The Divided Kingdom

Now the rest of the acts of Asa, from beginning to end, are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady became increasingly severe. Yet even in his illness he did not seek the LORD, but only the physicians.

So in the forty-first year of his reign, Asa died and rested with his fathers.

And he was buried in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier that was full of spices and various blended perfumes; then they made a great fire in his honor.

Asa’s son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place, and he strengthened himself against Israel.

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.

Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek out the Baals,

but he sought the God of his father and walked by His commandments rather than the practices of Israel.

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.

And his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.

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,

accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram.

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.

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.

Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.

Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah

and kept vast supplies in the cities of Judah. He also had warriors in Jerusalem who were mighty men of valor.

These are their numbers according to the houses of their fathers: From Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 mighty men of valor;

next to him, Jehohanan the commander, and with him 280,000;

and next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer for the LORD, and with him 200,000 mighty men of valor.

From Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, and with him 200,000 armed with bows and shields;

and next to him, Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 armed for battle.

These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.

Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.

And some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria, where Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him, and urged him to march up to Ramoth-gilead.