1 | Jehosh'aphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. |
2 | He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of E'phraim which Asa his father had taken. |
3 | The LORD was with Jehosh'aphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father; he did not seek the Ba'als, |
4 | but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the ways of Israel. |
5 | Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought tribute to Jehosh'aphat; and he had great riches and honor. |
6 | His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD; and furthermore he took the high places and the Ashe'rim out of Judah. |
7 | In the third year of his reign he sent his princes, Ben-hail, Obadi'ah, Zechari'ah, Nethan'el, and Micai'ah, to teach in the cities of Judah; |
8 | and with them the Levites, Shemai'ah, Nethani'ah, Zebadi'ah, As'ahel, Shemi'ramoth, Jehon'athan, Adoni'jah, Tobi'jah, and Tobadoni'jah; and with these Levites, the priests Eli'shama and Jeho'ram. |
9 | And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the LORD with them; they went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people. |
10 | And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, and they made no war against Jehosh'aphat. |
11 | Some of the Philistines brought Jehosh'aphat presents, and silver for tribute; and the Arabs also brought him seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred he-goats. |
12 | And Jehosh'aphat grew steadily greater. He built in Judah fortresses and store-cities, |
13 | and he had great stores in the cities of Judah. He had soldiers, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem. |
14 | This was the muster of them by fathers' houses: Of Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, with three hundred thousand mighty men of valor, |
15 | and next to him Jehoha'nan the commander, with two hundred and eighty thousand, |
16 | and next to him Amasi'ah the son of Zichri, a volunteer for the service of the LORD, with two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. |
17 | Of Benjamin: Eli'ada, a mighty man of valor, with two hundred thousand men armed with bow and shield, |
18 | and next to him Jeho'zabad with a hundred and eighty thousand armed for war. |
19 | These were in the service of the king, besides those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah. |