• Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa

  • 1 His son Jehoshaphat then became king in his place, and he proved himself strong over Israel.
  • 2 He placed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah, and placed garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which his father Asa had captured.

  • His Good Reign

  • 3 And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father David’s earlier days and did not seek the Baals,
  • 4 but sought the God of his father, followed His commandments, and did not act as Israel did.
  • 5 So the Lord established the kingdom in his control, and all Judah gave tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor.
  • 6 He took great pride in the ways of the Lord, and again 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, to teach in the cities of Judah;
  • 8 and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
  • 9 They taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them; and they went throughout the cities of Judah and taught among the people.
  • 10 Now 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 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 storage cities in Judah.
  • 13 He had large supplies in the cities of Judah, and warriors, valiant mighty 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 three hundred thousand 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, who volunteered for the Lord, and with him two hundred thousand valiant warriors;
  • 17 and of Benjamin, Eliada, a valiant warrior, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;
  • 18 and next to him Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 equipped for war.
  • 19 These are the ones who served the king, apart from those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout Judah.