2 Chronicles
17
- Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king
and strengthened himself against Israel.
- 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.
- 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
- but sought the God of his father and followed
his commands rather than the practices of Israel.
- The LORD established the kingdom under his
control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great
wealth and honor.
- His heart was devoted to the ways of the
LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.
- 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.
- With them were certain Levites -- Shemaiah,
Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and
Tob-Adonijah -- and the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
- 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.
- The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms
of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not make war with Jehoshaphat.
- 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.
- Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful;
he built forts and store cities in Judah
- and had large supplies in the towns of Judah.
He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem.
- Their enrollment by families was as follows:
From Judah, commanders of units of 1,000: Adnah the commander, with 300,000
fighting men;
- next, Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000;
- next, Amasiah son of Zicri, who volunteered
himself for the service of the LORD, with 200,000.
- From Benjamin: Eliada, a valiant soldier,
with 200,000 men armed with bows and shields;
- next, Jehozabad, with 180,000 men armed
for battle.
- These were the men who served the king,
besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
Back |
Home |
Next