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Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah

(1 Kings 15:23-24)

¹ Asa's son Jehoshaphat became king in his place, and he strengthened himself against Israel.² He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.³ Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek out the Baals,⁴ but he sought the God of his father and walked by His commandments rather than the practices of Israel.⁵ So the LORD established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought him tribute, so that he had an abundance of riches and honor.⁶ And his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.⁷ In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah,⁸ accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram.⁹ They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD. They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.

¹⁰ And the dread of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.¹¹ Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him flocks of 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats.¹² Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah¹³ and kept a large amount of supplies in the cities of Judah. He also had fighting men, mighty warriors, in Jerusalem.¹⁴ These are their numbers according to the houses of their fathers: For Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander and 300,000 mighty warriors with him;¹⁵ next to him, Jehohanan the commander and 280,000 with him;¹⁶ next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer for the LORD, and 200,000 mighty warriors with him;¹⁷ from Benjamin, Eliada, a mighty warrior, and 200,000 with him armed with bows and shields;¹⁸ and next to him, Jehozabad and 180,000 with him equipped for war.¹⁹ These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.