Discovery Box2 Chronicles 20:1 
Context20:1 Later the Moabites and Ammonites, along with some of the Meunites, 1 attacked Jehoshaphat.
2 Chronicles 20:20-24
Context20:20 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 2 and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe! 3 Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.” 20:21 He met 4 with the people and appointed musicians to play before the Lord and praise his majestic splendor. As they marched ahead of the warriors they said: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his loyal love endures.” 5
20:22 When they began to shout and praise, the Lord suddenly attacked 6 the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir 7 who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 20:23 The Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men from Mount Seir 8 and annihilated them. 9 When they had finished off the men 10 of Seir, they attacked and destroyed one another. 11 20:24 When the men of Judah 12 arrived at the observation post overlooking the desert and looked at 13 the huge army, they saw dead bodies on the ground; there were no survivors!
1 tc The Hebrew text has “Ammonites,” but they are mentioned just before this. Most translations, following some
2 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.
3 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).
4 tn Or “consulted.”
5 tn Or “is eternal.”
6 tn Heb “set ambushers against.” This is probably idiomatic here for launching a surprise attack.
7 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir.”
8 tn Heb “the sons of Ammon and Moab stood against the residents of Mount Seir.”
9 tn Heb “to annihilate and to destroy.”
10 tn Heb “residents.”
11 tn Heb “they helped, each one his fellow, for destruction.” The verb עָזַר (’azar), traditionally understood as the well-attested verb meaning “to help,” is an odd fit in this context. It is possible that it is from a homonymic root, perhaps meaning to “attack.” This root is attested in Ugaritic in a nominal form meaning “young man, warrior, hero.” For a discussion of the proposed root, see HALOT 811 s.v. II עזר.
12 tn Heb “Judah.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the men of Judah.
13 tn Heb “turned toward.”
