| 1 | His son Jehoshaphat succeeded him, 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 that his father Asa had taken. |
| 3 | The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father; he did not seek the Baals, |
| 4 | but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the ways of Israel. |
| 5 | Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. All Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. |
| 6 | His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD; and furthermore he removed the high places and the sacred poles from Judah. |
| 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. |
| 8 | With them were the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram. |
| 9 | They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the LORD with them; they went around through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people. |
| 10 | The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands around Judah, and they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. |
| 11 | Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute; and the Arabs also brought him seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats. |
| 12 | Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah. |
| 13 | He carried out great works in the cities of Judah. He had soldiers, mighty warriors, in Jerusalem. |
| 14 | This was the muster of them by ancestral houses: Of Judah, the commanders of the thousands: Adnah the commander, with three hundred thousand mighty warriors, |
| 15 | and next to him Jehohanan the commander, with two hundred eighty thousand, |
| 16 | and next to him Amasiah son of Zichri, a volunteer for the service of the LORD, with two hundred thousand mighty warriors. |
| 17 | Of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty warrior, with two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield, |
| 18 | and next to him Jehozabad with one hundred eighty thousand armed for war. |
| 19 | These were in the service of the king, besides those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah. |
