2 Chronicles 17
Christian Standard Bible
Judah’s King Jehoshaphat
17 His son Jehoshaphat became king in his place(A) and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah(B) and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.(C)
3 Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the former ways of his ancestor David.[a] He did not seek the Baals 4 but sought the God of his father and walked by his commands, not according to the practices of Israel.(D) 5 So the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. Then all Judah brought him tribute, and he had riches and honor in abundance.(E) 6 He took great pride in the Lord’s ways, and he again(F) removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.(G)
Jehoshaphat’s Educational Plan
7 In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials—Ben-hail,[b] Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah—to teach in the cities of Judah.(H) 8 The Levites with them were Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah,[c] Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; the priests, Elishama and Jehoram, were with these Levites. 9 They taught throughout Judah, having the book of the Lord’s instruction with them.(I) They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10 The terror of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah,(J) so they didn’t fight against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some of the Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him flocks: 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.(K)
Jehoshaphat’s Military Might
12 Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger. He built fortresses(L) and storage cities in Judah 13 and carried out great works in the towns of Judah. He had fighting men, valiant warriors, in Jerusalem. 14 These are their numbers according to their ancestral families.[d] For Judah, the commanders of thousands:
Adnah the commander and three hundred thousand valiant warriors with him;
15 next to him, Jehohanan the commander and two hundred eighty thousand with him;
16 next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer(M) of the Lord, and two hundred thousand valiant warriors with him;
17 from Benjamin, Eliada, a valiant warrior, and two hundred thousand with him armed with bow and shield;
18 next to him, Jehozabad and one hundred eighty thousand with him equipped for war.
19 These were the ones who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.(N)
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
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