| New Living Translation | English Standard Version |
| 1Then Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son, became the next king. He strengthened Judah to stand against any attack from Israel. | 1Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place and strengthened himself against Israel. |
| 2He stationed troops in all the fortified towns of Judah, and he assigned additional garrisons to the land of Judah and to the towns of Ephraim that his father, Asa, had captured. | 2He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had captured. |
| 3The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father’s early years and did not worship the images of Baal. | 3The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, |
| 4He sought his father’s God and obeyed his commands instead of following the evil practices of the kingdom of Israel. | 4but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel. |
| 5So the LORD established Jehoshaphat’s control over the kingdom of Judah. All the people of Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so he became very wealthy and highly esteemed. | 5Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. |
| 6He was deeply committed to the ways of the LORD. He removed the pagan shrines and Asherah poles from Judah. | 6His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. |
| 7In the third year of his reign Jehoshaphat sent his officials to teach in all the towns of Judah. These officials included Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah. | 7In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; |
| 8He sent Levites along with them, including Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah. He also sent out the priests Elishama and Jehoram. | 8and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram. |
| 9They took copies of the Book of the Law of the LORD and traveled around through all the towns of Judah, teaching the people. | 9And they taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the LORD with them. They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people. |
| 10Then the fear of the LORD fell over all the surrounding kingdoms so that none of them wanted to declare war on Jehoshaphat. | 10And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat. |
| 11Some of the Philistines brought him gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats. | 11Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute, and the Arabians also brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats. |
| 12So Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful and built fortresses and storage cities throughout Judah. | 12And Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built in Judah fortresses and store cities, |
| 13He stored numerous supplies in Judah’s towns and stationed an army of seasoned troops at Jerusalem. | 13and he had large supplies in the cities of Judah. He had soldiers, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem. |
| 14His army was enrolled according to ancestral clans. From Judah there were 300,000 troops organized in units of 1,000, under the command of Adnah. | 14This was the muster of them by fathers’ houses: Of Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, with 300,000 mighty men of valor; |
| 15Next in command was Jehohanan, who commanded 280,000 troops. | 15and next to him Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000; |
| 16Next was Amasiah son of Zicri, who volunteered for the LORD’s service, with 200,000 troops under his command. | 16and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, a volunteer for the service of the LORD, with 200,000 mighty men of valor. |
| 17From Benjamin there were 200,000 troops equipped with bows and shields. They were under the command of Eliada, a veteran soldier. | 17Of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, with 200,000 men armed with bow and shield; |
| 18Next in command was Jehozabad, who commanded 180,000 armed men. | 18and next to him Jehozabad with 180,000 armed for war. |
| 19These were the troops stationed in Jerusalem to serve the king, besides those Jehoshaphat stationed in the fortified towns throughout Judah. | 19These were in the service of the king, besides those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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