II Chronicles 17 Jehoshaphat and His Care in Instructing the People

 II Chronicles 17

Jehoshaphat and His Care in Instructing the People

1 And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.

2 And he placed men of war in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

3 And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of David his father, and sought not Baalim.

4 But sought the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.

5 And the Lord established the kingdom in his hand: and all Judah gave gifts to Jehoshaphat: and he had riches and honour in abundance.

6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord, and he took away also the high places and the groves of Judah. 

​​7 And in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, Bencail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.

 ​​8 And with them the Levites, Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobiah, and Tobadoniah, the Levites; and with them the priests, Elishama and Joram. 

9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them; and they went about all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people. 

10 And the fear of the Lord came upon all the kingdoms of the earth that were round about Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 

11 And some of the Philistines brought gifts to Jehoshaphat with the tribute money; and the Arabians brought him small cattle, seven thousand seven hundred rams, and seven thousand seven hundred male goats.

12 And Jehoshaphat grew and became exceedingly great, and built forts and cities of store in Judah. ​​

13 And he did much work in the cities of Judah, and men of war, and mighty men of valor in Jerusalem.

14 And this is the number of them according to the houses of their fathers: In Judah were the captains of thousands: the captain Adnah, and with him three hundred thousand mighty men of valor;

15 And after him the captain Johanan, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand;

16 And after him Amaziah the son of Zichri, who gave himself willingly to the Lord, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. 

17 And of Benjamin, Eliada, a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield.

18 And after him Jehozabad, and with him one hundred and eighty thousand armed for war.

19 These were in the king's service, besides those whom the king had placed in the fenced cities throughout all Judah.