And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

2 CHRONICLES 20:26KJV
Know the Bible

2 Chronicles 20:26 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 20:26 mean?

2 Chronicles 20:26 describes how, on the fourth day after a great victory, the people of Judah gathered in a place called the Valley of Berachah to bless and thank the LORD. The place received its name, which means "Valley of Blessing," because of this act of gratitude and worship.

The verse takes place after King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah experienced a miraculous deliverance from their enemies. The people assembled together (not just leaders, but the whole community) to publicly acknowledge God's help. The name "Berachah" comes from the Hebrew word for blessing, highlighting that this valley became known for the special moment when the people praised God for what He had done.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 20:26

  • בְּרָכָה (berakhah, "Berachah"): This word means "blessing." The valley was named for the act of blessing God that took place there, making the location itself a reminder of gratitude.
  • בָּרַךְ (barakh, "blessed"): This is the verb used for "they blessed the LORD." It often means to praise or thank, not just to speak well of, but to recognize God's goodness in a public way.
  • קָהַל (qahal, "assembled"): This word carries the sense of a formal gathering, often for worship or a significant communal event, emphasizing the unity and seriousness of the occasion.

Why 2 Chronicles 20:26 matters

  • The verse clarifies that the people's response to victory was not just relief or celebration, but a deliberate act of worship and thanksgiving, setting an example of how to respond to help received.
  • Naming the valley "Berachah" shows how physical places in the Bible often become reminders of spiritual events, helping future generations remember what happened there.
  • This verse connects to the wider passage by marking the climax of the story: God’s deliverance leads to a communal act of blessing, showing the importance of remembering and marking God’s help in tangible ways.

Where else these words appear

“Berachah” Hebrew H1294 · used in 2 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 12:3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite,

“assembled” Hebrew H6950 · used in 39 verses

  • Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
  • Numbers 20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
  • 1 Chronicles 28:1 And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.

“fourth” Hebrew H7243 · used in 54 verses

  • Genesis 1:19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
  • 2 Samuel 3:4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
  • 1 Chronicles 26:11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.

“valley” Hebrew H6010 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 14:3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
  • Judges 7:1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
  • Job 39:21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.