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.