Jehoshaphat’s Reign

17 His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him and strengthened himself against Israel.^{(A) 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 his father Asa had taken.^{(B) 3} The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father;^[a] he did not seek the Baals ⁴ but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments and not according to the ways of Israel.^{(C) 5} Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. All Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor.^{(D) 6} His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the sacred poles^[b] from Judah.^(E)

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.^{(F) 8} With them were the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; and with these Levites the priests Elishama and Jehoram.^{(G) 9} They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the Lord with them; they went around through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.^(H)

¹⁰ The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands around Judah, and they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.^{(I) 11} Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute, and the Arabs also brought him seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats.^{(J) 12} Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah. ¹³ He carried out great works in the cities of Judah. He had soldiers, mighty warriors, in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ This was the muster of them by ancestral houses: Of Judah, the commanders of the thousands: Adnah the commander, with three hundred thousand mighty warriors, ¹⁵ and next to him Jehohanan the commander, with two hundred eighty thousand, ¹⁶ and next to him Amasiah son of Zichri, a volunteer for the service of the Lord, with two hundred thousand mighty warriors.^{(K) 17} Of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty warrior, with two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield, ¹⁸ and next to him Jehozabad with one hundred eighty thousand 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.