2 Chronicles17

¹ Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place and strengthened himself against Israel.

² He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had captured.

³ The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals,

⁴ but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel.

⁵ Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor.

⁶ His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.

⁷ In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;

⁸ and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram.

⁹ And they taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them. They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

¹⁰ And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat.

¹¹ Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute, and the Arabians also brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats.

¹² And Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built in Judah fortresses and store cities,

¹³ and he had large supplies in the cities of Judah. He had soldiers, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem.

¹⁴ This was the muster of them by fathers’ houses: Of Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, with 300,000 mighty men of valor;

¹⁵ and next to him Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000;

¹⁶ and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, a volunteer for the service of the Lord, with 200,000 mighty men of valor.

¹⁷ Of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, with 200,000 armed with bow and shield;

¹⁸ and next to him Jehozabad with 180,000 armed for war.

¹⁹ These were in the service of the king, besides those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.