2 Chronicles 17
1 And his son Jehoshaphat reigns in his stead, and he strengthens 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 puts a force in all the fortified cities of Judah, and puts garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa 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 YHWH is with Jehoshaphat, for he has walked in the first ways of his father David, and has not sought for the Ba‘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 for he has sought for the God of his father, and he has walked in His commands, and not according to the work 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 And YHWH establishes the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah gives a present to Jehoshaphat, and he has 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 is high in the ways of YHWH, and again he has turned aside the high places and the Asherim 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 has sent for his heads, for Ben-Hail, and for Obadiah, and for Zechariah, and for Nethaneel, and for Michaiah, to teach in 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 the Levites: Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijath, and Tob-Adonijah—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 teach in Judah, and the Scroll of the Law of YHWH [is] with them, and they go around into all cities of Judah, and teach among 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 there is a fear of YHWH on all kingdoms of the lands that [are] around Judah, and they have not fought 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 and [some] from the Philistines are bringing a present to Jehoshaphat, and silver [as] tribute; also, the Arabians are bringing to him a flock of seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred male goats.
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 is going on and becoming very great, and he builds palaces and cities of store in Judah,
Jehoshaphat continued to become more powerful/influential. His workers built forts and places to store supplies in various towns in Judah.
13 and he has much work in cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valor, [are] 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, for the house of their fathers—of Judah, heads of thousands: Adnah the head, and with him three hundred thousand mighty men of valor;
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 at his hand [is] Jehohanan the head, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand;
His assistant was Jehohanan, who commanded 280,000 soldiers.
16 and at his hand [is] Amasiah son of Zichri, who is willingly offering himself to YHWH, and with him 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, mighty men of valor: Eliada, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;
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 at his hand [is] Jehozabad, and with him one hundred and eighty thousand armed ones of the host.
Next was Jehozabad, who commanded 180,000 men who had weapons for fighting battles.
19 These [are] those serving the king, apart from those whom the king put in the fortress cities in all of 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.
