The Divided Kingdom

The activities of Asa from beginning to end are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Y'hudah and Isra'el.

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa suffered from a disease in his legs. It was a very serious disease, yet even with this disease he did not seek out ADONAI but turned to the physicians.

Asa slept with his ancestors, dying in the forty-first year of his reign.

They buried him in his own burial cave, which he had ordered cut for himself in the City of David. They laid him in a bed filled with sweet spices of various kinds, expertly compounded; and a very great fire was kindled in his honor.

Then Y'hoshafat his son became king in his place. He strengthened his position against Isra'el

by placing forces in all the fortified cities of Y'hudah, and by garrisoning troops in the territory of Y'hudah and in the cities of Efrayim that Asa his father had captured.

ADONAI was with Y'hoshafat, because he lived according to the first ways of his ancestor David, not seeking the ba'alim,

but seeking the God of his father and living by his mitzvot, not by what Isra'el did.

Therefore ADONAI consolidated his rulership; all Y'hudah brought presents to Y'hoshafat, so that he had wealth and honor in abundance.

In his heart he highly regarded ADONAI's ways; moreover, he removed the high places and sacred poles from Y'hudah.

In the third year of his reign he sent his leading men Ben-Chayil, 'Ovadyah, Z'kharyah, N'tan'el and Mikhayahu to teach in the cities of Y'hudah;

with them were the L'vi'im Sh'ma'yahu, N'tanyahu, Z'vadyahu, 'Asah'el, Sh'miramot, Y'honatan, Adoniyahu, Tuviyahu and Tov-Adoniyah, the L'vi'im; and with them Elishama and Y'horam the cohanim.

They taught in Y'hudah, having a scroll of the Torah of ADONAI with them; they circulated through all the cities of Y'hudah, teaching among the people.

A panic from ADONAI seized all the kingdoms in the lands surrounding Y'hudah, so that they did not make war against Y'hoshafat.

Some of the P'lishtim brought Y'hoshafat gifts and silver as tribute; the Arabs too brought him flocks - 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.

So Y'hoshafat grew increasingly powerful. In Y'hudah he built fortresses and storage cities.

He had many projects in the cities of Y'hudah; and in Yerushalayim he had warriors, strong brave men.

Here is a listing of them by clans: from Y'hudah, the captains of thousands: 'Adnah the leader, and with him 300,000 strong, brave men;

next to him Y'hochanan the leader, and with him 280,000;

next to him 'Amasyah the son of Zikhri, who volunteered to serve ADONAI, and with him 200,000 strong, brave men.

From Binyamin: Elyada, a strong, brave man, and with him 200,000 equipped with bows and shields;

next to him Y'hozavad, and with him 180,000 prepared for war.

These served the king, in addition to those the king assigned to the fortified cities throughout all Y'hudah.

Y'hoshafat had wealth and honor in abundance, and by marriage he allied himself with Ach'av.

After some years he went down to Ach'av in Shomron. Ach'av slaughtered sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramot-Gil'ad.