NETtext - II Chronicles - 17

17:1  His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king and solidified his rule over Israel.

17:2  He placed troops in all of Judah's fortified cities and posted garrisons throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had seized.

17:3  The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in his ancestor David's footsteps at the beginning of his reign. He did not seek the Baals,

17:4  but instead sought the God of his ancestors and obeyed his commands, unlike the Israelites.

17:5  The LORD made his kingdom secure; all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected.

17:6  He was committed to following the LORD; he even removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.

17:7  In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah.

17:8  They were accompanied by the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah, and by the priests Elishama and Jehoram.

17:9  They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the scroll of the law of the LORD. They traveled to all the cities of Judah and taught the people.

17:10  The LORD put fear into all the kingdoms surrounding Judah; they did not make war with Jehoshaphat.

17:11  Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat tribute, including a load of silver. The Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.

17:12  Jehoshaphat's power kept increasing. He built fortresses and storage cities throughout Judah.

17:13  He had many supplies stored in the cities of Judah and an army of skilled warriors stationed in Jerusalem.

17:14  These were their divisions by families:There were a thousand officers from Judah. Adnah the commander led 300,000 skilled warriors,

17:15  Jehochanan the commander led 280,000,

17:16  and Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered to serve the LORD, led 200,000 skilled warriors.

17:17  From Benjamin, Eliada, a skilled warrior, led 200,000 men who were equipped with bows and shields,

17:18  and Jehozabad led 180,000 trained warriors.

17:19  These were the ones who served the king, besides those whom the king placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.