King Jehoshaphat of Judah
1 Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king and strengthened
his defenses against Israel. 2 He assigned troops to the fortified cities in
Judah, as well as to other towns in Judah and to those towns in Ephraim that
his father Asa had captured.
3 When Jehoshaphat’s father had first become king
of Judah, he was faithful to the Lord and refused to worship the god Baal as
the kings of Israel did. Jehoshaphat followed his father’s example and
obeyed and worshiped the Lord. And so the Lord blessed Jehoshaphat 5 and helped
him keep firm control of his kingdom. The people of Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat,
but even after he became very rich and respected, 6 he remained completely faithful
to the Lord. He destroyed all the local shrines in Judah, including the places
where the goddess Asherah was worshiped.
7 In the third year of Jehoshaphat’s rule, he chose
five officials and gave them orders to teach the Lord’s Law in every city
and town in Judah. They were Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah.
8 Their assistants were the following nine Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah,
Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah. Two priests,
Elishama and Jehoram, also went along. 9 They carried with them a copy of the
Lord’s Law wherever they went and taught the people from it.
10 The nations around Judah were afraid of the Lord’s
power, so none of them attacked Jehoshaphat. 11 Philistines
brought him silver and other gifts to keep peace. Some of the Arab people brought
him seventy-seven hundred rams and the same number of goats.
12 As Jehoshaphat became more powerful, he built fortresses
and cities 13 where he stored supplies. He also kept in Jerusalem some experienced
soldiers 14 from the Judah and Benjamin tribes. These soldiers were grouped
according to their clans.
Adnah was the commander of the troops from Judah, and
he had three hundred thousand soldiers under his command. 15 Jehohanan was second
in command, with two hundred eighty thousand soldiers under him. 16 Amasiah
son of Zichri, who had volunteered to serve the Lord, was third in command,
with two hundred thousand soldiers under him.
17 Eliada was a brave warrior who commanded the troops
from Benjamin. He had two hundred thousand soldiers under his command, all of
them armed with bows and shields. 18 Jehozabad was second in command, with one
hundred eighty thousand soldiers under him. 19 These were the troops who protected
the king in Jerusalem, not counting those he had assigned to the fortified cities
throughout the country.
The Contemporary English Version, Copyright © 1995
by the American Bible Society.
Selected texts provided for use with the Amos: Hypertext Bible Commentary