2 Chronicles 17 — AAB

Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah

17Verse 1Asa’s son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place, and he strengthened himself against Israel.^{Verse 2}He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.^{Verse 3}Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways⁺of his father David. He did not seek the Baals,^{Verse 4}but he sought the God of his father and walked by His commandments rather than the practices of Israel.^{Verse 5}So the LORD established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought him tribute, so that he had an abundance of riches and honor.^{Verse 6}And his heart took delight⁺in the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.^{Verse 7}In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah,^{Verse 8}accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram.^{Verse 9}They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD. They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.^{Verse 10}And the dread of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.^{Verse 11}Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.^{Verse 12}Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah^{Verse 13}and kept vast supplies in the cities of Judah. He also had warriors in Jerusalem who were mighty men of valor.^{Verse 14}These are their numbers according to the houses of their fathers:
From Judah, the commanders of thousands:
Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 mighty men of valor;^{Verse 15}next to him, Jehohanan the commander, and with him 280,000;^{Verse 16}and next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer for the LORD, and with him 200,000 mighty men of valor.^{Verse 17}From Benjamin:
Eliada, a mighty man of valor, and with him 200,000 armed with bows and shields;^{Verse 18}and next to him, Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 armed for battle.^{Verse 19}These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.