Bible Time

¹AND at evening Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. ²And Jehu the son of Hanan the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, Should you go to help the ungodly, and love those who hate Yahvah? Therefore, Yahvah is angry with you. ³But I believe good reports have been heard about you, in that you have not shed innocent blood in the land and have prepared your heart to pray before Yahvah in truth. ⁴And Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people from the city of Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and he brought them back to worship of Yahvah, God of their fathers.

⁵And he appointed judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah and the great cities. ⁶And he said to the judges, Be careful what you do; for you do not judge for man, but for Yahvah our God. ⁷Therefore, be courageous and judge righteously, so that Yahvah may be with you forever; be careful and do it; for there is no iniquity with Yahvah our God nor respect of persons nor taking of bribes.

⁸Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat also appointed men of the Levites and of the priests and of the chiefs of the fathers of the children of Israel for the judgment of Yahvah; then he returned to Jerusalem. ⁹And he charged them, saying, Thus you will do in reverence of Yahvah, in faithfulness and with a perfect heart. ¹⁰And whatever case will come to you of your brothers who live in your cities, between bloodshed and bloodshed, between law and commandment, between statutes and ordinances, you will warn them so that they may not be guilty before Yahvah, and thus he become angry with them and with their brothers; this do, and you will not be guilty. ¹¹And look, I have appointed priests over you, that they may judge just and faithful judgments according to the commandment of Yahvah. And Zechariah the son of Shemiah declared to all the people of Judah all the commandments of the king; he also declared to the scribes and the Levites, repeating everything before them, saying, Deal courageously, and Yahvah will help you forever.