1 Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. |
2 He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured. |
3 The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways his father David had followed. He did not consult the Baals |
4 but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. |
5 The LORD established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. |
6 His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah. |
7 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 certain Levites--Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah--and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. |
9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people. |
10 The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not make war with Jehoshaphat. |
11 Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats. |
12 Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah |
13 and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem. |
14 Their enrollment by families was as follows: From Judah, commanders of units of 1,000: Adnah the commander, with 300,000 fighting men; |
15 next, Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000; |
16 next, Amasiah son of Zicri, who volunteered himself for the service of the LORD, with 200,000. |
17 From Benjamin: Eliada, a valiant soldier, with 200,000 men armed with bows and shields; |
18 next, Jehozabad, with 180,000 men armed for battle. |
19 These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah. |