Bible Time

¹AND Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel. ²And he placed mighty men in all the fortified cities of Judah, and appointed governors in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had taken. ³And Yahvah was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father David and did not pray to images; ⁴But he prayed to Yahvah God of his father and walked in his commandments and kept his statutes, and did not do according to the ways of Israel. ⁵Therefore Yahvah established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought presents to Jehoshaphat and he had riches and honor in abundance. ⁶And his heart was strengthened in the ways of Yahvah; moreover he uprooted the altars and the high places which were inside the territory of Judah.

⁷In the 3rd year of his reign he also sent and called his princes and the commanders of the armies, even to Obadiah, Zechariah, Nathanael, Melachiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. ⁸And with them were the Levites, even Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zechariah, Ashaiel, Natorah, Jonathan, Adonijah, and Tobiah. These were all Levites, and with them were Elishama and Jehoram, priests. ⁹And they taught in all the land of Judah, having the book of the law of Yahvah with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people.

¹⁰And the fear of Yahvah fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹Some of the cities of the Philistines also brought Jehoshaphat presents, silver, and poll tax; and the Arabians brought him flocks, 7,700 rams, and 7,700 he-goats, yearly.

¹²And Jehoshaphat grew exceedingly rich; and he built in Judah castles and store cities. ¹³And he had much business in the cities of Judah; and the men of war, mighty men of valor, were in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And this is the number of them according to the house of their fathers. Of Judah, the commanders of 1,000s: Adino the chief, and with him mighty men of valor, 300,000. ¹⁵And next to him was Johanan the commander, and with him 280,000 valiant men. ¹⁶And next to him was Shemai the son of Zerah, with whom Yahvah was pleased, and with him 200,000 valiant men. ¹⁷And of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, and with him, armed with bow and shield, 200,000. ¹⁸And next to him was Jehozabad, a mighty man, and with him 180,000 ready for the war. ¹⁹These were all who served King Jehoshaphat, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all the land of Judah.