Jehoshaphat

Chapter 17

¹His [Asa’s] son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king, and took firm hold of Israel. ²He stationed troops in all the fortified towns of Judah, and stationed garrisons throughout the land of Judah and the cities of Ephraim which his father Asa had captured. ³The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the earlier ways of his father David, and did not worship the Baalim, ⁴but worshiped the God of his father and followed His commandments—unlike the behavior of Israel. ⁵So the Lord established the kingdom in his hands, and all Judah gave presents to Jehoshaphat. He had wealth and glory in abundance. ⁶His mind was elevated in the ways of the Lord. Moreover, he abolished the shrines and the sacred posts from Judah.

⁷In the third year of his reign he sent his officers Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah throughout the cities of Judah to offer instruction. ⁸With them were the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-adonijah the Levites; with them were Elishama and Jehoram the priests. ⁹They offered instruction throughout Judah, having with them the Book of the Teaching of the Lord. They made the rounds of all the cities of Judah and instructed the people. [ . . . ]

Chapter 19

⁴Jehoshaphat [ . . . ] went out among the people from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim; he brought them back to the Lord God of their fathers. ⁵He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified towns of Judah, in each and every town. ⁶He charged the judges: “Consider what you are doing, for you judge not on behalf of man, but on behalf of the Lord, and He is with you when you pass judgment. ⁷Now let the dread of the Lord be upon you; act with care, for there is no injustice or favoritism or bribe-taking with the Lord our God.” ⁸Jehoshaphat also appointed in Jerusalem some Levites and priests and heads of the clans of Israelites for rendering judgment in matters of the Lord, and for disputes. Then they returned to Jerusalem. ⁹He charged them, “This is how you shall act: in fear of the Lord, with fidelity, and with whole heart. ¹⁰When a dispute comes before you from your brothers living in their towns, whether about homicide, or about ritual, or laws or rules, you must instruct them so that they do not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath be upon you and your brothers. Act so and you will not incur guilt. ¹¹See, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all cases concerning the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael is the commander of the house of Judah in all cases concerning the king; the Levitical officials are at your disposal; act with resolve and the Lord be with the good.”