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.