In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a foot disease.<n id="1" /> Though his disease was severe, he did not seek the <sc>Lordsc>, but only the doctors.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in his ancestor<n id="1" /> David&#8217;s footsteps at the beginning of his reign.<n id="2" /> He did not seek the Baals,

The <sc>Lordsc> made his kingdom secure;<n id="1" /> all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he became very wealthy and greatly respected.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> put fear into all the kingdoms surrounding Judah;<n id="1" /> they did not make war with Jehoshaphat.

Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, &#8220;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8216;With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed!&#8217;&#8221;

All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, &#8220;Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the <sc>Lordsc> will hand it over to the king!&#8221;

The king said to him, &#8220;How many times must I make you solemnly promise in<n id="1" /> the name of the <sc>Lordsc> to tell me only the truth?&#8221;

Micaiah said, &#8220;If you really do return safely, then the <sc>Lordsc> has not spoken through me!&#8221; Then he added, &#8220;Take note,<n id="1" /> all you people.&#8221;p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem.<n id="1" /> He went out among the people from Beer Sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and encouraged them to follow<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc> God of their ancestors.<n id="3" />

He told the judges, &#8220;Be careful what you do,<n id="1" /> for you are not judging for men, but for the <sc>Lordsc>, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions.

Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">When they began to shout and praise, the <sc>Lordsc> suddenly attacked<n id="1" /> the Ammonites, Moabites, and men from Mount Seir<n id="2" /> who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

All the kingdoms of the surrounding lands were afraid of God<n id="1" /> when they heard how the <sc>Lordsc> had fought against Israel&#8217;s enemies.

He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab&#8217;s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab&#8217;s daughter.<n id="1" /> He did evil in the sight of<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc>.

He did evil in the sight of<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> like Ahab&#8217;s dynasty because, after his father&#8217;s death, they<n id="2" /> gave him advice that led to his destruction.

<p class="bodytext">When Athaliah heard the royal guard<n id="1" /> shouting and praising the king, she joined the crowd<n id="2" /> at the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple.

(Wicked Athaliah and her sons had broken into God&#8217;s temple and used all the holy items of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple in their worship of the Baals.)

An edict was sent throughout Judah and Jerusalem requiring the people to bring to the <sc>Lordsc> the tax that Moses, God&#8217;s servant, imposed on Israel in the wilderness.<n id="1" />

They abandoned the temple of the <sc>Lordsc> God of their ancestors,<n id="1" /> and worshiped<n id="2" /> the Asherah poles and idols. Because of this sinful activity, God was angry with Judah and Jerusalem.

King Joash disregarded<n id="1" /> the loyalty his father Jehoiada had shown him and killed Jehoiada&#8217;s<n id="2" /> son. As Zechariah<n id="3" /> was dying, he said, &#8220;May the <sc>Lordsc> take notice and seek vengeance!&#8221;<n id="4" />p>