2 Chronicles 17:1-7

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 garrisons ²  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 ancestor ³  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 ancestors ⁵  and obeyed ⁶  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.

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

[17:2]  ² tn Or perhaps, “governors.”

[17:3]  ³ tn Heb “father.”

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

[17:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “fathers.”

[17:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “walked in.”

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

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

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

[17:6]  ¹⁰ tn 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).