Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa

17 ^(A)Jehoshaphat his son then became king in his place, and made his position over Israel firm. ² He placed troops in all ^(B)the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim ^(C)which Asa his father had captured.

His Good Reign

³ The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he ^[a]followed the example of his father David’s earlier days and did not seek the Baals, ⁴ but sought the God of his father, ^[b]followed His commandments, ^(D)and did not act as Israel did. ⁵ So the Lord established the kingdom in his ^[c]control, and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and ^(E)he had great riches and honor. ^6 [d]He took great pride in the ways of the Lord and again ^(F)removed the high places 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, ^(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 They taught in Judah, having ^(I)the book of the law of the Lord with them; and they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

¹⁰ Now ^(J)the dread of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of the lands which were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Some of the Philistines ^(K)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 grew greater and greater, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah. ¹³ He had large supplies in the cities of Judah, and warriors, valiant men, 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 valiant warriors; 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 the Lord, and with him 200,000 valiant warriors; ¹⁷ and of Benjamin, Eliada a valiant warrior, and with him 200,000 armed with bow and shield; ¹⁸ and next to him Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 equipped for war. ¹⁹ These are they who served the king, apart from ^(M)those whom the king put in the fortified cities through all Judah.

Wisdom Warns

²¹ When ^(A)His own ^[a]people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “^(B)He has lost His senses.” ²² The scribes who came down ^(C)from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by ^[b](D)Beelzebul,” and “^(E)He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” ^23 (F)And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in ^(G)parables, “How can ^(H)Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ²⁶ If ^(I)Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but ^[c]he is finished! ^27 (J)But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.

²⁸ “^(K)Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; ²⁹ but ^(L)whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— ³⁰ because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

^31 (M)Then His mother and His brothers *arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. ³² A crowd was sitting around Him, and they *said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.” ³³ Answering them, He *said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” ³⁴ Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He *said, “^(N)Behold My mother and My brothers! ³⁵ For whoever ^(O)does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”