1 ARST Then Asa’s son Jehoshaphat became the king of Judah, and he enabled his army to become very strong, with the result that they could resist attacks from the army of Israel. BSB BSB: Asa’s son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place, and he strengthened himself against Israel.
2 ARST He put soldiers in all the cities in Judah around which they had built walls, and he put soldiers in other places in Judah and in the towns in the tribe of Ephraim that soldiers of his father Asa had captured. BSB BSB: He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3 ARST Yahweh helped Jehoshaphat because in his earlier years, when he first began his rule, he did the things that pleased Yahweh just as his ancestor King David had done. Jehoshaphat did not worship Baal. BSB BSB: Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals,
4 ARST Instead, he sought advice from the God whom his father had worshiped, and he obeyed God’s commands and he did not do the evil things that the kings of Israel kept doing. BSB BSB: but he sought the God of his father and walked by His commandments rather than the practices of Israel.
5 ARST Yahweh enabled him to completely control his kingdom. All the people of Judah brought gifts to him, with the result that he became very rich and was greatly honored. BSB BSB: So the LORD established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought him tribute, so that he had an abundance of riches and honor.
6 ARST He was completely devoted to doing what pleased Yahweh. His workers got rid of the places on hilltops were idols were worshiped and the places where poles were set up and used to worship the goddess Asherah all throughout Judah. BSB BSB: And his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.
7 ARST When he had been ruling Judah for almost three years, he sent some of his officials—Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah—to teach the people in various cities in Judah. BSB BSB: In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah,
8 ARST With them he sent several descendants of Levi—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah, along with two priests, Elishama and Jehoram. BSB BSB: accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
9 ARST They took with them a scroll on which was written the laws of Yahweh and they taught them to the people in all the towns throughout Judah. BSB BSB: They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD. They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10 ARST The people in all the kingdoms surrounding Judah became very afraid of what Yahweh might do to punish them if they fought against Judah, so they did not try to fight Jehoshaphat’s army. BSB BSB: And the dread of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.
11 ARST Some people from Philistia brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, and they also brought to him the silver that he demanded that they pay to him. Some Arabs brought to him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats. BSB BSB: Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.
12 ARST Jehoshaphat continued to become more powerful. His workers built forts and places to store supplies in various towns in Judah. BSB BSB: Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah
13 ARST Then they put large amounts of supplies in those storehouses. Jehoshaphat also placed in Jerusalem soldiers who were experienced. BSB BSB: and kept vast supplies in the cities of Judah. He also had warriors in Jerusalem who were mighty men of valor.
14 ARST The leaders and numbers from each tribe were as follows: From the tribe of Judah, Adnah was the leader of the soldiers, and he commanded 300,000 soldiers. BSB BSB: These are their numbers according to the houses of their fathers: From Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 mighty men of valor;
15 ARST His assistant was Jehohanan, who commanded 280,000 soldiers. BSB BSB: next to him, Jehohanan the commander, and with him 280,000;
16 ARST Next was Zicri’s son Amasiah, who volunteered to serve Yahweh in this way; he commanded 200,000 courageous soldiers. BSB BSB: and next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer for the LORD, and with him 200,000 mighty men of valor.
17 ARST From the tribe of Benjamin, Eliada, who was a brave soldier, was the leader of the soldiers; he commanded 200,000 men who had bows, arrows, and shields. BSB BSB: From Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, and with him 200,000 armed with bows and shields;
18 ARST Next was Jehozabad, who commanded 180,000 men who had weapons for fighting battles. BSB BSB: and next to him, Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 armed for battle.
19 ARST Those were the soldiers who served the king in Jerusalem, in addition to the men whom the king had placed in the other cities in Judah that had walls around them. BSB BSB: These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
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