Chronicles II 19

1 And Josaphat king of Juda returned to his house at Jerusalem.

And Josaphat king of Juda returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

2 And there went out to meet him Jeu the prophet the son of Anani, and said to him, King Josaphat, do you help a sinner, or act friendly towards one hated of the Lord? Therefore has wrath come upon you from the Lord.

And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer met him, and said to him: Thou helpest the ungodly, and thou art joined in friendship with them that hate the Lord, and therefore thou didst deserve indeed the wrath of the Lord:

3 Nevertheless [some] good things have been found in you, forasmuch as you did remove the groves from the land of Juda, and did direct your heart to seek after the Lord.

But good works are found in thee, because thou hast taken away the groves out of the land of Juda, and hast prepared thy heart to seek the Lord the God of thy fathers.

4 And Josaphat lived in Jerusalem: and he again went out amongst the people from Bersabee to the mount of Ephraim, and turned them back to the Lord God of their fathers.

And Josaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again to the people from Bersabee to mount Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord the God of their fathers.

5 And he appointed judges in all the strong cities of Juda, city by city.

And he set judges of the land in all the fenced cities of Juda, in every place.

6 And he said to the judges, Take good heed what you do: for you judge not for man, but for the Lord, and with you are matters of judgement.

And charging the judges, he said: Take heed what you do: for you exercise not the judgment of man, but of the Lord: and whatsoever you judge, it shall redound to you.

7 And now let the fear of the Lord be upon you, and be wary, and do [your duty]: for there is no unrighteousness with the Lord our God, neither [is it for him] to respect persons, nor take bribes.

Let the fear of the Lord be with you, and do all things with diligence: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, a nor respect of persons, nor desire of gifts.

8 Moreover Josaphat appointed in Jerusalem some of the priests, and Levites, and heads of houses of Israel, for the judgement of the Lord, and to judge the dwellers in Jerusalem.

In Jerusalem also Josaphat appointed Levites, and priests and chiefs of the families of Israel, to judge the judgment and the cause of the Lord for the inhabitants thereof.

9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord, in truth and with a perfect heart.

And he charged them, saying: Thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

10 Whatsoever man of your brethren that dwell in their cities [shall bring] the cause that comes before you, between blood [and] blood, and between precept and commandment, and ordinances and judgements, you shall even decide for them; so they shall not sin against the Lord, and there shall not be wrath upon you, and upon your brethren: thus you shall do, and you shall not sin.

Every cause that shall come to you of your brethren, that dwell in their cities, between kindred and kindred, wheresoever there is question concerning the law, the commandment, the ceremonies, the justifications: shew it them, that they may not sin against the Lord, and that wrath may not come upon you and your brethren: and so doing you shall not sin.

11 And, behold, Amarias the priest is head over you in every matter of the Lord; and Zabdias the son of Ismael is head over the house of Juda in every matter of the king; and the scribes and Levites are before you: be strong and active, and the Lord shall be with the good.

And Amarias the priest your high priest shell be chief in the things which regard God: and Zabadias the son of Ismahel, who is ruler in the house of Juda, shall be over those matters which belong to the king’s office: and you have before you the Levites for masters, take courage and do diligently, and the Lord will be with you in good things.