2 Chronicles 17

JUDAH’S KING JEHOSHAPHAT

17His son Jehoshaphat became king in his place^c and strengthened himself against Israel. ²He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah^d and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.^e

³Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the former ways of his father David.^B He did not seek the Baals ⁴but sought the God of his father and walked by his commands, not according to the practices of Israel.^{f 5}So the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. Then all Judah brought him tribute, and he had riches and honor in abundance.^{g 6}He took great pride in the Lord’s ways, and he again^h removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.ⁱ

JEHOSHAPHAT’S EDUCATIONAL PLAN

⁷In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials—Ben-hail,^C Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah—to teach in the cities of Judah.^{j 8}The Levites with them were Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah,^D Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; the priests, Elishama and Jehoram, were with these Levites. ⁹They taught throughout Judah, having the book of the Lord’s instruction with them.^k They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.

¹⁰The terror of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah,^l so they didn’t fight against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹Some of the Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him flocks: 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.^m

JEHOSHAPHAT’S MILITARY MIGHT

¹²Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger. He built fortressesⁿ and storage cities in Judah ¹³and carried out great works in the towns of Judah. He had fighting men, valiant warriors, in Jerusalem. ¹⁴These are their numbers according to their ancestral families.^A For Judah, the commanders of thousands:

Adnah the commander and three hundred thousand valiant warriors with him;

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

¹⁶next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer^o of the Lord, and two hundred thousand valiant warriors with him;

¹⁷from Benjamin, Eliada, a valiant warrior, and two hundred thousand with him armed with bow and shield;

¹⁸next to him, Jehozabad and one hundred eighty thousand with him equipped for war.

¹⁹These were the ones who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.^p