17:1 His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king and strengthened his hold against Israel.
17:2 He placed armed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which his father Asa had taken.
17:3 The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, for he walked in the ways his father had pursued in the beginning, and he did not consult the Baals.
17:4 Rather, he sought the God of his father and observed his commands, and not the practices of Israel.
17:5 As a result, the LORD made his kingdom secure, and all Judah gave Jehoshaphat gifts, so that he enjoyed great wealth and glory.
17:6 Thus he was encouraged to follow the LORD’s ways, and again he removed the high places and the sacred poles from Judah.
17:7 In the third year of his reign he sent his leading men, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.
17:8 With them he sent the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah and Tobijah, together with the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
17:9 They taught in Judah, having with them the book containing the law of the LORD; they traveled through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.
17:10 Now the fear of the LORD was upon all the kingdoms of the countries surrounding Judah, so that they did not war against Jehoshaphat.
17:11 Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and a tribute of silver; and the Arabs also brought him a flock of seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred he-goats.
17:12 Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built strongholds and store cities in Judah.
17:13 He carried out many works in the cities of Judah, and he had soldiers, valiant warriors, in Jerusalem.
17:14 This was their mustering according to their ancestral houses. Of Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, and with him three hundred thousand valiant warriors.
17:15 Next to him, Jehohanan the commander, and with him two hundred eighty thousand.
17:16 Next to him, Amasiah, son of Zichri, who offered himself to the LORD, and with him two hundred thousand valiant warriors.
17:17 From Benjamin: Eliada, a valiant warrior, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and buckler.
17:18 Next to him, Jozabad, and with him one hundred and eighty thousand equipped for war.
17:19 These were at the service of the king; in addition were those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.