἦλθον οἱ υἱοὶ Μωάβ, καὶ υἱοὶ ᾿Αμμὼν καὶ μετ αὐτῶν ἐκ τῶν Μιναίων πρὸς ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ εἰς πόλεμον. 2 καὶ ἦλθον καὶ ὑπέδειξαν τῷ ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ λέγοντες· ἥκει ἐπὶ σὲ πλῆθος πολὺ ἐκ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης ἀπὸ Συρίας, καὶ ἰδού εἰσιν ἐν ᾿Ασασὰν Θαμὰρ (αὕτη ἐστὶν ᾿Εγγαδί). 3 καὶ ἐφοβήθη καὶ ἔδωκεν ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐκζητῆσαι τὸν Κύριον καὶ ἐκήρυξε νηστείαν ἐν παντὶ ᾿Ιούδᾳ. 4 καὶ συνήχθη ᾿Ιούδας ἐκζητῆσαι τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν πόλεων ᾿Ιούδα ἦλθον ζητῆσαι τὸν Κύριον. 5 καὶ ἀνέστη ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ᾿Ιούδα ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου κατὰ πρόσωπον τῆς αὐλῆς τῆς καινῆς 6 καὶ εἶπε· Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων μου, οὐχὶ σὺ εἶ Θεὸς ἐν οὐρανῷ ἄνω καὶ σὺ κυριεύεις πασῶν τῶν βασιλειῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ ἐν τῇ χειρί σου ἰσχὺς δυναστείας καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πρός σε ἀντιστῆναι; 7 οὐχὶ σὺ ὁ Κύριος ὁ ἐξολοθρεύσας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν γῆν ταύτην ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ λαοῦ σου ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἔδωκας αὐτὴν σπέρματι ῾Αβραὰμ τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα; 8 καὶ κατῴκησαν ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν ἐν αὐτῇ ἁγίασμα τῷ ὀνόματί σου λέγοντες· 9 ἐὰν ἐπέλθῃ ἐφ ἡμᾶς κακά, ρομφαία, κρίσις, θάνατος, λιμός, στησόμεθα ἐναντίον τοῦ οἴκου τούτου καὶ ἐναντίον σου, ὅτι τὸ ὄνομά σου ἐπὶ τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ, καὶ βοησόμεθα πρὸς σὲ ἀπὸ τῆς θλίψεως, καὶ ἀκούσῃ καὶ σώσεις. 10 καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Αμμὼν καὶ Μωὰβ καὶ ὄρος Σηείρ, εἰς οὓς οὐκ ἔδωκας τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ διελθεῖν δι αὐτῶν, ἐξελθόντων αὐτῶν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ὅτι ἐξέκλιναν ἀπ αὐτῶν καὶ οὐκ ἐξωλόθρευσαν αὐτούς. 11 καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ αὐτοὶ ἐπιχειροῦσιν ἐφ ἡμᾶς ἐξελθεῖν ἐκβαλεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς κληρονομίας ἡμῶν, ἧς ἔδωκας ἡμῖν. 12 Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, οὐ κρινεῖς ἐν αὐτοῖς; ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἰσχὺς τοῦ ἀντιστῆναι πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος τὸ πολὺ τοῦτο τὸ ἐλθὸν ἐφ ἡμᾶς, καὶ οὐκ οἴδαμεν τί ποιήσωμεν αὐτοῖς, ἀλλ ἢ ἐπὶ σοὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν. 13 καὶ πᾶς ᾿Ιούδας ἑστηκὼς ἔναντι Κυρίου, καὶ τὰ παιδία αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν. 14 καὶ τῷ ᾿Οζιὴλ τῷ τοῦ Ζαχαρίου τῶν υἱῶν Βαναίου τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ελεϊὴλ τοῦ Ματθανίου τοῦ Λευίτου ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ασάφ, ἐγένετο ἐπ αὐτὸν πνεῦμα Κυρίου ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ 15 καὶ εἶπεν· ἀκούσατε πᾶς ᾿Ιούδα καὶ οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ιωσαφάτ· τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς· μὴ φοβεῖσθε μηδὲ πτοηθῆτε ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ ὄχλου τοῦ πολλοῦ τούτου, ὅτι οὐχ ὑμῖν ἐστιν ἡ παράταξις, ἀλλ ἢ τῷ Θεῷ. 16 αὔριον κατάβητε ἐπ αὐτούς· ἰδοὺ ἀναβαίνουσι κατὰ τὴν ἀνάβασιν ᾿Ασάς, καὶ εὑρήσετε αὐτοὺς ἐπ ἄκρου ποταμοῦ τῆς ἐρήμου ᾿Ιεριήλ. 17 οὐχ ὑμῖν ἐστι πολεμῆσαι· ταῦτα σύνετε καὶ ἴδετε τὴν σωτηρίαν Κυρίου μεθ ὑμῶν, ᾿Ιούδα καὶ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· μὴ φοβηθῆτε μηδὲ πτοηθῆτε αὔριον ἐξελθεῖν εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῖς, καὶ Κύριος μεθ ὑμῶν. 18 καὶ κύψας ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶς ᾿Ιούδα καὶ οἱ κατοικοῦντες ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἔπεσαν ἔναντι Κυρίου προσκυνῆσαι Κυρίῳ. 19 καὶ ἀνέστησαν οἱ Λευῖται ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Καὰθ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Κορὲ αἰνεῖν Κυρίῳ Θεῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ εἰς ὕψος.

20 Καὶ ὤρθρισαν πρωΐ καὶ ἐξῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον Θεκωέ, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐξελθεῖν αὐτοὺς ἔστη ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ καὶ ἐβόησε καὶ εἶπεν· ἀκούσατέ μου ᾿Ιούδα καὶ οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· ἐμπιστεύσατε ἐν Κυρίῳ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐμπιστευθήσεσθε· ἐμπιστεύσατε ἐν προφήτῃ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εὐοδωθήσεσθε. 21 καὶ ἐβουλεύσατο μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἔστησε ψαλτῳδοὺς καὶ αἰνοῦντας ἐξομολογεῖσθαι καὶ αἰνεῖν τὰ ἅγια ἐν τῷ ἐξελθεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῆς δυνάμεως, καὶ ἔλεγον· ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ. 22 καὶ ἐν τῷ ἄρξασθαι αὐτοὺς τῆς αἰνέσεως καὶ τῆς ἐξομολογήσεως ἔδωκε Κύριος πολεμεῖν τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Αμμὼν ἐπὶ Μωὰβ καὶ ὄρος Σηεὶρ τοὺς ἐξελθόντας ἐπὶ ᾿Ιούδαν, καὶ ἐτροπώθησαν. 23 καὶ ἀνέστησαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Αμμὼν καὶ Μωὰβ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ὄρος Σηεὶρ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι καὶ ἐκτρῖψαι αὐτούς· καὶ ὡς συνετέλεσαν τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Σηείρ, ἀνέστησαν εἰς ἀλλήλους τοῦ ἐξολοθρευθῆναι. 24 καὶ ᾿Ιούδας ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν σκοπιὰν τῆς ἐρήμου καὶ ἐπέβλεψε καὶ εἶδε τὸ πλῆθος, καὶ ἰδοὺ πάντες νεκροὶ πεπτωκότες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, οὐκ ἦν σωζόμενος. 25 καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ καὶ ὁ λαὸς αὐτοῦ σκυλεῦσαι τὰ σκῦλα αὐτῶν καὶ εὗρον κτήνη πολλὰ καὶ ἀποσκευὴν καὶ σκῦλα καὶ σκεύη ἐπιθυμητὰ καὶ ἐσκύλευσαν ἐν αὐτοῖς. καὶ ἐγένοντο ἡμέραι τρεῖς σκυλευόντων αὐτῶν τὰ σκῦλα, ὅτι πολλὰ ἦν. 26 καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τετάρτῃ ἐπισυνήχθησαν εἰς τὸν αὐλῶνα τῆς εὐλογίας, ἐκεῖ γὰρ ηὐλόγησαν τὸν Κύριον· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκάλεσαν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Κοιλὰς εὐλογίας ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης. 27 καὶ ἐπέστρεψε πᾶς ἀνὴρ ᾿Ιούδα εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ ἡγούμενος αὐτῶν ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ μεγάλῃ, ὅτι εὔφρανεν αὐτοὺς Κύριος ἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν, 28 καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἐν νάβλαις καὶ κινύραις καὶ ἐν σάλπιγξιν εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου. 29 καὶ ἐγένετο ἔκστασις Κυρίου ἐπὶ πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τῆς γῆς ἐν τῷ ἀκοῦσαι αὐτοὺς ὅτι Κύριος ἐπολέμησε πρὸς τοὺς ὑπεναντίους ᾿Ισραήλ. 30 καὶ εἰρήνευσεν ἡ βασιλεία ᾿Ιωσαφάτ, καὶ κατέπαυσεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῦ κυκλόθεν.

31 Καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν, ὢν ἐτῶν τριακονταπέντε ἐν τῷ βασιλεῦσαι αὐτόν, καὶ εἴκοσι καὶ πέντε ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ ᾿Αζουβὰ θυγάτηρ Σαλί. 32 καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ᾿Ασὰ καὶ οὐκ ἐξέκλινε τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου· 33 ἀλλὰ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἔτι ὑπῆρχε, καὶ ἔτι ὁ λαὸς οὐ κατεύθυνε τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν. 34 καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ λόγοι ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ οἱ πρῶτοι καὶ οἱ ἔσχατοι ἰδοὺ γεγραμμένοι ἐν λόγοις ᾿Ιοὺ τοῦ ᾿Ανανί, ὃς κατέγραψε βιβλίον βασιλέων ᾿Ισραήλ.

35 Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐκοινώνησεν ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ιούδα πρὸς ᾿Οχοζίαν βασιλέα ᾿Ισραήλ (καὶ οὗτος ἠνόμησεν) 36 ἐν τῷ ποιῆσαι καὶ πορευθῆναι πρὸς αὐτὸν τοῦ ποιῆσαι πλοῖα τοῦ πορευθῆναι εἰς Θαρσεῖς καὶ ἐποίησε πλοῖα ἐν Γασιὼν Γαβέρ. 37 καὶ ἐπροφήτευσεν ᾿Ελιέζερ ὁ τοῦ Δωδία ἀπὸ Μαρισῆς ἐπὶ ᾿Ιωσαφὰτ λέγων· ὡς ἐφιλίασας τῷ ᾿Οχοζίᾳ, ἔθραυσε Κύριος τὸ ἔργον σου, καὶ συνετρίβη τὰ πλοῖά σου. καὶ οὐκ ἐδυνάσθη πορευθῆναι εἰς Θαρσεῖς.