2 Chronicles 17:1-19
Jehoshaphat King of Judah
1 Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals 4 but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. 5 The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. 6 His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah 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 towns of Judah. 8 With them were certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10 The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats.
12 Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah 13 and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem. 14 Their enrollment by families was as follows:
From Judah, commanders of units of 1,000:
Adnah the commander, with 300,000 fighting men;
15 next, Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000;
16 next, Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered himself for the service of the Lord, with 200,000.
17 From Benjamin:
Eliada, a valiant soldier, with 200,000 men armed with bows and shields;
18 next, Jehozabad, with 180,000 men armed for battle.
19 These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king and strengthened his defenses against Israel...He assigned troops to the fortified cities in Judah, as well as to other towns in Judah and to those towns in Ephraim that his father Asa had captured...When Jehoshaphat’s father had first become king of Judah, he was faithful to the LORD and refused to worship the god Baal as the kings of Israel did...Jehoshaphat followed his father’s example and obeyed and worshiped the LORD...And so the LORD blessed Jehoshaphat and helped him keep firm control of his kingdom...The people of Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, but even after he became very rich and respected, he remained completely faithful to the LORD...He destroyed all the local shrines in Judah, including the places where the goddess Asherah was worshiped...
In the third year of Jehoshaphat’s rule, he chose five officials and gave them orders to teach the LORD's Law in every city and town in Judah...They were Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah...Their assistants were the following nine Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah...Two priests, Elishama and Jehoram, also went along...They carried with them a copy of the LORD’s Law wherever they went and taught the people from it...The nations around Judah were afraid of the LORD’s power, so none of them attacked Jehoshaphat...Philistines brought him silver and other gifts to keep peace...Some of the Arab people brought him seventy-seven hundred rams and the same number of goats...As Jehoshaphat became more powerful, he built fortresses and cities where he stored supplies...He also kept in Jerusalem some experienced soldiers from the Judah and Benjamin tribes...These soldiers were grouped according to their clans...
Adnah was the commander of the troops from Judah, and he had three hundred thousand soldiers under his command...Jehohanan was second in command, with two hundred eighty thousand soldiers under him...Amasiah son of Zichri, who had volunteered to serve the LORD, was third in command, with two hundred thousand soldiers under him...Eliada was a brave warrior who commanded the troops from Benjamin...He had two hundred thousand soldiers under his command, all of them armed with bows and shields...Jehozabad was second in command, with one hundred eighty thousand soldiers under him...These were the troops who protected the king in Jerusalem, not counting those he had assigned to the fortified cities throughout the country...