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2 Chronicles 17
New International Version
2 Chronicles 17
New International Version
Jehoshaphat King of Judah
17 Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened(A) himself against Israel. 2 He stationed troops in all the fortified cities(B) of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.(C)
3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David(D) before him. He did not consult the Baals 4 but sought(E) the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. 5 The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts(F) to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor.(G) 6 His heart was devoted(H) to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places(I) and the Asherah poles(J) from Judah.(K)
7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach(L) in the towns of Judah. 8 With them were certain Levites(M)—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law(N) of the Lord; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10 The fear(O) of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs(P) brought him flocks:(Q) seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats.
12 Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah 13 and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem. 14 Their enrollment(R) by families was as follows:
From Judah, commanders of units of 1,000:
Adnah the commander, with 300,000 fighting men;
15 next, Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000;
16 next, Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered(S) himself for the service of the Lord, with 200,000.
17 From Benjamin:(T)
Eliada, a valiant soldier, with 200,000 men armed with bows and shields;
18 next, Jehozabad, with 180,000 men armed for battle.
19 These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities(U) throughout Judah.(V)
2 Chronicles 17
English Standard Version
2 Chronicles 17
English Standard Version
Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah
17 Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 He placed forces in all the (A)fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim (B)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, (C)and not according to the practices of Israel. 5 Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah (D)brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, (E)and he had great riches and honor. 6 His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord. And furthermore, (F)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, (G)to teach in the cities of Judah; 8 (H)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 (I)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 (J)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 (K)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, (L)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 men (M)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 (N)those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.
2 Chronicles 17
Common English Bible
2 Chronicles 17
Common English Bible
Jehoshaphat rules Judah
17 Asa’s son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king. Jehoshaphat strengthened his position against Israel 2 by stationing troops in the fortified cities of Judah and placing soldiers throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured. 3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the earlier ways of his father[a] by not seeking Baal. 4 Instead, he sought the God of his father, and unlike Israel, he followed God’s commandments. 5 The Lord gave him firm control over the kingdom, and all Judah brought Jehoshaphat tribute, so that he had abundant riches and honor. 6 Jehoshaphat took pride in the Lord’s ways and again removed the shrines and the sacred poles[b] from Judah.
7 In the third year of his rule, Jehoshaphat sent his officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 They were accompanied by the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, and by the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught throughout Judah. They brought with them the Lord’s Instruction scroll as they made their rounds to all the cities of Judah, teaching the people.
10 All the kingdoms surrounding Judah were afraid of the Lord and didn’t wage war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some of the Philistines brought a load of silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat. The Arabians also brought flocks to Jehoshaphat: seventy-seven hundred rams and seventy-seven hundred goats. 12 As Jehoshaphat grew increasingly powerful, he built fortresses and storage cities in Judah 13 and had many supplies in the cities of Judah. He also had an army of mighty warriors in Jerusalem, 14 registered by their clans as follows: Judah’s officers over units of a thousand included Commander Adnah with three hundred thousand soldiers; 15 next to him was Commander Jehohanan with two hundred eighty thousand soldiers; 16 at his side was Amasiah, Zichri’s son, who volunteered for the Lord with two hundred thousand soldiers. 17 From Benjamin came a valiant warrior: Eliada, together with two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield; 18 next to him was Jehozabad, together with one hundred eighty thousand soldiers. 19 These were the individuals who served the king in addition to those the king placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 17:3 LXX; MT in the ways of his father David
- 2 Chronicles 17:6 Heb asherim, perhaps objects devoted to the goddess Asherah
2 Chronicles 17
Contemporary English Version
2 Chronicles 17
Contemporary English Version
King Jehoshaphat of Judah
17 Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king and strengthened his defenses against Israel. 2 He assigned troops to the fortified cities in Judah, as well as to other towns in Judah and to those towns in Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3-4 When Jehoshaphat's father had first become king of Judah, he was faithful to the Lord and refused to worship the god Baal as the kings of Israel did. Jehoshaphat followed his father's example and obeyed and worshiped the Lord. And so the Lord blessed Jehoshaphat 5 and helped him keep firm control of his kingdom. The people of Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, but even after he became very rich and respected, 6 he remained completely faithful to the Lord. He destroyed all the local shrines[a] in Judah, including the places where the goddess Asherah was worshiped.
7 In the third year of Jehoshaphat's rule, he chose five officials and gave them orders to teach the Lord's Law in every city and town in Judah. They were Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah. 8 Their assistants were the following nine Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah. Two priests, Elishama and Jehoram, also went along. 9 They carried with them a copy of the Lord's Law wherever they went and taught the people from it.
10 The nations around Judah were afraid of the Lord's power, so none of them attacked Jehoshaphat. 11 Philistines brought him silver and other gifts to keep peace. Some of the Arab people brought him 7,700 rams and the same number of goats.
12 As Jehoshaphat became more powerful, he built fortresses and cities 13 where he stored supplies. He also kept in Jerusalem some experienced soldiers 14 from the Judah and Benjamin tribes. These soldiers were grouped according to their clans.
Adnah was the commander of the troops from Judah, and he had 300,000 soldiers under his command. 15 Jehohanan was second in command, with 280,000 soldiers under him. 16 Amasiah son of Zichri, who had volunteered to serve the Lord, was third in command, with 200,000 soldiers under him.
17 Eliada was a brave warrior who commanded the troops from Benjamin. He had 200,000 soldiers under his command, all of them armed with bows and shields. 18 Jehozabad was second in command, with 180,000 soldiers under him. 19 These were the troops who protected the king in Jerusalem, not counting those he had assigned to the fortified cities throughout the country.
Footnotes
- 17.6 local shrines: See the note at 11.15.
New International Version (NIV) 
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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