Chapter text
World English Bible
Verse-by-verse text with stable anchors, canonical chapter URLs, and copyable verse links.
- 1 Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel.
- 2 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 The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and didn’t seek the Baals,
- 4 but sought the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not in the ways of Israel.
- 5 Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. All Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honor in abundance.
- 6 His heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD. Furthermore, he took away the high places and the Asherah poles out of Judah.
- 7 Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;
- 8 and with them Levites, even Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.
- 9 They taught in Judah, having the book of the LORD’s law with them. They went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.
- 10 The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.
- 11 Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute. The Arabians also brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats.
- 12 Jehoshaphat grew great exceedingly; and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah.
- 13 He had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem.
- 14 This was the numbering of them according to their fathers’ houses: From Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him three hundred thousand mighty men of valor;
- 15 and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred eighty thousand;
- 16 and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the LORD, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.
- 17 From Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;
- 18 and next to him Jehozabad, and with him one hundred eighty thousand ready and prepared for war.
- 19 These were those who waited on the king, in addition to those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.