Chronicles: Jehoshaphat

2 Chronicles 17–19 WEB

^17:1Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel. ²He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. ³The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and didn’t seek the Baals, ⁴but sought the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not in the ways of Israel. ⁵Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. All Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honor in abundance. ⁶His heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD. Furthermore, he took away the high places and the Asherah poles out of Judah. ⁷Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; ⁸and with them Levites, even Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. ⁹They taught in Judah, having the book of the LORD’s law with them. They went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people. ¹⁰The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute. The Arabians also brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats. ¹²Jehoshaphat grew great exceedingly; and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah. ¹³He had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem. ¹⁴This was the numbering of them according to their fathers’ houses: From Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him three hundred thousand mighty men of valor; ¹⁵and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred eighty thousand; ¹⁶and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the LORD, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. ¹⁷From Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield; ¹⁸and next to him Jehozabad, and with him one hundred eighty thousand ready and prepared for war. ¹⁹These were those who waited on the king, in addition to those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

^18:1Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he allied himself with Ahab. ²After some years, he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. ³Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead?” He answered him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people. We will be with you in the war.” ⁴Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the LORD’s word.” ⁵Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” They said, “Go up, for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.” ⁶But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we may inquire of him?” ⁷The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.” Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.” ⁸Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, “Get Micaiah the son of Imla quickly.” ⁹Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah each sat on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. ¹⁰Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, “The LORD says, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’” ¹¹All the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.” ¹²The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Let your word therefore, please be like one of theirs, and speak good.” ¹³Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, I will say what my God says.” ¹⁴When he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” He said, “Go up, and prosper. They shall be delivered into your hand.” ¹⁵The king said to him, “How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the LORD’s name?” ¹⁶He said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. The LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let them each return to his house in peace.’” ¹⁷The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” ¹⁸Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the LORD’s word: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. ¹⁹The LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One spoke saying in this way, and another saying in that way. ²⁰A spirit came out, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ “The LORD said to him, ‘How?’ ²¹“He said, ‘I will go, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ “He said, ‘You will entice him, and will prevail also. Go and do so.’ ²²“Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets; and the LORD has spoken evil concerning you.” ²³Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the LORD’s Spirit go from me to speak to you?” ²⁴Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day, when you go into an inner room to hide yourself.” ²⁵The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; ²⁶and say, ‘The king says, “Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.”’” ²⁷Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, you people, all of you!” ²⁸So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. ²⁹The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went into the battle. ³⁰Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Don’t fight with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel.” ³¹When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned around to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. ³²When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. ³³A certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of the chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am severely wounded.” ³⁴The battle increased that day. However, the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening; and at about sunset, he died.

^19:1Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. ²Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, wrath is on you from before the LORD. ³Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.” ⁴Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers. ⁵He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, ⁶and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you don’t judge for man, but for the LORD; and he is with you in the judgment. ⁷Now therefore let the fear of the LORD be on you. Take heed and do it; for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.” ⁸Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites, priests, and heads of the fathers’ households of Israel to give judgment for the LORD and for controversies. They returned to Jerusalem. ⁹He commanded them, saying, “You shall do this in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. ¹⁰Whenever any controversy comes to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you must warn them, that they not be guilty toward the LORD, and so wrath come on you and on your brothers. Do this, and you will not be guilty. ¹¹Behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and may the LORD be with the good.”