2 Chronicles 19

1 Then Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, returned in peace to his house in Jerusalem.

And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned unto his own house in peace, to Jerusalem.

2 And the seer Jehu, the son of Hanani, met him, and said to him: “You offer assistance to the impious, and you are joined in friendship with those who hate the Lord. And for this reason, you certainly deserve the wrath of the Lord.

And there came out to meet him, Jehu son of Hanani, the seer, who said unto King Jehoshaphat, Unto the lawless, was it [right] to give help? and, on them who hate Yahweh, to bestow thy love? For this cause, therefore, is there wrath against thee, from before Yahweh;

3 But good works have been found in you. For you have taken away the sacred groves from the land of Judah. And you have prepared your heart, so as to seek the Lord, the God of your fathers.”

howbeit, good things, are found with thee, -for that thou hast consumed the Sacred Stems out of the land, and hast fixed thy heart to seek God.

4 Then Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. And again he went out to the people, from Beersheba as far as mount Ephraim. And he called them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

So Jehoshaphat dwelt in Jerusalem, —and he again went forth among the people, from Beersheba as far as the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back unto Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

5 And he appointed judges of the land, in all the fortified cities of Judah, in each place.

And he stationed judges in the land, throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city;

6 And instructing the judges, he said: “Pay attention to what you are doing. For you exercise judgment, not of man, but of the Lord. And whatever you will have judged, it will come back to you.

and said unto the judges, See what, ye, are doing, inasmuch as, not for man, must ye judge, but for Yahweh, —who will be with you, in the word of justice.

7 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, nor respect of persons, nor desire for gifts.”

Now, therefore, let the dread of Yahweh be upon you, —observe and do, for there is, with Yahweh our God, neither perversity nor respect of persons nor the taking of bribes.

8 Jehoshaphat also appointed Levites and priests and leaders of families, out of Israel, in Jerusalem, so that they might judge the judgment and purpose of the Lord for its inhabitants.

And, even in Jerusalem, did Jehoshaphat station some of the Levites and the priests, and of the ancestral chiefs of Israel, to pronounce the just sentence of Yahweh, and to settle disputes, —when they returned to Jerusalem.

9 And he instructed them, saying, “So shall you act: faithfully, in the fear of the Lord, and with a perfect heart.

And he laid charge upon them, saying, —Thus, shall ye act, in the fear of Yahweh, faithfully and with an undivided heart.

10 Every case that will come to you from your brothers, who live in their cities, between kindred and kindred, wherever there is a question concerning law, commandment, ceremonies, or justifications, reveal it to them, so that they may not sin against the Lord, and so that wrath may not overwhelm you and your brothers. Then, by acting in this way, you will not sin.

Any dispute that shall come in unto you from among your brethren who are dwelling in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment and statutes and regulations, then shall ye warn them, that they may not become guilty against Yahweh, and so wrath come upon you and upon your brethren, —Thus, shall ye act, and not incur guilt.

11 But Amariah, a priest and your high priest, shall preside over those things which pertain to God. Then Zebadiah, the son of Ishmael, who is a ruler in the house of Judah, shall be over those works that pertain to the office of the king. And you have before you the Levites as teachers. Be strengthened and act diligently, and the Lord will be with you for what is good.”

And lo! Amariah the chief priest, is over you as to every matter of Yahweh, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael the chief ruler for the house of Judah, as to every matter of the king, and, as officers, the Levites are before you, —Be strong and act, and Yahweh be with the good!