⁴Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. ⁵He appointed judges^q in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. ⁶He told them, “Consider carefully what you do,^r because you are not judging for mere mortals^s but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. ⁷Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice^t or partiality^u or bribery.”

⁸In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites,^v priests^w and heads of Israelite families to administer^x the law of the Lord and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. ⁹He gave them these orders: “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord. ¹⁰In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord;^y otherwise his wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.

¹¹“Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and the Levites will serve as officials before you. Act with courage,^z and may the Lord be with those who do well.”

Read in Logos

Cross references

qSee Ge 47:6; See Ex 18:26
rSee Lev 19:15
s Dt 16:18–20; 17:8–13
tSee Ge 18:25; See Job 8:3
uSee Ex 18:16; Dt 10:17; Job 13:10; 32:21; 34:19
vSee 1 Ch 23:4
w Eze 44:24
x 2 Ch 17:8–9
y Dt 17:8–13
zSee 1 Ch 28:20