17 Jehoshaphat his son reigned in Asa’s stead and strengthened himself against Israel.

² And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had taken.

³ The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father [David]. He did not seek the Baals

⁴ But sought and yearned with all his desire for the Lord, the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not after the ways of Israel.

⁵ Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor.

⁶ His heart was cheered and his courage was high in the ways of the Lord; moreover, he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.

⁷ Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah;

⁸ And with them were the Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; and with these Levites were the priests Elishama and Jehoram.

⁹ And they taught in Judah, and had the Book of the Law of the Lord with them; they went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

¹⁰ And a terror from the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.

¹¹ And some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and tribute silver, and the Arabs brought him flocks: 7,700 each of rams and of he-goats.

¹² And Jehoshaphat became very great. He built in Judah fortresses and store cities,

¹³ And he had many works in the cities of Judah, and soldiers, mighty men of courage, in Jerusalem.

¹⁴ This was the number of them by their fathers’ houses: Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the chief, with 300,000 mighty men of valor;

¹⁵ Next to him was Jehohanan the captain, with 280,000;

¹⁶ And next to him Amasiah son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the Lord, with 200,000 mighty men of valor.

¹⁷ Of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, with 200,000 men armed with bow and shield;

¹⁸ Next to him was Jehozabad with 180,000 armed for war.

¹⁹ These were in the king’s service, besides those [he] had placed in fortified cities throughout all Judah.