1 Asa’s son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king. Jehoshaphat strengthened his position against Israel
2 by stationing troops in the fortified cities of Judah and placing soldiers throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the earlier ways of his father by not seeking Baal.
4 Instead, he sought the God of his father, and unlike Israel, he followed God’s commandments.
5 The Lord gave him firm control over the kingdom, and all Judah brought Jehoshaphat tribute, so that he had abundant riches and honor.
6 Jehoshaphat took pride in the Lord’s ways and again removed the shrines and the sacred poles from Judah.
7 In the third year of his rule, Jehoshaphat sent his officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah.
8 They were accompanied by the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, and by the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
9 They taught throughout Judah. They brought with them the Lord’s Instruction scroll as they made their rounds to all the cities of Judah, teaching the people.
10 All the kingdoms surrounding Judah were afraid of the Lord and didn’t wage war against Jehoshaphat.
11 Some of the Philistines brought a load of silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat. The Arabians also brought flocks to Jehoshaphat: seventy-seven hundred rams and seventy-seven hundred goats.
12 As Jehoshaphat grew increasingly powerful, he built fortresses and storage cities in Judah
13 and had many supplies in the cities of Judah. He also had an army of mighty warriors in Jerusalem,
14 registered by their clans as follows: Judah’s officers over units of a thousand included Commander Adnah with three hundred thousand soldiers;
15 next to him was Commander Jehohanan with two hundred eighty thousand soldiers;
16 at his side was Amasiah, Zichri’s son, who volunteered for the Lord with two hundred thousand soldiers.
17 From Benjamin came a valiant warrior: Eliada, together with two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;
18 next to him was Jehozabad, together with one hundred eighty thousand soldiers.
19 These were the individuals who served the king in addition to those the king placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.