King Jehoshaphat
17
📚And his son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 📚And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had taken. 3 📚And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David, and did not seek out the Baals 📖, 4 📚but sought the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not according to the deeds of Israel. 5 📚Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hands. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honour in abundance. 6 📚And his heart felt exalted in the ways of the LORD, and he removed the high places and idolatrous groves 📖 from Judah.
7 📚Also in the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben Hail and Obadiah and Zechariah and Nethaneel and Michaiah to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 📚And with them he sent the Levites Shemaiah and Nethaniah and Zebadiah and Asahel and Shemiramoth and Jehonathan and Adonijah and Tobijah and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 📚And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and they travelled about among all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
17:7-9 2 Chron 19:4-10; Lev 10:11. The teaching of the law was basic to the reform of Jehoshaphat, as it was under Josiah (2 Chron 34:14-32), and Ezra (Neh 8:1-9). There can be no true spiritual awakening and progress without the teaching of God’s Word.⚜
10 📚And the fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. 11 📚Also some of the Philistines brought presents and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats.
12 📚And Jehoshaphat became very great, and he built forts and store cities in Judah. 13 📚And he had large supplies in the cities of Judah; and the warriors, strong and brave men, were in Jerusalem. 14 📚These are their numbers according to the houses of their fathers: from Judah, the commanders of thousands were Adnah the chief, and with him three hundred thousand strong and brave men; 15 and next to him was commander Jehohanan, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand; 16 📚and next to him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the LORD, and with him two hundred thousand strong and brave men; 17 📚and from Benjamin, Eliada a strong, brave man, and with him two hundred thousand men armed with bow and shield; 18 and next to him was Jehozabad, and with him a hundred and eighty thousand equipped for war.
19 📚These waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.
17:19 Verse 2; 2 Chron 11:5-12.⚜