2 Chronicles 17 — NETB

17Verse 1His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king and solidified his rule over Israel.^{Verse 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.^{Verse 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,^{Verse 4}but instead sought the God of his ancestors and obeyed his commands, unlike the Israelites.^{Verse 5}The Lord made his kingdom secure; all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected.^{Verse 6}He was committed to following the Lord; he even removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.^{Verse 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.^{Verse 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.^{Verse 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.^{Verse 10}The Lord put fear into all the kingdoms surrounding Judah; they did not make war with Jehoshaphat.^{Verse 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.^{Verse 12}Jehoshaphat’s power kept increasing. He built fortresses and storage cities throughout Judah.^{Verse 13}He had many supplies stored in the cities of Judah and an army of skilled warriors stationed in Jerusalem.^{Verse 14}These were their divisions by families: There were a thousand officers from Judah. Adnah the commander led 300,000 skilled warriors,^{Verse 15}Jehochanan the commander led 280,000,^{Verse 16}and Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered to serve the Lord, led 200,000 skilled warriors.^{Verse 17}From Benjamin, Eliada, a skilled warrior, led 200,000 men who were equipped with bows and shields,^{Verse 18}and Jehozabad led 180,000 trained warriors.^{Verse 19}These were the ones who served the king, besides those whom the king placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.