2 Chronicles 17:1-13

Context

Jehoshaphat Becomes King

17:1 His son Jehoshaphat replaced him as king and solidified his rule over Israel.¹ 17:2 He placed troops in all of Judah’s fortified cities and posted garrisons² throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had seized.

17:3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in his ancestor³ David’s footsteps at the beginning of his reign.⁴ He did not seek the Baals, 17:4 but instead sought the God of his ancestors⁵ and obeyed⁶ his commands, unlike the Israelites.⁷ 17:5 The Lord made his kingdom secure;⁸ all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected.⁹ 17:6 He was committed to following the Lord;¹⁰ he even removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.

17:7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah. 17:8 They were accompanied by the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah, and by the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 17:9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the scroll of the law of the Lord. They traveled to all the cities of Judah and taught the people.

17:10 The Lord put fear into all the kingdoms surrounding Judah;¹¹ they did not make war with Jehoshaphat. 17:11 Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat tribute, including a load of silver. The Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.

17:12 Jehoshaphat’s power kept increasing. He built fortresses and storage cities throughout Judah. 17:13 He had many supplies stored in the cities of Judah and an army of skilled warriors stationed in Jerusalem.¹²

[17:1] ¹tn Heb “and strengthened himself over Israel.”

[17:2] ²tn Or perhaps, “governors.”

[17:3] ³tn Heb “father.”

[17:3] ⁴tn Heb “for he walked in the ways of David his father [in] the beginning [times].”

[17:4] ⁵tn Heb “fathers.”

[17:4] ⁶tn Heb “walked in.”

[17:4] ⁷tn Heb “and not like the behavior of Israel.”

[17:5] ⁸tn Heb “established the kingdom in his hand.”

[17:5] ⁹tn Heb “and he had wealth and honor in abundance.”

[17:6] ¹⁰tn Heb “and his heart was high in the ways of the Lord.” Perhaps גָּבַהּ (gavah, “be high”) here means “be cheerful” (HALOT 171 s.v.) or “be encouraged” (BDB 147 s.v. 3.a).

[17:10] ¹¹tn Heb “and the terror of the Lord was upon all the kingdoms of the lands which were surrounding Judah.”

[17:13] ¹²tn Heb “and many supplies were his in the cities of Judah, and men of war, warriors of skill in Jerusalem.”