2Chronicles - Chapter 17 | Good News Translation

  • 1. Jehoshaphat succeeded his father Asa as king and strengthened his position against Israel.
  • 2. He stationed troops in the fortified cities of Judah, in the Judean countryside, and in the cities which Asa had captured in the territory of Ephraim.
  • 3. The LORD blessed Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father's early life and did not worship Baal.
  • 4. He served his father's God, obeyed God's commands, and did not act the way the kings of Israel did.
  • 5. The LORD gave Jehoshaphat firm control over the kingdom of Judah, and all the people brought him gifts, so that he became wealthy and highly honored.
  • 6. He took pride in serving the LORD and destroyed all the pagan places of worship and the symbols of the goddess Asherah in Judah.
  • 7. In the third year of his reign he sent out the following officials to teach in the cities of Judah: Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah.
  • 8. They were accompanied by nine Levites and two priests. The Levites were Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and the priests were Elishama and Jehoram.
  • 9. They took the book of the Law of the LORD and went through all the towns of Judah, teaching it to the people.
  • 10. The LORD made all the surrounding kingdoms afraid to go to war against King Jehoshaphat.
  • 11. Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat a large amount of silver and other gifts, and some Arabs brought him 7,700 sheep and 7,700 goats.
  • 12. So Jehoshaphat continued to grow more and more powerful. Throughout Judah he built fortifications and cities,
  • 13. where supplies were stored in huge amounts. In Jerusalem he stationed outstanding officers,
  • 14. according to their clans. Adnah was the commander of the troops from the clans of Judah, and he had 300,000 soldiers under him.
  • 15. Second in rank was Jehohanan, with 280,000 soldiers,
  • 16. and third was Amasiah son of Zichri, with 200,000. (Amasiah had volunteered to serve the LORD.)
  • 17. The commander of the troops from the clans of Benjamin was Eliada, an outstanding soldier, in command of 200,000 men armed with shields and bows.
  • 18. His second in command was Jehozabad with 180,000 men, well-equipped for battle.
  • 19. These soldiers served the king in Jerusalem, and in addition he stationed others in the other fortified cities of Judah.
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