the Fourth Week of Advent
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2 Chronicles 17
Jehoshaphat, King of Judah
1 Asa's son Jehoshaphat became the new king after him. Jehoshaphat made Judah strong so that they could fight against Israel. 2 He put groups of soldiers in all the towns of Judah that were made into fortresses. He built fortresses in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because in his young life he did the good things his ancestor David did. Jehoshaphat did not follow the Baal idols. 4 He looked for the God his ancestors followed. He followed God's commands and did not live the same way the Israelites lived. 5 The Lord made Jehoshaphat a strong king over Judah. All the people of Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat. So he had much wealth and honor. 6 His heart found pleasure in the ways of the Lord. He removed the high places and the Asherah poles from the country of Judah.
7 During the third year of Jehoshaphat's rule,[a] he sent his leaders to teach in the towns of Judah. These leaders were Ben Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah. 8 Jehoshaphat also sent Levites with these leaders. These Levites were Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, and Tobijah. He also sent the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 These leaders, Levites, and priests taught the people in Judah. They had the Book of the Law of the Lord with them. They went through all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10 The nations near Judah were afraid of the Lord, so they did not start a war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some of the Philistines brought gifts to Jehoshaphat. They also brought silver to him because they knew he was a very powerful king. Some Arabian people brought flocks to Jehoshaphat. They brought 7700 rams and 7700 goats to him.
12 Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful. He built fortresses and storage towns in the country of Judah. 13 He kept many supplies in the storage towns. And Jehoshaphat kept trained soldiers in Jerusalem. 14 These soldiers were listed in their tribes. This is the list of these soldiers in Jerusalem:
From the tribe of Judah, these were the generals:
Adnah was the general of 300,000 soldiers.
15 Jehohanan was the general of 280,000 soldiers.
16 Amasiah was the general of 200,000 soldiers. Amasiah was Zicri's son. Amasiah was happy to give himself to serve the Lord.
17 From the tribe of Benjamin these were the generals:
Eliada had 200,000 soldiers who used bows, arrows, and shields. Eliada was a very brave soldier.
18 Jehozabad had 180,000 men ready for war.
19 All these soldiers served King Jehoshaphat. The king also had other men in the fortresses in all the country of Judah.
