2 Chronicles 17

Modern English Version

Jehoshaphat, King of Judah

17 Then Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and he grew strong against Israel. ² He put an army in all the fortified cities of Judah and set military garrisons in the land of Judah, even in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had captured.

³ Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, for he walked in the previous ways of David his father, and he did not seek out the Baal cult. ⁴ For he sought out the God of his fathers and walked in his commandments, rather than the deeds of Israel. ⁵ So the Lord made firm the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah gave a tribute to Jehoshaphat. So he had an abundance of riches and honor. ⁶ His heart was raised up for the ways of the Lord. He even removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.

⁷ In the third year of his reign he sent officials, Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Jerusalem, ⁸ and with them were also the Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah, who were Levites. And with these were also Elishama and Jehoram, who were priests. ⁹ They taught the people in Judah, and they used the Book of the Law of the Lord and they traveled about all the cities of Judah and taught the people.

¹⁰ The terror of the Lord came on all the kingdoms of the land that surrounded Judah, and they did not bring war against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Some from the Philistine peoples brought gifts to Jehoshaphat such as silver for tribute. The Arabians even brought seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats to him.

¹² Jehoshaphat continued to increase in greatness, and he built citadels and storehouses in Judah. ¹³ And he had much property in the cities of Judah, and the men of war, mighty men of valor, were in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ This was their divisions by the houses of their father:

¹⁹ These were serving the king in addition to those the king placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.