¹⁸ “You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your ^[a]towns which the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

Reforms Instituted

⁵ He appointed ^(A)judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city. ⁶ He said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for ^(B)you do not judge for mankind but for the Lord who is with you ^[a]when you render judgment. ⁷ Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; be careful ^[b]about what you do, for ^[c]the Lord our God will ^(C)have no part in injustice ^(D)or partiality, or in the taking of a bribe.”

⁸ In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat also appointed some ^(E)of the Levites and priests, and some of the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, for the judgment of the Lord, and ^[d]to judge disputes among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ⁹ Then he commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and wholeheartedly. ^10 (F)Whenever any dispute comes to you from your countrymen who live in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you shall warn them so that they will not be guilty before the Lord, and ^(G)wrath will not come on you and your countrymen. This you shall do and you will not be guilty. ¹¹ Behold, Amariah the chief priest will be over you in ^(H)every matter ^[e]that pertains to the Lord, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all that pertains to the king. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. ^[f](I)Act resolutely, and may the Lord be with the upright.”