2 Chronicles 17

Jehoshaphat Rules Righteously & Teaches the Law

1 His son Jehoshaphat took over as king in his place and made himself strong against Israel.

2 He put troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his pops Asa had captured.

3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the ways of his daddy David in his early days, and did not seek the Baals.

4 Instead, he sought the God of his pops and walked in His commands, and did not do like the practices of Israel.

5 So the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, and he had massive riches and honor.

6 His heart got bold in the ways of the Lord, and he even got rid of the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.

Teaching the Law in Judah

7 In the third year of his rule, he sent his officials, Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.

8 And with them, he sent the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah, and with them, the priests Elishama and Jehoram.

9 They taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them. They went through all the cities of Judah, teaching the people.

Jehoshaphat’s Power & Respect

10 And the fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands around Judah, so they did not beef with Jehoshaphat.

11 Some Philistines even brought gifts to Jehoshaphat and silver as tribute. The Arabs also brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats.

12 Jehoshaphat grew more and more powerful. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah.

13 He had a lot of work going on in the cities of Judah, and he had mighty, strong warriors in Jerusalem.

14 Here is their breakdown by their father’s families: from Judah, commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, with three hundred thousand strong men;

15 And next to him, Jehohanan the commander, with two hundred eighty thousand;

16 And next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, who volunteered for the Lord, with two hundred thousand strong men.

17 From Benjamin: Eliada, a strong warrior, with two hundred thousand archers and shield-bearers;

18 And next to him, Jehozabad, with a hundred eighty thousand armed for war.

19 All these served the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.