2 Chronicles 17

¹ Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.

² He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had taken.

³ The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father; he did not seek the Baals,

⁴ but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the ways of Israel.

⁵ Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat; and he had great riches and honor.

⁶ His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD; and furthermore he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.

⁷ In the third year of his reign he sent his princes, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;

⁸ and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram.

⁹ And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the LORD with them; they went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

¹⁰ And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat.

¹¹ Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute; and the Arabs also brought him seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred he-goats.

¹² And Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built in Judah fortresses and store-cities,

¹³ and he had great stores in the cities of Judah. He had soldiers, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem.

¹⁴ This was the muster of them by fathers' houses: Of Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, with three hundred thousand mighty men of valor,

¹⁵ and next to him Jehohanan the commander, with two hundred and eighty thousand,

¹⁶ and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, a volunteer for the service of the LORD, with two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.

¹⁷ Of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, with two hundred thousand men armed with bow and shield,

¹⁸ and next to him Jehozabad with a hundred and eighty thousand armed for war.

¹⁹ These were in the service of the king, besides those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.