2 Tawarikh 20:3-4

20:3 Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord’s advice. ¹  He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast. 20:4 The people of Judah ²  assembled to ask for the Lord’s help; ³  they came from all the cities of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help. ⁴ 

2 Tawarikh 20:20

20:20 Early the next morning they marched out to the Desert of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, you people of Judah ⁵  and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe! ⁶  Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.”

[20:3]  ¹ tn Heb “and he set his face to seek the Lord.”

[20:4]  ² tn The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the people of Judah.

[20:4]  ³ tn Heb “to seek from the Lord.” The verb here (בָּקַשׁ, baqash) is different from the one translated “seek” in v. 3 (דָּרַשׁ, darash).

[20:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “to seek the Lord.” The verb here (ָָבּקַשׁ, baqash) is different from the one translated “seek” in v. 3 (דָּרַשׁ, darash).

[20:20]  ⁵ tn Heb “O Judah.” The words “you people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See the note on the word “Judah” in v. 15.

[20:20]  ⁶ tn There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text. The Hiphil verb form הַאֲמִינוּ (ha’aminu, “trust”) and the Niphal form תֵאָמֵנוּ (te’amenu, “you will be safe”) come from the same verbal root (אָמַן, ’aman).