2 Chronicles 20

“It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the…” Naming Ammon and Ammonites keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on…” Naming Hazazon and Jehoshaphat keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD , and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.” Naming Jehoshaphat and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD : even out of all the cities of Judah they came to…” Naming Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD , before the new court,” Naming Jehoshaphat and Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,” The line’s distinctive content terms include built, dwelt, name. Its relationship to verses 7 shows what work it does in this passage.

“If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy…” The line’s distinctive content terms include house, affliction, cometh. Its relationship to verses 10 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they…” Naming Ammon and Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“And all Judah stood before the LORD , with their little ones, their wives, and their children.” Naming Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the…” Naming Asaph and Benaiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD…” Naming Hearken keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before…” Naming Jehoshaphat and Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD , and that should praise the beauty of…” Naming Praise keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount…” Naming Ammon and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were…” Naming Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD : therefore…” Naming Berachah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to…” Naming Jerusalem and Jehoshaphat keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD .” Naming Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and…” The number thirty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the…” Naming Asa keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their…” Naming Howbeit keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of…” Naming Hanani and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:” Naming Ahaziah and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Ezion-geber.” Naming Ezion and Tarshish keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself…” Naming Ahaziah and Because keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.