The divine intervention — ambushes set — 'And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, and they were defeated' (וכהחל עם בתרועה ותהלה נתן יהוה מארבים על בני עמון ומואב וגבל שעיר הבאים על יהודה ויכו). The moment of divine action is precisely when the singers begin (חל) their praise (תהלה) and shouting (תרועה). The verb נתן (set) suggests that God directly places the ambushes; the enemy is routed by divine action, not military strategy. The passive construction 'they were defeated' (ויכו, they were struck/smitten) emphasizes that an external force — divine agency — breaks the enemy. The Chronicler's point is theologically transparent: the battle outcome is not contingent on human military capacity but on the people's faithfulness in prayer, prophecy, worship, and trust. The singing of praise is the efficacious action; when praise rises, divine power is released.

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