2 Chronicles 17

Tree of Life Version

Jehosaphat Restores Judah to Torah

17 Jehoshaphat his son became king in his place and took firm hold of his position against Israel. ² He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.

³ Adonai was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baalim ⁴ but sought the God of his father, and walked in His mitzvot rather than the deeds of Israel. ⁵ So Adonai established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat so that he had great riches and honor. ⁶ His heart was devoted to the ways of Adonai. Furthermore he removed the high places and the Asherah poles 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 towns of Judah. ⁸ With them were the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-adonijah and with them Elishama and Jehoram the kohanim. ⁹ They taught throughout Judah, having with them a Torah scroll of Adonai. They went throughout all the towns of Judah and taught the people.

¹⁰ Now the fear of Adonai fell on all the kingdoms of the lands around Judah, so that they did not make war with Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute. The Arabs also brought him flocks—7,700 rams and 7,700 he-goats.

¹² So Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful. He built forts and storage cities in Judah ¹³ and carried out extensive work in the cities of Judah. He had men of war, valiant warriors, in Jerusalem.

¹⁴ These were their appointees according to their clans. From Judah, captains of thousands: Adnah the commander with 300,000 valiant warriors; ¹⁵ and next to him Jehohanan the commander with 280,000; ¹⁶ and next to him, Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to Adonai with 200,000 valiant warriors.

¹⁷ From Benjamin: Eliada a valiant warrior with 200,000 men armed with bow and shield; ¹⁸ and next to him Jehozabad with 180,000 equipped for war.

¹⁹ These were the men who served the king besides those whom the king stationed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.