2 Chronicles 17

Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah

17Then ^aJehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel. ²And he placed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of ^bJudah and in the cities of Ephraim ^cwhich Asa his father had taken. ³Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the former ways of his father David; he did not seek the Baals, ⁴but sought ¹the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not according to ^dthe acts of Israel. ⁵Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah ^egave presents to Jehoshaphat, ^fand he had riches and honor in abundance. ⁶And his heart took delight in the ways of the Lord; moreover ^ghe removed the ²high places and wooden images from Judah.

⁷Also in the third year of his reign he sent his leaders, Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Michaiah, ^hto teach in the cities of Judah. ⁸And with them he sent Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah—the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. ⁹ⁱSo they taught in Judah, and had the Book of the Law of the Lord with them; they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people.

¹⁰And ^jthe fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹Also some of the Philistines ^kbrought Jehoshaphat presents and silver as tribute; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats.

¹²So Jehoshaphat became increasingly powerful, and he built fortresses and storage cities in Judah. ¹³He had much property in the cities of Judah; and the men of war, mighty men of valor, were in Jerusalem.

¹⁴These are their numbers, according to their fathers’ houses. Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him three hundred thousand mighty men of valor; ¹⁵and next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand; ¹⁶and next to him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, ^lwho willingly offered himself to the Lord, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. ¹⁷Of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand men armed with bow and shield; ¹⁸and next to him was Jehozabad, and with him one hundred and eighty thousand prepared for war. ¹⁹These served the king, besides ^mthose the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.