先知责备约沙法

19 犹大王约沙法平安地回到耶路撒冷的宫中。 哈拿尼先见的儿子耶户出来迎接约沙法王,对他说:“你怎能帮助恶人,爱那憎恨耶和华的人呢?你这样做已经惹怒耶和华了。 然而你还有善行,因为你铲除境内的亚舍拉神像,立志寻求上帝。”

约沙法的改革

约沙法在耶路撒冷住了一段时间后,就出巡民间,从别示巴一直走到以法莲山区,引导民众归向他们祖先的上帝耶和华。 他又在犹大各坚城委任审判官, 对他们说:“你们办事必须谨慎,因为你们不是为人而是为耶和华断案,你们断案的时候,耶和华必与你们同在。 现在你们应当敬畏耶和华,谨慎办事,因为我们的上帝耶和华毫无不义,不偏待人,不受贿赂。”

约沙法还在耶路撒冷委任一些利未人、祭司和以色列族长替耶和华断案,审理诉讼。他们就住在耶路撒冷。 约沙法训导他们说:“你们要怀着敬畏耶和华的心,全心全意地办事。 10 各城中的同胞若把案件带到你们面前,无论是杀人流血,还是有关律法、诫命、律例和典章的案件,你们都要警告他们不要得罪耶和华,免得耶和华的烈怒临到你们和你们的同胞。你们这样行,就没有罪了。 11 凡有关耶和华的事,由亚玛利雅大祭司监督你们;凡有关君王的事,由犹大支派的族长以实玛利的儿子西巴第雅监督你们。利未人做官长协助你们。你们要行事勇敢,愿耶和华与正直的人同在!”

耶戶責備約沙法

19 猶大王約沙法平平安安回到耶路撒冷自己的王宮裡去。 先見哈拿尼的兒子耶戶出來迎見約沙法王,對他說:“你怎能幫助惡人,喜愛那恨惡耶和華的人呢?因此耶和華的忿怒必臨到你身上。 可是你還有善行,因為你從國中除掉亞舍拉,並且決心尋求 神。”

約沙法設立審判官

約沙法住在耶路撒冷,後來又出巡民間,從別是巴到以法蓮山地,領人民歸向耶和華他們列祖的 神。 他又在猶大境內的一切設防城中,都設立審判官; 他對他們說:“你們行事,必須謹慎;因為你們審判,不是為人,而是為耶和華;你們審判的時候,耶和華必和你們同在。 現在你們要敬畏耶和華;你們要謹慎行事,因為耶和華我們的 神沒有不義,不偏待人,也不受賄賂。”

約沙法又在耶路撒冷,從利未人、祭司和以色列各家族的首領中設立了一些人,替耶和華施行審判,為耶路撒冷的居民處理訴訟。 約沙法吩咐他們說:“你們要以敬畏耶和華的心,忠心和盡心辦事。 10 你們住在各城裡的同胞帶到你們面前的一切訴訟,無論是流血的事件,或是有關律法、誡命、律例和典章的訴訟,你們總要警告他們,免得他們得罪耶和華,以致耶和華的烈怒臨到你們和你們的同胞身上;你們必須這樣行,就沒有罪了。 11 所有屬於耶和華的事,有大祭司亞瑪利雅管理你們;所有屬於王的事,有猶大家的領袖以實瑪利的兒子西巴第雅管理你們;在你們面前也有利未人作官長。你們要勇敢行事;願耶和華和良善的人同在。”

Jehoshaphat’s Additional Reforms

19 Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned safely to his house in Jerusalem. And Jehu the son of Hanani (A)the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and (B)love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the (C)wrath of the Lord is upon you. Nevertheless (D)good things are found in you, in that you have removed the [a]wooden images from the land, and have (E)prepared your heart to seek God.”

The Reforms of Jehoshaphat

So Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the mountains of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord God of their (F)fathers. Then he set (G)judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for (H)you do not judge for man but for the Lord, (I)who is with you [b]in the judgment. Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for (J)there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no (K)partiality, nor taking of bribes.”

Moreover in Jerusalem, for the judgment of the Lord and for controversies, Jehoshaphat (L)appointed some of the Levites and priests, and some of the chief fathers of Israel, [c]when they returned to Jerusalem. And he commanded them, saying, “Thus you shall act (M)in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and with a loyal heart: 10 (N)Whatever case comes to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities, whether of bloodshed or offenses against law or commandment, against statutes or ordinances, you shall warn them, lest they trespass against the Lord and (O)wrath come upon (P)you and your brethren. Do this, and you will not be guilty. 11 And take notice: (Q)Amariah the chief priest is over you (R)in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king’s matters; also the Levites will be officials before you. Behave courageously, and the Lord will be (S)with the good.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 19:3 Or Asherim, Heb. Asheroth
  2. 2 Chronicles 19:6 Lit. in the matter of the judgment
  3. 2 Chronicles 19:8 LXX, Vg. for the inhabitants of Jerusalem

19 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.

Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.

And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the Lord God of their fathers.

And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,

And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.

Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the Lord, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.

And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in your cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the Lord, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.

11 And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king's matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good.