Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa

17 Jehoshaphat his son then became king in his place, and made his position over Israel firm. ² He placed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had captured.

His Good Reign

³ The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he ^[a]followed the example of his father David’s earlier days and did not seek the Baals, ⁴ but sought the God of his father, ^[b]followed His commandments, and did not act as Israel did. ⁵ So the Lord established the kingdom in his ^[c]control, and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. ^6 [d]He took great pride in the ways of the Lord and again removed the high places and the Asherim from Judah.

⁷ Then 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, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. ⁹ They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the Lord with them; and they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

¹⁰ Now the dread of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of the lands which were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Some of the Philistines brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat; the Arabians also brought him flocks, 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats. ¹² So Jehoshaphat grew greater and greater, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah. ¹³ He had large supplies in the cities of Judah, and warriors, valiant men, in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ This was their muster according to their fathers’ households: of Judah, commanders of thousands, Adnah was the commander, and with him 300,000 valiant warriors; ¹⁵ and next to him was Johanan the commander, and with him 280,000; ¹⁶ and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who volunteered for the Lord, and with him 200,000 valiant warriors; ¹⁷ and of Benjamin, Eliada a valiant warrior, and with him 200,000 armed with bow and shield; ¹⁸ and next to him Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 equipped for war. ¹⁹ These are they who served the king, apart from those whom the king put in the fortified cities through all Judah.