Discovery Box2 Chronicles 17:2-19
Context17:2 He placed troops in all of Judah’s fortified cities and posted garrisons 1 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 2 David’s footsteps at the beginning of his reign. 3 He did not seek the Baals, 17:4 but instead sought the God of his ancestors 4 and obeyed 5 his commands, unlike the Israelites. 6 17:5 The Lord made his kingdom secure; 7 all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected. 8 17:6 He was committed to following the Lord; 9 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; 10 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. 11 17:14 These were their divisions by families:
There were a thousand officers from Judah. 12 Adnah the commander led 300,000 skilled warriors, 17:15 Jehochanan the commander led 280,000, 17:16 and Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered to serve the Lord, led 200,000 skilled warriors.
17:17 From Benjamin, Eliada, a skilled warrior, led 200,000 men who were equipped with bows and shields, 17:18 and Jehozabad led 180,000 trained warriors.
17:19 These were the ones who served the king, besides those whom the king placed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
[17:2] 1 tn Or perhaps, “governors.”
[17:3] 3 tn Heb “for he walked in the ways of David his father [in] the beginning [times].”
[17:4] 6 tn Heb “and not like the behavior of Israel.”
[17:5] 7 tn Heb “established the kingdom in his hand.”
[17:5] 8 tn Heb “and he had wealth and honor in abundance.”
[17:6] 9 tn Heb “and his heart was high in the ways of the
[17:10] 10 tn Heb “and the terror of the
[17:13] 11 tn Heb “and many supplies were his in the cities of Judah, and men of war, warriors of skill in Jerusalem.”
[17:14] 12 tn Or perhaps “from Judah, commanders of the thousands.”
