2 Chronicles 17
Expanded Bible
Jehoshaphat King of Judah
17 Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son, became king of Judah in his place. Jehoshaphat ·made Judah strong so they could fight [strengthened himself] against Israel. 2 He put ·troops [garrisons] in all the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities of Judah, in the land of Judah, and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he ·lived as his ancestor David had lived when he first became king [followed the earlier example/ways of his ancestor/father David]. Jehoshaphat did not ·ask for help from [seek; consult] the Baal idols, 4 but ·from [sought; consulted] the God of his father. He ·obeyed [L walked in] God’s commands and did not ·live as the people of Israel lived [behave like Israel]. 5 The Lord ·made Jehoshaphat a strong king over Judah [secured/established the kingdom under his control/L hand]. All the people of Judah brought ·gifts [tribute] to Jehoshaphat, so he had much wealth and ·honor [esteem]. 6 ·He wanted very much to obey [L His heart was devoted/committed to the ways of] the Lord. He also removed the ·places for worshiping gods [L high places; 11:15] and the Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] from Judah.
7 During the third year of his ·rule [reign], Jehoshaphat sent his ·officers [officials] to teach in the towns of Judah. These ·officers [officials] were Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah. 8 Jehoshaphat sent with them these Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah. He also sent the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 ·These leaders, Levites, and priests [L They] taught the people in Judah. They took the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [instructions; laws] of the Lord and went through all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10 The ·nations near Judah were afraid of the Lord [L fear/dread of the Lord was on/seized the surrounding kingdoms], so they did not start a war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some of the Philistines brought ·gifts [tribute] and silver to Jehoshaphat. Some Arabs brought him flocks: seventy-seven hundred sheep and seventy-seven hundred goats.
12 Jehoshaphat grew more and more powerful. He built ·strong, walled cities [fortresses] and ·towns for storing supplies [storage cities] in Judah. 13 He kept many supplies in the towns of Judah, and he kept ·trained soldiers [skilled warriors] in Jerusalem. 14 These soldiers were ·listed [enrolled; divided] by ·families [clans]. From the ·families [clans] of Judah, these were the ·commanders [officers] of groups of a thousand men: Adnah was the commander of three hundred thousand skilled soldiers; 15 Jehohanan was the commander of two hundred eighty thousand skilled soldiers; 16 Amasiah was the commander of two hundred thousand skilled soldiers. Amasiah son of Zicri had volunteered to serve the Lord.
17 These were the ·commanders [officers] from the ·families [clans] of Benjamin: Eliada, a brave soldier, had two hundred thousand soldiers ·who used [armed/equipped with] bows and shields. 18 And Jehozabad had one hundred eighty thousand men ·armed [equipped] for war.
19 All these soldiers served King Jehoshaphat. The king also put other men in the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities through all of Judah.
2 Chronicles 17
Amplified Bible
Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa
17 Jehoshaphat his son then became king [of Judah] in Asa’s place, and strengthened his position over Israel. 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 his father Asa had captured.
His Good Reign
3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he [a]followed the example of his father (ancestor) David. He did not seek [to follow] the Baals [the false gods], 4 but sought the God of his father, and walked in (obeyed) His commandments, and did not act as Israel did. 5 Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great wealth and honor. 6 His heart was encouraged and he took great pride in the ways of the Lord; moreover, he again removed the high places [of pagan worship] 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 were the Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with them the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught in Judah having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them; 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 surrounding 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 became greater and greater. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah. 13 He had large supplies in the cities of Judah, and soldiers, courageous men, in Jerusalem. 14 This was the number of them by their fathers’ (ancestors’) households: of Judah, the commanders of thousands, Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 courageous men; 15 and next to him was Jehohanan 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 courageous men; 17 and of Benjamin: Eliada, a brave man, and with him 200,000 men armed with bow and shield; 18 and next to him was Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 armed and ready for military service. 19 These are the ones who were in the service of the king, besides those he had placed in fortified cities throughout Judah.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 17:3 Lit walked in the earlier ways of his father.
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