2 Chronicles 17

1 And Jehoshaphat his son became king in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.

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.

2 And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and placed garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Assa his father had captured.

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 area belonging to the tribe of Ephraim that [soldiers of] his father Asa had captured.

3 And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat; because he walked in the first ways of David his father, and sought not after the Be'alim;

Yahweh helped Jehoshaphat because when he started [to rule Judah], he did the things that pleased Yahweh like his ancestor [King] David had done. He did not worship the idols of Baal.

4 On the contrary, after the God of his father did he seek, and in his commandments did he walk, but not after the doings of Israel.

Instead, he sought advice from the God whom his father [had worshiped], and he obeyed God’s commands, and did not do the [evil things that the kings of] Israel continually did.

5 Therefore did the Lord establish the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah gave presents to Jehoshaphat; and he had riches and honor in abundance.

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.

6 And his heart raised itself up in the ways of the Lord, and he removed moreover the high-places and groves out of Judah.

He was completely devoted to doing what pleased Yahweh. His workers got rid of the shrines on the hilltops and the poles for [worshiping the goddess] Asherah throughout Judah.

7 And in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben-chayil, and 'Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Michayahu, to teach in the cities of Judah.

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 towns in Judah.

8 And with them were the Levites, Shema'yahu, and Nethanyahu, and Zebadyahu, and 'Assahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adoniyahu, and Tobiyahu, and Tobadoniyah, the Levites; and with them Elishama' and Jehoram, the priests.

With them he sent several descendants of Levi—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah—and two priests, Elishama and Jehoram.

9 And they taught in Judah, and with them was the book of the law of the Lord, and they moved about through all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.

They took with them a scroll on which were written the laws of Yahweh and taught them to the people in all the towns throughout Judah,

10 And the dread of the Lord was upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war with Jehoshaphat.

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 start wars with Jehoshaphat’s army.

11 Also from the Philistines did people bring unto Jehoshaphat presents and silver, as tribute: also the Arabians brought him small cattle, rams seven thousand and seven hundred, and he-goats seven thousand and seven hundred.

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.

12 And Jehoshaphat went on becoming exceedingly great, and he built in Judah castles and treasure-cities.

Jehoshaphat continued to become more powerful/influential. His workers built forts and places to store supplies in various towns in Judah.

13 And he had great works in the cities of Judah, and men of war, mighty in valor, in Jerusalem.

Then they put large amounts of supplies in those storehouses. Jehoshaphat also placed in Jerusalem soldiers who were experienced.

14 And these are their numbers according to their family divisions: Of Judah, of the captains of the thousands was 'Adnah the chief, and with him were mighty men of valor, three hundred thousand.

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.

15 And next to him was Jehochanan the chief, and with him were two hundred and eighty thousand.

His assistant was Jehohanan, who commanded 280,000 soldiers.

16 And next to him was 'Amassyah the son of Zichri, who voluntarily offered himself unto the Lord; and with him were two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.

Next was Zicri’s son Amasiah, who volunteered to serve Yahweh in this way; he commanded 200,000 soldiers.

17 And of Benjamin, the mighty valiant Elyada', and with him were those armed with bow and shield two hundred thousand.

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 [and arrows] and shields.

18 And next him was Jehozabad, and with him were one hundred and eighty thousand ready armed for the host.

Next was Jehozabad, who commanded 180,000 men who had weapons for fighting battles.

19 These were those that ministered to the king, besides those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

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.