Jehoshaphat Reigns over Judah

1Jehoshaphat his son then became king in his place, and strengthened himself over Israel. 2And he put military forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had captured.

Jehoshaphat’s Kingdom Established

3And Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the ways of his father David’s earlier days and did not seek the Baals, 4but sought the God of his father, walked in His commandments, and did not act as Israel did. 5So Yahweh established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought presents to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. 6And [†]his heart took great pride in the ways of Yahweh, and again he took away the high places and the [†]Asherim from Judah.

7Then 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; 8and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. 9And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of Yahweh with them; and they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

10Now the dread of Yahweh was on all the kingdoms of the lands which were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. 11Indeed, some of the Philistines brought presents and silver as their tax burden to Jehoshaphat; the Arabians also brought him flocks, 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats. 12So Jehoshaphat grew greater and greater, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah. 13And he had large supplies in the cities of Judah, and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem. 14This was their muster according to their fathers’ households:

of Judah, commanders of thousands, Adnah was the commander, and with him 300,000 mighty men of valor;

15and next to him was Johanan the commander, and with him 280,000;

16and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who volunteered for Yahweh, and with him 200,000 mighty men of valor;

17and of Benjamin, Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him 200,000 equipped with bow and shield;

18and next to him Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 armed for military duty.

19These are they who attended on the king, apart from those whom the king put in the fortified cities through all Judah.