Jehoshaphat Reproved by Jehu

1  וַ֠יָּשָׁב (And returned) יְהוֹשָׁפָ֨ט (Jehoshaphat) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (the king) יְהוּדָ֧ה (of Judah) אֶל־ (to) בֵּית֛וֹ (his house) בְּשָׁל֖וֹם (safely) לִֽירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (in Jerusalem). 2  וַיֵּצֵ֣א (And went out) אֶל־ (to) פָּנָ֗יו (meet him) יֵה֣וּא (Jehu) בֶן־ (son) חֲנָ֘נִי֮ (of Hanani) הַחֹזֶה֒ (the seer) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (and he said) אֶל־ (to) הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (King) יְהוֹשָׁפָ֔ט (Jehoshaphat), הֲלָרָשָׁ֣ע (Should to the wicked) לַעְזֹ֔ר (you be giving help), וּלְשֹׂנְאֵ֥י (and to those hating) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) תֶּאֱהָ֑ב (would you love)? וּבָזֹאת֙ (And for this), עָלֶ֣יךָ (upon you) קֶּ֔צֶף (is wrath) מִלִּפְנֵ֖י (from before the face) יְהוָֽה׃ (of YHWH). 3  אֲבָ֕ל (But) דְּבָרִ֥ים (things) טוֹבִ֖ים (good) נִמְצְא֣וּ (are found) עִמָּ֑ךְ (in you), כִּֽי־ (in that) בִעַ֤רְתָּ (you have removed) הָאֲשֵׁרוֹת֙ (the Asherah poles) מִן־ (from) הָאָ֔רֶץ (the land), וַהֲכִינ֥וֹתָ (and you have established) לְבָבְךָ֖ (your heart) לִדְרֹ֥שׁ (to seek) הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים׃ (God).

Jehoshaphat’s Reforms

4  וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב (And dwelt) יְהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט (Jehoshaphat) בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑םס (in Jerusalem); וַיָּ֜שָׁב (and he turned back) וַיֵּצֵ֣א (and went out) בָעָ֗ם (among the people) מִבְּאֵ֥ר (from Beer-) שֶׁ֙בַע֙ (sheba) עַד־ (to) הַ֣ר (the mountains) אֶפְרַ֔יִם (of Ephraim), וַיְשִׁיבֵ֕ם (and he brought them back) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֥י (God) אֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ (of their fathers). 5  וַיַּעֲמֵ֨ד (And he set) שֹֽׁפְטִ֜ים (judges) בָּאָ֗רֶץ (in the land) בְּכָל־ (throughout all) עָרֵ֧י (cities) יְהוּדָ֛ה (of Judah) הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת (the fortified), לְעִ֥יר (city) וָעִֽיר׃ (and by city), 6  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (and he said) אֶל־ (to) הַשֹּֽׁפְטִ֗ים (the judges), רְאוּ֙ (See) מָֽה־ (to what) אַתֶּ֣ם (you⁺) עֹשִׂ֔ים (are doing), כִּ֣י (for) לֹ֧א (not) לְאָדָ֛ם (for man) תִּשְׁפְּט֖וּ (you⁺ do judge), כִּ֣י (but) לַיהוָ֑ה (for YHWH), וְעִמָּכֶ֖ם (and who is with you⁺) בִּדְבַ֥ר (in the matter) מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (of judgment). 7  וְעַתָּ֕ה (And now) יְהִ֥י (let be) פַֽחַד־ (the dread) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם (upon you⁺); שִׁמְר֣וּ (take care) וַעֲשׂ֔וּ (and do it), כִּֽי־ (for) אֵ֞ין (not) עִם־ (with) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ (our God) עַוְלָ֛ה (are iniquity) וּמַשֹּׂ֥א (and lifting up) פָנִ֖ים (of faces) וּמִקַּח־ (and taking) שֹֽׁחַד׃ (of a bribe).

8  וְגַ֣ם (And also) בִּ֠ירוּשָׁלִַם (in Jerusalem) הֶעֱמִ֨יד (appointed) יְהוֹשָׁפָ֜ט (Jehoshaphat) מִן־ (from) הַלְוִיִּ֣ם (the Levites), וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים (and the priests), וּמֵרָאשֵׁ֤י (and from the heads) הָאָבוֹת֙ (of the fathers) לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), לְמִשְׁפַּ֥ט (for the judgment) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) וְלָרִ֑יב (and for controversies); וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ (and they returned) יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (to Jerusalem). 9  וַיְצַ֥ו (And he commanded) עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם (them), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), כֹּ֤ה (Thus) תַעֲשׂוּן֙ (you⁺ shall do) בְּיִרְאַ֣ת (in the fear) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH), בֶּאֱמוּנָ֖ה (in faithfulness), וּבְלֵבָ֥ב (and with a heart) שָׁלֵֽם׃ (perfect). 10  וְכָל־ (And any) רִיב֩ (case) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) יָב֨וֹא (comes) עֲלֵיכֶ֜ם (to you⁺) מֵאֲחֵיכֶ֣ם׀ (from your⁺ brothers) הַיֹּשְׁבִ֣ים (who dwell) בְּעָרֵיהֶ֗ם (in their cities), בֵּֽין־ (whether) דָּ֣ם׀ (of bloodshed) לְדָם֮ (or offenses) בֵּין־ (against) תּוֹרָ֣ה (law) לְמִצְוָה֮ (or commandment), לְחֻקִּ֣ים (against statutes) וּלְמִשְׁפָּטִים֒ (or ordinances), וְהִזְהַרְתֶּ֣ם (and you⁺ shall warn) אֹתָ֔ם (them) וְלֹ֤א (lest) יֶאְשְׁמוּ֙ (they trespass) לַיהוָ֔ה (against YHWH) וְהָֽיָה־ (and come) קֶ֥צֶף (wrath) עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם (upon you⁺) וְעַל־ (and) אֲחֵיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ brothers). כֹּ֥ה (Thus) תַעֲשׂ֖וּן (do), וְלֹ֥א (and not) תֶאְשָֽׁמוּ׃ (you⁺ will be guilty).

11  וְהִנֵּ֡ה (And behold), אֲמַרְיָ֣הוּ (Amariah is) כֹהֵן֩ (priest) הָרֹ֨אשׁ (the chief) עֲלֵיכֶ֜ם (over you⁺) לְכֹ֣ל (in all) דְּבַר־ (matters) יְהוָ֗ה (of YHWH), וּזְבַדְיָ֨הוּ (and Zebadiah) בֶן־ (son) יִשְׁמָעֵ֜אל (of Ishmael), הַנָּגִ֤יד (the ruler) לְבֵית־ (of the house) יְהוּדָה֙ (of Judah), לְכֹ֣ל (in all) דְּבַר־ (matters) הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (of the king). וְשֹׁטְרִ֥ים (And officials are) הַלְוִיִּ֖ם (the Levites) לִפְנֵיכֶ֑ם (before you⁺). חִזְק֣וּ (Be strong) וַעֲשׂ֔וּ (and act), וִיהִ֥י (and will be) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) עִם־ (with) הַטּֽוֹב׃פ (the good one).