2 Chronicles 17
Legacy Standard Bible
Jehoshaphat Reigns over Judah
17 (A)Jehoshaphat his son then became king in his place, and strengthened himself over Israel. 2 And he put military forces in all (B)the fortified cities of Judah, and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim (C)which Asa his father had captured.
Jehoshaphat’s Kingdom Established
3 And Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the ways of his father David’s earlier days and did not seek the Baals, 4 but sought the God of his father, walked in His commandments, (D)and did not act as Israel did. 5 So Yahweh established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought presents to Jehoshaphat, and (E)he had great riches and honor. 6 And [a]his heart took great pride in the ways of Yahweh, and again he (F)took away the high places and the [b]Asherim from Judah.
7 Then in the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah, (G)to teach in the cities of Judah; 8 and with them (H)the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. 9 And they taught in Judah, having (I)the book of the law of Yahweh with them; and they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.
10 Now (J)the dread of Yahweh was on all the kingdoms of the lands which were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Indeed, some of the Philistines (K)brought presents and silver as their tax burden to Jehoshaphat; the Arabians also brought him flocks, 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats. 12 So Jehoshaphat grew greater and greater, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah. 13 And he had large supplies in the cities of Judah, and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem. 14 This was their muster according to their fathers’ households:
of Judah, commanders of thousands, Adnah was the commander, and with him 300,000 mighty men of valor;
15 and next to him was Johanan the commander, and with him 280,000;
16 and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, (L)who volunteered for Yahweh, and with him 200,000 mighty men of valor;
17 and of Benjamin, Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him 200,000 equipped with bow and shield;
18 and next to him Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 armed for military duty.
19 These are they who attended on the king, apart from (M)those whom the king put in the fortified cities through all Judah.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 17:6 Lit his heart was high
- 2 Chronicles 17:6 Wooden symbols of a female deity
2 Chronicles 17
Holman 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 father 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 His mind rejoiced 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, brave warriors, in Jerusalem. 14 These are their numbers according to their ancestral families. For Judah, the commanders of thousands:
Adnah the commander and 300,000 brave warriors with him;
15 next to him, Jehohanan the commander and 280,000 with him;
16 next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer(M) of the Lord, and 200,000 brave warriors with him;
17 from Benjamin, Eliada, a brave warrior, and 200,000 with him armed with bow and shield;
18 next to him, Jehozabad and 180,000 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)
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 17:3 Some Hb mss, LXX omit David
- 2 Chronicles 17:7 = Son of Power
- 2 Chronicles 17:8 Some Hb mss, Syr, Tg, Arabic read Zechariah
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